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Warhammer Heroes #7
Valkia the Bloody
A Warhammer Fantasy Battles novel
Warrior-maiden and consort of the blood god Khorne, the name Valkia the Bloody is feared among all the tribes of the north –friend and foe alike. Follow her story from her earliest days to her destiny as the Gorequeen.
READ IT BECAUSE
It's the origins of the most feared of Khorne's servants, the mighty Gorequeen herself. A compelling and nuanced portrait of a fascinating character, in a tale that defines Khorne's service in the Old World.
THE STORY
Warrior-maiden and consort of the blood god Khorne, the name Valkia the Bloody is feared among all the tribes of the north - friend and foe alike. From her earliest days as a shield bearer for her father King Merroc, she has known nothing but unending warfare and the brutal politics of the tribal leaders, and soon reaches out to seize power for herself. Though her feral beauty might attract unlikely suitors and her enemies may plot against her in secret, Valkia holds the patronage of the Ruinous Powers, and Khorne will not allow his chosen queen to fall.
Warrior-maiden and consort of the blood god Khorne, the name Valkia the Bloody is feared among all the tribes of the north –friend and foe alike. Follow her story from her earliest days to her destiny as the Gorequeen.
READ IT BECAUSE
It's the origins of the most feared of Khorne's servants, the mighty Gorequeen herself. A compelling and nuanced portrait of a fascinating character, in a tale that defines Khorne's service in the Old World.
THE STORY
Warrior-maiden and consort of the blood god Khorne, the name Valkia the Bloody is feared among all the tribes of the north - friend and foe alike. From her earliest days as a shield bearer for her father King Merroc, she has known nothing but unending warfare and the brutal politics of the tribal leaders, and soon reaches out to seize power for herself. Though her feral beauty might attract unlikely suitors and her enemies may plot against her in secret, Valkia holds the patronage of the Ruinous Powers, and Khorne will not allow his chosen queen to fall.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 8, 2012
13 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Cawkwell
59 books44 followersA freelance writer based in the north east of England, Sarah is old enough to know better, but still young enough not to care. When not slaving away over a hot keyboard, Sarah's hobbies include reading everything and anything, running around in fields with swords screaming incomprehensibly, and having her soul slowly sucked dry by online games. Her minimum bribe level is one chocolate orange.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 26, 2015
A long time ago in a galaxy not so far away, a dear friend was trying to explain Warhammer to me. My sole experience of the hobby at that time was a short lived WFRP campaign and the occasional utterance of "they look nice, dear" with regards to my then-partner's Grey Knights army.
My dear friend was very enthusiastic and I listened graciously as she chattered away about primarchs, chaos, space goblins etc etc.
"Are there actually any women in Warhammer?" I asked, thinking that the sole population of the grim dark universe was limited to big men with bigger shoulderpads.
"Oh yes" she said "And you don't want to mess with them".
Some time later, having parted ways with my partner (and his Grey Knights) I finally reached for my copy of Valkia The Bloody (which had been sat on my shelf for so long she was becoming Valkia The Dusty) after finishing a book which proclaimed that women have no place on the battlefield.
Valkia's place on the battlefield is on the front line. Holding a spear that she's thrusted into someone's skull.
I'm not going to be cliché and say that this book changed my life. But it did.
Valkia The Bloody was the first fantasy novel I read with a female lead. She was not there to support a man's story, she was not there to be saved, she was not there to be punished or demonised. She was there to carve her own story.
And she did so in practical armor. With a helmet and everything!
Let me make one thing clear, Valkia the Bloody is not a nice lady (they don't call her Valkia the Cuddly) but she does what is best for her people. She has a clear idea of what it is to be a competent leader and heavens help anyone who gets in her way.
The book itself was an intense read. The battles were written so descriptively that I could practically smell the blood in the air. The antagonists were suitably vilesome (with the exception of the talking shield whose exchanges with Valkia offer some welcome humour) and Valkia herself was a breath of fresh air in both the fantasy genre and the Warhammer setting.
I know what you're thinking - if I love Valkia so much then why don't I marry her?
Well, I would but I think Khorne might get upset and he's definitely someone I don't want to get on the wrong side of!
My dear friend was very enthusiastic and I listened graciously as she chattered away about primarchs, chaos, space goblins etc etc.
"Are there actually any women in Warhammer?" I asked, thinking that the sole population of the grim dark universe was limited to big men with bigger shoulderpads.
"Oh yes" she said "And you don't want to mess with them".
Some time later, having parted ways with my partner (and his Grey Knights) I finally reached for my copy of Valkia The Bloody (which had been sat on my shelf for so long she was becoming Valkia The Dusty) after finishing a book which proclaimed that women have no place on the battlefield.
Valkia's place on the battlefield is on the front line. Holding a spear that she's thrusted into someone's skull.
I'm not going to be cliché and say that this book changed my life. But it did.
Valkia The Bloody was the first fantasy novel I read with a female lead. She was not there to support a man's story, she was not there to be saved, she was not there to be punished or demonised. She was there to carve her own story.
And she did so in practical armor. With a helmet and everything!
Let me make one thing clear, Valkia the Bloody is not a nice lady (they don't call her Valkia the Cuddly) but she does what is best for her people. She has a clear idea of what it is to be a competent leader and heavens help anyone who gets in her way.
The book itself was an intense read. The battles were written so descriptively that I could practically smell the blood in the air. The antagonists were suitably vilesome (with the exception of the talking shield whose exchanges with Valkia offer some welcome humour) and Valkia herself was a breath of fresh air in both the fantasy genre and the Warhammer setting.
I know what you're thinking - if I love Valkia so much then why don't I marry her?
Well, I would but I think Khorne might get upset and he's definitely someone I don't want to get on the wrong side of!
