Zombieslayer

Gotrek & Felix #12

by Nathan Long, Christian Jentzsch (translator)

Diesmal demonstrieren Slayer Gotrek und sein Kampfgefährte Felix ihre Schlagkraft gegen die Untoten: Sie sollen Burg Reikwacht befreien, die von einer Zombiearmee belagert wird. Angeführt vom mächtigsten Nekromanten aller Zeiten, ist der Ansturm der Untoten einfach nicht aufzuhalten. Dann plagen Albträume, Verfolgungswahn und gegenseitige Verdächtigungen die Verteidiger in der Burg. Und schließlich liegt es einzig an Gotrek und Felix, die Schlacht gegen die nicht enden wollende Flut der lebenden Toten zu führen.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Audiobook, Horror, Dark Fantasy, Zombies, Science Fiction Fantasy

491 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Nathan 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.

Reviews

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victory was turned into an even worse danger at the end of the previous book and now Gotrek and Felix must turn the tide of a zombie apocalypse if they are to save the Empire. And just in case stopping a constantly growing army of the living dead isn’t hard enough, they also have to find a way to keep Snori Nosebiter from finding his doom because he’s lost his memory and will be damned if he dies before he recovers it.

Sadly, it isn’t just the traitors who have gone over to chaos that makes stopping the horde harder in this novel. There are also plenty of humans with the weaknesses of cowardice and greed to further complicate Gotrek and Felix’s lives. Fortunately, the pair are finding close friends to stand by them in what is one of the best books in the series.

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

[Pierre · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I really did.
Heinrich Kemmler and warlord Krell versus Felix and Gotrek, it sounds like the battle of the millenium. Sadly, the result, for me, falls just under average.

This book starts right where we left our heroes in Shamanslayer, wounded and exhausted in the middle of a rising undead army. The setting is so desperate that quickly, we feel the author is taking shortcuts to justify the survival of the heroes. Of course, Felix and Gotrek can't die yet, but it felt to me like the author had a good idea for his setup, but couldn't execute it properly.

Another concern for me was the lack of characterization of the villains. Kemmler is flat and devoid of any personality except the usual "Evil necromancer" gimmicks. Good thing then that is he is absent from most of the story. This book really made me realized how I missed William King's style, who knew when to switch to the bad guys perspective.
As for Krell, he is nothing but the "muscles" of the book : He doesn't speak, he doesn't do anything of consequence, except show up to give Gotrek and Rodi something more menacing to fight than zombies.

(SPOILERS AHEAD)
What finally broke my will and made me wants to finish this book as quickly as possible was the anticlimatic ending : The last 30-40 pages introduces many new character who don't have time to be properly developed, and see the return of fan-favourite Max Schreiber. But more on him latter. Theses last pages feels like an epilogue, or a follow-up to the story, rather than a proper ending. Like "I have 50 more pages to fill, how the hell am I going to finish this ?"
...
So, yes, I also have a problem with Max being here. He doesn't add anything to the story. It feels like he's been thrown here as fan service, or to add a bit of excitement to a story that stopped short a few chapters ago. A random Gold wizard could have played the same role in the story, except for a few minor points.

I could write about Kat's MORE THAN unlikely survival at the end, about how Snorri's character was demolished in two books, and how the feeling of sheer power was taken out of Gotrek's battle scenes, but i think I made my point about how I feel about this book.

(SPOILER ENDS)
If I had to mention something I liked, I must say Felix feels really heroic and competent as a leader and as a warrior in this book, far from his whiny persona from earlier entries in the serie.

When i first began reading Nathan Long's run on F&G, I felt like the criticism was not deserved. 5 books later, I am exhausted, disappointed and feels the need to write down my first goodreads review.
Nathan Long is far from being a bad writer, but I don't think he handled the franchise as it should have been.

Good thing then that "Kinslayer" takes place later enough to avoid following the current plotlines and unresolved issues.

[Jason Ray Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gotrek and Felix and the Warhammer Fantasy setting are so entertaining. This novel centers around the siege of a castle by an undead horde led by the necromancer Kemmler. To an extent, this novel reminds me of *Beastslayer* by William King, another Gotrek and Felix novel. which is set in the city of Praag as an army of Chaos sieges it. This novel really showcases the undead as an antagonist: there are wights, ghouls, necromancers, body-part siege engines, and, of course, zombies. One of the best part of this series is how it gets you to invest in "minor" characters, and because of the brutality of the world, you know they are very at risk of dying; the stakes always feel high. Of course you expect Gotrek and Felix to survive, but everyone else is expendable and contingent. One complaint I have about this novel was the claustrophobia and stasis of the setting. The reader is forced to spend 400+ pages in a single castle under siege, so the tension is pretty high. I tend to prefer more of a diversity of setting in my fantasy.