June 29, 2012
Shadowhawk reviews the second novel by up and coming Black Library explosive (metaphorically speaking) favourite Sarah Cawkwell as she gets both feet wet in the Old World.
“With action scenes that leap off the pages and intrigues that are as bloody and brutal as they get, Valkia the Bloody is proof that Sarah Cawkwell can write Warhammer Fantasy as well as she can write Warhammer 40,000.” ~The Founding Fields
I’ve reviewed enough of Sarah Cawkwell in the last nine months or so that it really is no surprise (or should not be I suppose) that she is one of my favourite writers who are currently writing for Black Library. Whether it is the grim darkness of the far future or the Old World populated by Daemons and Space Frogs, she writes with an ease and comfort of style that makes it all seem so approachable and easy. With her second full-length novel for Black Library, she shows that oft-desired quality every reader looks for in an author: the ability to grow with their work and show off that you can write more than just an action-packed battle scene or a down-and-dirty intrigue-ridden monologue.
Valkia the Bloody is a Warhammer Heroes novel that tells us how you a young shieldmaiden of one of the countless tribesmen of the North became one of the greatest champions of the Blood God, Khorne. Start to finish, this is an uncompromising and at times almost heartless narrative that keeps you occupied with promises of gore, death and mayhem at every turn. As a complete package, this is almost all I could ask for in a Black Library novel and for my money’s worth (metaphorically speaking again as this was an ARC), this novel is something that I’d really tell all of you to go out and buy soon as you can.
If for nothing else, get this novel because of how Valkia herself has been portrayed. When we first see her, she is a young and precocious child, barely eleven, who already has dreams of grandeur. And a feeling of course that she is destined for truly great things. Then she quickly grows into a battle-hardened warrior, one whose ambition is ready to burst out of her in a tide of blood and when the moment arrives, she grabs it by both ears and pulls it closer. Valkia is utterly ruthless, pragmatic, uncompromising and bloodthirsty. Always looking out for the number one, sort of, does that to a person I believe. She is a strong character and she holds the entire narrative in her fist, making Valkia the Bloody a character-driven that really pays off by the end. It’d be a fair and realistic comment to make that I was enamoured with her since her first appearance in the novel since she is never portrayed as anything BUT strong, believable and realistic. She is very much a take-charge, do-my-own-thing type of character who is never afraid to ruffle feathers and break with traditions if that is what it takes to succeed.
You can find the full review at The Founding Fields:
http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/06/...
“With action scenes that leap off the pages and intrigues that are as bloody and brutal as they get, Valkia the Bloody is proof that Sarah Cawkwell can write Warhammer Fantasy as well as she can write Warhammer 40,000.” ~The Founding Fields
I’ve reviewed enough of Sarah Cawkwell in the last nine months or so that it really is no surprise (or should not be I suppose) that she is one of my favourite writers who are currently writing for Black Library. Whether it is the grim darkness of the far future or the Old World populated by Daemons and Space Frogs, she writes with an ease and comfort of style that makes it all seem so approachable and easy. With her second full-length novel for Black Library, she shows that oft-desired quality every reader looks for in an author: the ability to grow with their work and show off that you can write more than just an action-packed battle scene or a down-and-dirty intrigue-ridden monologue.
Valkia the Bloody is a Warhammer Heroes novel that tells us how you a young shieldmaiden of one of the countless tribesmen of the North became one of the greatest champions of the Blood God, Khorne. Start to finish, this is an uncompromising and at times almost heartless narrative that keeps you occupied with promises of gore, death and mayhem at every turn. As a complete package, this is almost all I could ask for in a Black Library novel and for my money’s worth (metaphorically speaking again as this was an ARC), this novel is something that I’d really tell all of you to go out and buy soon as you can.
If for nothing else, get this novel because of how Valkia herself has been portrayed. When we first see her, she is a young and precocious child, barely eleven, who already has dreams of grandeur. And a feeling of course that she is destined for truly great things. Then she quickly grows into a battle-hardened warrior, one whose ambition is ready to burst out of her in a tide of blood and when the moment arrives, she grabs it by both ears and pulls it closer. Valkia is utterly ruthless, pragmatic, uncompromising and bloodthirsty. Always looking out for the number one, sort of, does that to a person I believe. She is a strong character and she holds the entire narrative in her fist, making Valkia the Bloody a character-driven that really pays off by the end. It’d be a fair and realistic comment to make that I was enamoured with her since her first appearance in the novel since she is never portrayed as anything BUT strong, believable and realistic. She is very much a take-charge, do-my-own-thing type of character who is never afraid to ruffle feathers and break with traditions if that is what it takes to succeed.
You can find the full review at The Founding Fields:
http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/06/...
September 13, 2012
A small piece of backstory, first, if I may.
All I ever knew of the Games Workshop hobby was what I had seen as a curious youngster, going into a GW shop and being glared at by staff and customers alike until I backed away and left. Why? Because it was A Bloke Thing.
I’ve had boyfriends who followed the hobby, and learned mainly that a) I am terribly at painting, but it’s quite therapeutic if I don’t judge myself too harshly and b) it really hurts when model pieces stick in your feet.
A couple of years ago, my patient partner gave me one of the Black Library books to try (Games Workshop’s fiction arm). In the interests of giving any book a fair try, and as a proud fan of ‘genre’ fiction, I cracked it open.
Since then, I’ve scared away those GW staff with my enthusiasm for the books, the growing fantasy/sci-fi universes that they form, the sheer human morality of the stories and the quality of the writing. I’ve met the authors at signing days and enthused over their work, with some amusement that I’m a reader, not a gamer (the opposite being the norm).
I was tremendously excited to find that there was to be a book specifically about a female character in the BL canon, written by a woman who had proved herself in battle short story form and been let loose to form her own world.
And I really was not disappointed.
Valkia can be read as an easily-accessible stand-alone novel or as part of the Warhammer fantasy canon – it’s a prequel, so doesn’t really require any existing knowledge. What it does it set up its own world within the existant mythology – that of a world of war, survival, simple human communities fighting supernatural monsters… but always returning to the subtle truth that the monsters are born within ourselves. The tribes in the book survive in the manner of a medieval society, visibly evolving from feudal to agrarian, but in such a way that the effects on those living in a world of gods and monsters is clearly felt. Any disbelief is fully suspended. Mythology is spun from historical and societal realities – more than once, this book reminded me strongly of a Greek tragedy. And girly romance? Forget it.
Sarah Cawkwell’s skill as a writer is immediately apparent as the reader is drawn into the tale. Her prose is lush, vivid, descriptive – necessarily gory at times, due to the subject matter, but with such a focused eye on human nature that it’s easy to find yourself choosing sides, placing yourself alongside the characters, cheering for their battles and mourning their descent into madness or doom.
Both the Warhammer (sword & sorcery/fantasy) and Warhammer 40K (futuristic sci-fi) universes are dystopian. It is a fact that quite often, characters are doomed from the outset. The skill of an author in making a book readable – indeed, gripping – from start to finish is making the reader want to engage with the protagonist’s battles despite this fate, hoping that somehow they’ll redeem themselves, save the day after all, or somehow Kobayashi Maru themselves a way out. It doesn’t happen, but the remembrance of those very human decisions, journeys, stories is what makes the books resonate within us after the final page has been turned.
To sneer at what may be ‘just another fantasy book’ tied in to a hobby would be to do this novel a severe disservice, and to miss out on a truly memorable read. Action-packed, fast-flowing, utterly engrossing… the only reason this review is so late in coming is because I actually made myself put the book aside, so that I wouldn’t race to the end too quickly. I wanted it to last, to spend more time with the characters; even Valkia herself, who is fated to become a beautiful, bloody Chaos Demon, but is so wonderfully strong, stalwart and motivated that even as her path begins to slide downwards, we stay with her.
The standard of Black Library books seems to be constantly rising, as the authors are allowed to create their own worlds, evolve their characters and societies and simply write. The previous best, those New York Times Best Sellers Dan Abnett and Graham McNeill, now have a female comrade-at-arms. I truly look forward to seeing what comes from this lady in the future.
And I urge Games Workshop/Black Library to do more to draw in the ladies. We’re not at all bad with the strategy, y’know…
All I ever knew of the Games Workshop hobby was what I had seen as a curious youngster, going into a GW shop and being glared at by staff and customers alike until I backed away and left. Why? Because it was A Bloke Thing.
I’ve had boyfriends who followed the hobby, and learned mainly that a) I am terribly at painting, but it’s quite therapeutic if I don’t judge myself too harshly and b) it really hurts when model pieces stick in your feet.
A couple of years ago, my patient partner gave me one of the Black Library books to try (Games Workshop’s fiction arm). In the interests of giving any book a fair try, and as a proud fan of ‘genre’ fiction, I cracked it open.
Since then, I’ve scared away those GW staff with my enthusiasm for the books, the growing fantasy/sci-fi universes that they form, the sheer human morality of the stories and the quality of the writing. I’ve met the authors at signing days and enthused over their work, with some amusement that I’m a reader, not a gamer (the opposite being the norm).
I was tremendously excited to find that there was to be a book specifically about a female character in the BL canon, written by a woman who had proved herself in battle short story form and been let loose to form her own world.
And I really was not disappointed.
Valkia can be read as an easily-accessible stand-alone novel or as part of the Warhammer fantasy canon – it’s a prequel, so doesn’t really require any existing knowledge. What it does it set up its own world within the existant mythology – that of a world of war, survival, simple human communities fighting supernatural monsters… but always returning to the subtle truth that the monsters are born within ourselves. The tribes in the book survive in the manner of a medieval society, visibly evolving from feudal to agrarian, but in such a way that the effects on those living in a world of gods and monsters is clearly felt. Any disbelief is fully suspended. Mythology is spun from historical and societal realities – more than once, this book reminded me strongly of a Greek tragedy. And girly romance? Forget it.
Sarah Cawkwell’s skill as a writer is immediately apparent as the reader is drawn into the tale. Her prose is lush, vivid, descriptive – necessarily gory at times, due to the subject matter, but with such a focused eye on human nature that it’s easy to find yourself choosing sides, placing yourself alongside the characters, cheering for their battles and mourning their descent into madness or doom.
Both the Warhammer (sword & sorcery/fantasy) and Warhammer 40K (futuristic sci-fi) universes are dystopian. It is a fact that quite often, characters are doomed from the outset. The skill of an author in making a book readable – indeed, gripping – from start to finish is making the reader want to engage with the protagonist’s battles despite this fate, hoping that somehow they’ll redeem themselves, save the day after all, or somehow Kobayashi Maru themselves a way out. It doesn’t happen, but the remembrance of those very human decisions, journeys, stories is what makes the books resonate within us after the final page has been turned.
To sneer at what may be ‘just another fantasy book’ tied in to a hobby would be to do this novel a severe disservice, and to miss out on a truly memorable read. Action-packed, fast-flowing, utterly engrossing… the only reason this review is so late in coming is because I actually made myself put the book aside, so that I wouldn’t race to the end too quickly. I wanted it to last, to spend more time with the characters; even Valkia herself, who is fated to become a beautiful, bloody Chaos Demon, but is so wonderfully strong, stalwart and motivated that even as her path begins to slide downwards, we stay with her.
The standard of Black Library books seems to be constantly rising, as the authors are allowed to create their own worlds, evolve their characters and societies and simply write. The previous best, those New York Times Best Sellers Dan Abnett and Graham McNeill, now have a female comrade-at-arms. I truly look forward to seeing what comes from this lady in the future.
And I urge Games Workshop/Black Library to do more to draw in the ladies. We’re not at all bad with the strategy, y’know…
September 17, 2012
“Fast moving, bloody and a delight to read – Sarah Cawkwell proves that she is no one-hit-wonder and delivers a stunning look into one of the darkest characters that this series has given us to date.” ~The Founding Fields
What I love about the Warhammer Heroes series is that it continues to produce a high-quality collection of novels despite the wide subject matter (the chronicles of a hero/villain of the Warhammer Fantasy Universe), and the fact that it’s got a large number of authors working on this project. I mean, we’ve had Chris Wraight, Darius Hinks, CL Werner and now Sarah Cawkwell is added to that rooster as well, with Ben Counter set to be the next one with his upcoming Van Hortsmann. Unlike the similar Space Marine Battles Series of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe, the response to the Warhammer Heroes series have been largely positive, whilst the SMB series has had mixed feedback, having produced sometimes the best Warhammer 40k novels, whilst sometimes offering some of the worst that I’ve read. At least I can say that’s not the same with Warhammer Heroes, as Sarah Cawkwell offers an interesting perspective into Valkia the Bloody, warrior-woman and champion of Khorne.
Warrior-maiden and consort of the blood god Khorne, the name Valkia the Bloody is feared among all the tribes of the north – friend and foe alike. From her earliest days as a shield bearer for her father King Merroc, she has known nothing but unending warfare and the brutal politics of the tribal leaders, and soon reaches out to seize power for herself. Though her feral beauty might attract unlikely suitors and her enemies may plot against her in secret, Valkia holds the patronage of the Ruinous Powers, and Khorne will not allow his chosen queen to fall.
I’m likely to be a little biased towards my favouritisim of the Warhammer Heroes series because CL Werner’s Wulfrik was the first Warhammer Fantasy novel that I read. I know, I was late in starting, but Warhammer Fantasy has, since I’ve started reading the novels, always maintained a higher quality of novels than the Warhammer 40k one and I’m yet to come across a novel set in this universe that I don’t like (that I can recall, anyway). However, I believe that Valkia the Bloody is a strong novel that I couldn’t put down. Valkia is a unique anti-hero, more of a villain, and proves that not all characters in a universe based of a table top wargame have to be male. Another reason that I prefer the Warhammer Heroes series over Space Marine Battles is that I, with about 99% of the characters on offer, haven’t heard of them before reading the novel, whilst my knowledge of Warhammer 40k lore is extensive, rendering the Space Marine Battles series predictable, whilst the Warhammer Heroes books continue to boast some levels of tension. As was the case with Valkia the Bloody.
A common theme with Warhammer Heroes novels is that they’re like “superhero origin” tales of the Warhammer Fantasy Universe. They’ll chart the rise of the hero, rather than picking up once the hero is well-renowned and already famous. Valkia the Bloody didn’t disappoint in this, and those who have heard of Valkia before will hopefully find something to enjoy in this novel. It’s not often you find yourself reading about a strong female character in a universe dominated by men, but Sarah Cawkwell has nailed this perfectly.
Read the rest of the review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/09/....
What I love about the Warhammer Heroes series is that it continues to produce a high-quality collection of novels despite the wide subject matter (the chronicles of a hero/villain of the Warhammer Fantasy Universe), and the fact that it’s got a large number of authors working on this project. I mean, we’ve had Chris Wraight, Darius Hinks, CL Werner and now Sarah Cawkwell is added to that rooster as well, with Ben Counter set to be the next one with his upcoming Van Hortsmann. Unlike the similar Space Marine Battles Series of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe, the response to the Warhammer Heroes series have been largely positive, whilst the SMB series has had mixed feedback, having produced sometimes the best Warhammer 40k novels, whilst sometimes offering some of the worst that I’ve read. At least I can say that’s not the same with Warhammer Heroes, as Sarah Cawkwell offers an interesting perspective into Valkia the Bloody, warrior-woman and champion of Khorne.
Warrior-maiden and consort of the blood god Khorne, the name Valkia the Bloody is feared among all the tribes of the north – friend and foe alike. From her earliest days as a shield bearer for her father King Merroc, she has known nothing but unending warfare and the brutal politics of the tribal leaders, and soon reaches out to seize power for herself. Though her feral beauty might attract unlikely suitors and her enemies may plot against her in secret, Valkia holds the patronage of the Ruinous Powers, and Khorne will not allow his chosen queen to fall.
I’m likely to be a little biased towards my favouritisim of the Warhammer Heroes series because CL Werner’s Wulfrik was the first Warhammer Fantasy novel that I read. I know, I was late in starting, but Warhammer Fantasy has, since I’ve started reading the novels, always maintained a higher quality of novels than the Warhammer 40k one and I’m yet to come across a novel set in this universe that I don’t like (that I can recall, anyway). However, I believe that Valkia the Bloody is a strong novel that I couldn’t put down. Valkia is a unique anti-hero, more of a villain, and proves that not all characters in a universe based of a table top wargame have to be male. Another reason that I prefer the Warhammer Heroes series over Space Marine Battles is that I, with about 99% of the characters on offer, haven’t heard of them before reading the novel, whilst my knowledge of Warhammer 40k lore is extensive, rendering the Space Marine Battles series predictable, whilst the Warhammer Heroes books continue to boast some levels of tension. As was the case with Valkia the Bloody.
A common theme with Warhammer Heroes novels is that they’re like “superhero origin” tales of the Warhammer Fantasy Universe. They’ll chart the rise of the hero, rather than picking up once the hero is well-renowned and already famous. Valkia the Bloody didn’t disappoint in this, and those who have heard of Valkia before will hopefully find something to enjoy in this novel. It’s not often you find yourself reading about a strong female character in a universe dominated by men, but Sarah Cawkwell has nailed this perfectly.
Read the rest of the review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/09/....
February 2, 2022
What a mixed bag. Valkia is cold, strong, brave, intelligent, beautiful, outwardly feminist. She is definitely aromantic, and I want to read her as asexual, but a few passages bring this into question. Unfortunately, she exists either entirely devoid of emotion, or on a scale of furiously violent.
Part of me was glad to see this aroace warrior princess, but she is just monstrous. Oh my word, why is representation limited to a genocidal sociopath. Murder and deceit are about the extent of her sins, until she rapes her husband.
There are a few glimmers, but overwhelmingly Valkia follows an inverse chosen-one narrative with little attempt at character development. There’s no drive or serious internal conflict for her. She simply is.
I really feel this was a wasted opportunity. Why not tell a story of her virtues and explore how these are twisted as she descends into madness and slaughter? Tell a story of hope and of tragedy. In contrast to the stories of heroes who rise above the cruelty of the world, this could have been a narrative of someone who falls into darkness and Chaos. Instead, you know who she is from the start and the author’s attempts at depth are flippant at best.
There are secondary plots, which are also mixed, if not as severely. Some of the politics and drama surrounding Valkia’s family are fairly engaging. I did really enjoy Locephax.
The prose is simple, but a few more momentous scenes are elevated and read much more nicely. All the fights involving Valkia are quite good, but larger-scale battles struggle to be engaging. Occasional editing errors throughout, usually minor typos. Arguably some internal inconsistency, but not anything too severe, as I recall.
Not without its highlights, but I probably would not recommend this one. If you want epic, bloody battles, read the Iliad or Keegan’s The First World War. If you want a similar character with incomparably better storytelling, read Archaon’s novels.
Part of me was glad to see this aroace warrior princess, but she is just monstrous. Oh my word, why is representation limited to a genocidal sociopath. Murder and deceit are about the extent of her sins, until she rapes her husband.
There are a few glimmers, but overwhelmingly Valkia follows an inverse chosen-one narrative with little attempt at character development. There’s no drive or serious internal conflict for her. She simply is.
I really feel this was a wasted opportunity. Why not tell a story of her virtues and explore how these are twisted as she descends into madness and slaughter? Tell a story of hope and of tragedy. In contrast to the stories of heroes who rise above the cruelty of the world, this could have been a narrative of someone who falls into darkness and Chaos. Instead, you know who she is from the start and the author’s attempts at depth are flippant at best.
There are secondary plots, which are also mixed, if not as severely. Some of the politics and drama surrounding Valkia’s family are fairly engaging. I did really enjoy Locephax.
The prose is simple, but a few more momentous scenes are elevated and read much more nicely. All the fights involving Valkia are quite good, but larger-scale battles struggle to be engaging. Occasional editing errors throughout, usually minor typos. Arguably some internal inconsistency, but not anything too severe, as I recall.
Not without its highlights, but I probably would not recommend this one. If you want epic, bloody battles, read the Iliad or Keegan’s The First World War. If you want a similar character with incomparably better storytelling, read Archaon’s novels.
July 22, 2015
This was a slightly deeper book than the average Black Library contribution. It caught me off guard that the ol' blokes over at GW were willing to let a book with such heavy feminist overtones go to press. This book screamed "girl power!" in a way that was a little bit overdone (okay, we get it, Valkia is a woman leading in a man's world, we almost forgot since the last paragraph where you also reminded us...) Doing this sometimes distracted from the story (actually more than sometimes) and I almost felt I was being fed propaganda at some points due to that fact. Rather than letting the character's actions speak for themselves we have to be told after each victory she achieves that she is a woman, hear her roar.
That being said, I found Valkia's character to be rather compelling, easily the most so of all the characters in the book (seeing as how the only other ones to receive any decent screen time besides her can be counted on one hand, two of which are her daughters) so there is very little character development beyond her and a little with her two daughters and her half brother. Those 4 characters do have some depth, but nothing that gets into the deep end of the pool, by any means. You are never treading water with this book, but rather you can put your feet down and stand on the bottom without fear of drowning.
That being said, I did like the book and the scene at the end with Valkia and her daughter Eris was particularly poignant, a good addition to the Black Library fantasy section. In the end I felt a certain sadness for Valkia's character and her fate, even though she was triumphant. It was a cool story, but not much more than that.
That being said, I found Valkia's character to be rather compelling, easily the most so of all the characters in the book (seeing as how the only other ones to receive any decent screen time besides her can be counted on one hand, two of which are her daughters) so there is very little character development beyond her and a little with her two daughters and her half brother. Those 4 characters do have some depth, but nothing that gets into the deep end of the pool, by any means. You are never treading water with this book, but rather you can put your feet down and stand on the bottom without fear of drowning.
That being said, I did like the book and the scene at the end with Valkia and her daughter Eris was particularly poignant, a good addition to the Black Library fantasy section. In the end I felt a certain sadness for Valkia's character and her fate, even though she was triumphant. It was a cool story, but not much more than that.
January 10, 2013
I'd read a lot of hype about this book, and when I read the entry in the Warriors of Chaos army book about Valkia the Bloody I decided that I should check it out.
Anyone who randomly picks up this book knowing nothing about Games Workshop or Warhammer will be fine, this book totally stands on its own. It will appeal to those who are interested in a female driven fantasy, in a world that reminded me quite a lot of the Celts.
I've been rather impressed with the caliber of writing coming out of the Black Library for far. The books are well written with deep and compelling stories that keep you up at night. And that was one of the main reasons I stuck with this book. I had some trouble pulling through the last 100 pgs or so, not because it wasn't interesting it just moved incredibly slow. But I am happy that I stuck with it.
This book is a telling of the life of Valkia before she became the consort of Khorne, and really her first battle as consort. Her early life as daughter of the leader and then leader in her own right of a northern tribe (I cannot spell the name off the top of my head) is fascinating, and the secondary characters that make up the story are just as compelling as Valkia herself. The story really picked up when she came into her own, and I think when she battles Lophax (spelled incorrectly) in the Circle of Blood is really one of the standout moments for me. I loved her daughters, Eris and Bellona, and her half brother Edan.
Fans of the Warriors of Chaos will not be disappointed, and I look forward to adding Valkia the Bloody to my Chaos army.
Anyone who randomly picks up this book knowing nothing about Games Workshop or Warhammer will be fine, this book totally stands on its own. It will appeal to those who are interested in a female driven fantasy, in a world that reminded me quite a lot of the Celts.
I've been rather impressed with the caliber of writing coming out of the Black Library for far. The books are well written with deep and compelling stories that keep you up at night. And that was one of the main reasons I stuck with this book. I had some trouble pulling through the last 100 pgs or so, not because it wasn't interesting it just moved incredibly slow. But I am happy that I stuck with it.
This book is a telling of the life of Valkia before she became the consort of Khorne, and really her first battle as consort. Her early life as daughter of the leader and then leader in her own right of a northern tribe (I cannot spell the name off the top of my head) is fascinating, and the secondary characters that make up the story are just as compelling as Valkia herself. The story really picked up when she came into her own, and I think when she battles Lophax (spelled incorrectly) in the Circle of Blood is really one of the standout moments for me. I loved her daughters, Eris and Bellona, and her half brother Edan.
Fans of the Warriors of Chaos will not be disappointed, and I look forward to adding Valkia the Bloody to my Chaos army.
August 14, 2024
I don't know if this is the fourth or fifth time I have read this book; but is without doubt one of my favorite warhammer books. The story of Valkia is the story of what the allure and corruption of khorne is, a mad glint a hill of madness wrought upon oneself in a wild abandon of bloodshed.
Sarah Cawkwell however does make this so much more then a story of bloody killer getting more blood on her hands and rewarded for it. It is a story of perceverance, a believable female warrior character interwoven in what I read as retelling of ibn khaldoen's theory of civilisation. Nomadic warriors have more solidarity, the win the conquer, new leaders gloat in that victory become idle corrupt and finally get swept aside by new nomadic warriors. That is in essence the story told here and one could argue that Valkia's victims and erstwile people brought their doom upon themselves. Or you could read it as the warning that once on the path of dark god, you can never escape the path you set yourself on.
One criticism, Edan is not a bad antagonist but he left the story for such a long time that when he comes back his choices don't shock as much as they perhaps could have.
Sarah Cawkwell however does make this so much more then a story of bloody killer getting more blood on her hands and rewarded for it. It is a story of perceverance, a believable female warrior character interwoven in what I read as retelling of ibn khaldoen's theory of civilisation. Nomadic warriors have more solidarity, the win the conquer, new leaders gloat in that victory become idle corrupt and finally get swept aside by new nomadic warriors. That is in essence the story told here and one could argue that Valkia's victims and erstwile people brought their doom upon themselves. Or you could read it as the warning that once on the path of dark god, you can never escape the path you set yourself on.
One criticism, Edan is not a bad antagonist but he left the story for such a long time that when he comes back his choices don't shock as much as they perhaps could have.
April 15, 2022
I like to read stories about noble heroes that overcome obstacles when all the odds are stacked against them. That is why I found it a bit difficult to enjoy this book about a savage, bloodthirsty woman who gets whatever she wants and succeeds at everything without any difficulty.
It's not really the kind of story that appeals to me. It's not exceptionally emotional or intricate. Valkia is a piece of shit and I never really felt like any of the other characters were worth rooting for. But it's a book about the worshippers of Khorne, and like the blood god himself, the book is blunt and brutal. It's a book that's full of bloodshed, where wild creatures run amok and battle-hardened warriors bathe in the blood of their enemies. For some people, that's all that's needed.
It's also a coming-of-age type story, depicting Valkia's rise to demonhood. This is something I really like, and wish I could see more of within the Warhammer world. I love to see how a hero becomes a hero or a villain becomes a villain. How an important character to the lore became important.
Also, when Valkia killed the demon prince, Locephax, and turned his face into a shield. That was badass, not gonna lie.
It's not really the kind of story that appeals to me. It's not exceptionally emotional or intricate. Valkia is a piece of shit and I never really felt like any of the other characters were worth rooting for. But it's a book about the worshippers of Khorne, and like the blood god himself, the book is blunt and brutal. It's a book that's full of bloodshed, where wild creatures run amok and battle-hardened warriors bathe in the blood of their enemies. For some people, that's all that's needed.
It's also a coming-of-age type story, depicting Valkia's rise to demonhood. This is something I really like, and wish I could see more of within the Warhammer world. I love to see how a hero becomes a hero or a villain becomes a villain. How an important character to the lore became important.
Also, when Valkia killed the demon prince, Locephax, and turned his face into a shield. That was badass, not gonna lie.
April 10, 2023
Really enjoyed this! I always find myself going back to Valkia’s faction in Total War: Warhammer III and I’ve always wanted to know more about her backstory and origins, mainly how she came to be one of the most important Khorne’s champions. So I came across this book and I devoured it in just a couple of days!
I loved almost every single chapter. The characters are all great (even the less important ones made an appearance or a point that made me not forget about them) and the way the book is written always made me want to keep on reading.
I found the story’s pacing to be good with an exception of the last 2 or 3 chapters before the final one (felt a bit dragged), but it didn’t ruin my experience whatsoever.
I loved almost every single chapter. The characters are all great (even the less important ones made an appearance or a point that made me not forget about them) and the way the book is written always made me want to keep on reading.
I found the story’s pacing to be good with an exception of the last 2 or 3 chapters before the final one (felt a bit dragged), but it didn’t ruin my experience whatsoever.
August 19, 2013
I've been enjoying the Black Library's books on the heroes of the Warhammer Fantasy world, and it was with some excitement that I purchased the ebook copy of 'Valkia the Bloody' after having read a bit about her in the Chaos Warrior army book. I was interested to see what Cawkwell would do with what little Games Workshop presented for this follower of Khorne.
In the end, I was more than a little let down with Cawkwell's overall storyline. Where others have taken the route of telling a singular storyline involving the hero and adding flashbacks of the character's history, (ex: Wulfrik & Sigvald) Cawkwell went another route. Instead, she chose to tell the life story of Valkia from childhood to her rise to daemonhood and beyond. While this would normally work with characters with long and established history, such as the characters like Nagash, Sigmar, etc, with minor characters like Valkia, the lack of background causes issues.
Though the combat scenes are handled well, and were both interesting and enjoyable, they were not enough to hold the story together. The storyline itself does a lot of jumping around, year to year to year. It is only when we reach Valkia's quest to the realm of chaos do we actually stay in one timeline for any length of time. And then suddenly, the story continues its jumps through the years. Unfortunately, this leads to a very brittle storyline with not much to stand on as the reader gets thrust forward time and time again and never really gets to get their feet under them.
Another issue with the story is that the antagonists really aren't that interesting as antagonists. A couple of them, such as Valkia's brother, have potential to be something more, yet in the end, I was left wanting and feeling let down by his character. Even the daemon of Slaanesh comes across as one dimensional and flat as the story moves on. There was a lot of potential for the battle of wills between the daemon and the Gorequeen, but sadly this too ended up being nothing really more than a footnote. The other characters of the novel don't do much better, often being only cardboard cutouts with no real motives beyond one objective. They don't act all that realistic and believable, and it detracts heavily form the story. Yes, they worship the god of killing and battle, but that doesn't mean the characters have to be so flat and uninteresting.
Still, Cawkwell did a good job with what she was given, one reason I gave this three, instead of two stars as a rating. There were elements of the tale that were handled well, the above mentioned combat, which she kept fairly individualistic rather than attempting to wrestle with grand descriptions. Another was her handling of Khorne and his servants, which had me looking at the Games Workshop store pondering what Khorne elements I could stick in my own Chaos army. And lastly, taking the route of sloth and gluttony for a follower of Slaanesh's worship instead of the stereotypical route of sexual depravity was an excellent choice and did work fairly well within the story.
Yet sadly, this book didn't live up to the hype that it was given. That is not to mean you won't enjoy it yourself, there are certainly a lot of five star ratings for it. Personally, the lack of an more complex plot as well as one dimensional characters ruined a lot of this book for me. Still, if you are a fan of Chaos, and a reader of Warhammer fiction, this book will most likely end up on your bookshelf. For anyone else, there are better books out there when it comes to Warhammer's characters. I would suggest checking them out first.
In the end, I was more than a little let down with Cawkwell's overall storyline. Where others have taken the route of telling a singular storyline involving the hero and adding flashbacks of the character's history, (ex: Wulfrik & Sigvald) Cawkwell went another route. Instead, she chose to tell the life story of Valkia from childhood to her rise to daemonhood and beyond. While this would normally work with characters with long and established history, such as the characters like Nagash, Sigmar, etc, with minor characters like Valkia, the lack of background causes issues.
Though the combat scenes are handled well, and were both interesting and enjoyable, they were not enough to hold the story together. The storyline itself does a lot of jumping around, year to year to year. It is only when we reach Valkia's quest to the realm of chaos do we actually stay in one timeline for any length of time. And then suddenly, the story continues its jumps through the years. Unfortunately, this leads to a very brittle storyline with not much to stand on as the reader gets thrust forward time and time again and never really gets to get their feet under them.
Another issue with the story is that the antagonists really aren't that interesting as antagonists. A couple of them, such as Valkia's brother, have potential to be something more, yet in the end, I was left wanting and feeling let down by his character. Even the daemon of Slaanesh comes across as one dimensional and flat as the story moves on. There was a lot of potential for the battle of wills between the daemon and the Gorequeen, but sadly this too ended up being nothing really more than a footnote. The other characters of the novel don't do much better, often being only cardboard cutouts with no real motives beyond one objective. They don't act all that realistic and believable, and it detracts heavily form the story. Yes, they worship the god of killing and battle, but that doesn't mean the characters have to be so flat and uninteresting.
Still, Cawkwell did a good job with what she was given, one reason I gave this three, instead of two stars as a rating. There were elements of the tale that were handled well, the above mentioned combat, which she kept fairly individualistic rather than attempting to wrestle with grand descriptions. Another was her handling of Khorne and his servants, which had me looking at the Games Workshop store pondering what Khorne elements I could stick in my own Chaos army. And lastly, taking the route of sloth and gluttony for a follower of Slaanesh's worship instead of the stereotypical route of sexual depravity was an excellent choice and did work fairly well within the story.
Yet sadly, this book didn't live up to the hype that it was given. That is not to mean you won't enjoy it yourself, there are certainly a lot of five star ratings for it. Personally, the lack of an more complex plot as well as one dimensional characters ruined a lot of this book for me. Still, if you are a fan of Chaos, and a reader of Warhammer fiction, this book will most likely end up on your bookshelf. For anyone else, there are better books out there when it comes to Warhammer's characters. I would suggest checking them out first.
March 13, 2015
The Warhammer Heroes series has a simple idea behind it. Take a character from the massively popular tabletop game, and fill out their background. There is a wealth of characters to draw upon, and it's proven to be a strong series. Valkia the Bloody focuses on the titular character, a mighty warrior, daemon princess and consort to the blood god, Khorne.
Like that of Wulfrik the Wanderer, Valkia's story takes place far from the usual Empire-based settings of Warhammer novels in the northern wastes, where small pockets of humanity struggle to survive in a harsh landscape. Cawkwell tells the story of Queen Valkia the Bloody, a chieftain's daughter who will one day be feared throughout the Warhammer world, from her childhood to her eventual daemonic ascendancy.
It's a suprisingly sympathetic treatment of a character who could be portrayed simply as an axe-crazy psychopath, which shows that she is capable of and has been shaped by all of the usual human experiences, but has been forced - or rather, because the character is never shown to lack agency, has chosen - to become what she is in order to survive. Importantly, Cawkwell never downplays the fact that Valkia is a powerful woman in a highly masculine setting and world, and doesn't shy away from addressing the issues this raises.
Valkia the Bloody is not just a character study, though. This is a Warhammer novel, after all, with a big emphasis on war. The action is frequent and often shocking in its brutality, befitting a novel which concerns itself with the champion of a god of blood, but the book never lingers on violence for its own sake. The mayhem here is always deliberate, and serves to develop the characters and further the story.
One of the strengths of this series is that the volumes are standalone, so we're unlikely to see more of Valkia outside of short stories, but I can't help but want to know what happens next. Perhaps that's the point. Now we know how Valkia got to where she is, and it's up to us - the gamers, the fans, the readers, to write the next chapter in her story.
Like that of Wulfrik the Wanderer, Valkia's story takes place far from the usual Empire-based settings of Warhammer novels in the northern wastes, where small pockets of humanity struggle to survive in a harsh landscape. Cawkwell tells the story of Queen Valkia the Bloody, a chieftain's daughter who will one day be feared throughout the Warhammer world, from her childhood to her eventual daemonic ascendancy.
It's a suprisingly sympathetic treatment of a character who could be portrayed simply as an axe-crazy psychopath, which shows that she is capable of and has been shaped by all of the usual human experiences, but has been forced - or rather, because the character is never shown to lack agency, has chosen - to become what she is in order to survive. Importantly, Cawkwell never downplays the fact that Valkia is a powerful woman in a highly masculine setting and world, and doesn't shy away from addressing the issues this raises.
Valkia the Bloody is not just a character study, though. This is a Warhammer novel, after all, with a big emphasis on war. The action is frequent and often shocking in its brutality, befitting a novel which concerns itself with the champion of a god of blood, but the book never lingers on violence for its own sake. The mayhem here is always deliberate, and serves to develop the characters and further the story.
One of the strengths of this series is that the volumes are standalone, so we're unlikely to see more of Valkia outside of short stories, but I can't help but want to know what happens next. Perhaps that's the point. Now we know how Valkia got to where she is, and it's up to us - the gamers, the fans, the readers, to write the next chapter in her story.
July 19, 2012
Way more than the expected hyper violent bare minimal tale I was expecting judging by the description and knowing that the author is more well known for short stories. Valkia is taken through a very interesting journey from being a shield bearer hungry to prove her worth to her blood god Khorne to completely losing herself through her rise to power in a bloodthirsty lust for chaos and power. The set up is superb and Cawkwell has proven herself to be a real power in the Warhammer worlds using subtle and very sharp writing, brilliant interplay between characters. Valkia is shown throughout on both sides of her own coin, the love that she has for murder and destruction are always on par with how lost she has become to the same ambition that you almost feel sorry for her bearing in the beginning. War, politics and double crossing are prevalent throughout and every page demands complete attention as much as the beautiful character of Valkia herself.
Valkia the Bloody is by far the biggest surprise I have read so far within the Black Library collection and Sarah Cawkwell is easily one of my new favourite authors. BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!
Valkia the Bloody is by far the biggest surprise I have read so far within the Black Library collection and Sarah Cawkwell is easily one of my new favourite authors. BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!
January 1, 2024
I'm not going to lie, I skimmed like last 80-ish pages of this book. I went into this book thinking it was a "good for her" revenge type situation, but Valkia is just... straight up evil and loving it. Which, while great for her, isn't really my thing. I was kinda sorta on her team up until the point that she SA'd her husband at knifepoint. I think... I will leave the Old World Warhammer stuff where it belongs: in the past.
December 6, 2013
I usually love reading the books set in the Warhammer world. This one not so much. It added some deeper background to Valkia, as this book was meant to do, but I felt it was a little bland and I didn't really connect with any of the characters.
March 26, 2014
A solid book by Sarah Cawkwell. You do not often see strong female types in these types of stories, and it was quite refreshing to read a story that really showed a great timeline, in a first person view. Hard to put down.
June 16, 2012
Almost a five-star book. For a single-minded bloodthirsty monster, Valkia's a treat to read about. The only flaws are a last third of the book that drags a bit, and the phrase "angry feet".
November 11, 2012
This book is the best book ive ever read, im not usally one for reading and staying intersed but "Valkia The Bloody" kept the brain's clockwork going, always wanting to read on! defently Recomend.
July 25, 2014
BLOOD for the BLOOD GOD!!! SKULLS for the SKULL THRONE!!!! KHORNE!!!!!
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