[Cant Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathan Long improves the series imo

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathan Long's swansong to the Gotrek and Felix series is a doozy. It really feels like his perpencity for shoehorning zombies and zombie like things into his other works in the series has led up to this moment where he could go wild. The story comes out of the gates running, continuing off the cliffhanger from the previous Shamanslayer forcing our heroes and the remnants of their saviors into a hasty retreat. The stakes are upped massively when it is revealed that it is non other than Heinrich Kemmler reanimating the dead. Said stakes keep getting pushed higher and higher, as all the niceties of siege warfare are turned on their head due to necromantic sorceries, saboteurs, and Kemmler's best buddy Krell come into play and throw various skeletal spanners into the works. The imagery is suitably disturbing, and Long shows that he really has a soft spot for the undead. Overall, this entry was as wonderful as it was depressing and disturbing.

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the last book written by Nathan Long in the Chronological saga. There were four other books written by two writers that don't follow the story set in Zombieslayer and basically they are set in the 20ish years gap that exist between William King and Nathan Long novels.

For what I know Kinslayer (End of Times) is the sequel to Zombieslyer.

What did I like about it? Well Nathan Long is not William King and althought I didn't enjoy this novel as much as other from Nathan Long I was not disappointing. I read it in a week which is a good thing to me. The last one hundred pages were read in one night.

Basically this story follows Shamanslayer as they escape the undead horde to a keep where they must hold until reinforcements arrive. The story is not that special, there are a lot of characters, a lot of mystery, a lot of action and some parts were really tense. In the end nothing happens.... Kemmler is defeated and Krell is killed.

We also dwell a bit more about the Slayers grudge and doom. Gotrek is keen to make Snorri remember the reason he is seeking his doom. He shows, great friendship towards him and at times even putting his own doom on hold. This is very strange and I am eagerly waiting on why.... Maybe Kinslayer will dwell more on it.

We also learn more Gotrek and Felix "symbiosis". Max contemplate that several times they should have been killed (Gotrek should have died when he was cut by Krell's weapon) but didn't died. In the end Kat (the girl from the previous book) was rescued by the gang but she is on the brink of dying BUT if Gotrek's magic works on Felix it should work on her as well.

Again, good reading material but not on part of Daemonslayer and Beastslayer, both are two of my favorite books of all times...

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrid, nasty, bloodbath with lots of intrigue, betrayal, honor, and loads of action, the Boys and their allies battle an ever growing army of the Dead, and must hold a fortress, with only the hope of delay not survive. Will Gotrek finally get his Doom, will Felix finally be free of his oath, will the Empire survive? Check it out.

[A.J Ito · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, esta es la continuación de Shamanslayer, y aquí se presentan unas situaciones muy interesantes, e incluso aparecen personajes recurrentes del mundo de warhammer, como Kemmler o Krell.

Siempre me ha gustado Gotrek y Felix y siempre me va a gustar, porque es básicamente acción y violencia con un poco de historia y Felix pasándolo canutas. Es como un descanso que necesito después de leer obras más densas.

Así pues, el punto que le quita la estrella es que aún con cómo terminó la cosa en el anterior libro, Gotrek se las ha arreglado para no morirse y eso me enfada, porque no se merece vivir arrepintiendose de su crimen eternamente

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely body count, but wow was this one grim. So dark it gave me a nightmare. Well-written, I guess I miss the occasional skaven to pop up. Looking at the new books available, I see someone else is tackling the skaven and there is an Ulrika novel I don't have. Good job Nathan, Gotrek and Felix are enjoying a continued existence thanks to you. Thank you. =)

[Paul Kemp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent sword and sorcery. Grim humor and Gotrek and Felix. That's a win for me.

[Darryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

lol, read the book in less than 24 hrs. classics Felix and Gotrek!

[Darren William Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

After giving up on the series at the last book, I decided to return and finish the whole thing. To my surprise, this is probably the best book Long has written in the saga. But, with some strong issues.

The good?
Long has gotten far better at action and pacing. His characterisation of Felix in this book is much better as Felix isn't a bumbling, weeping coward as he made him in the previous book.
The story hammers along and has more than a few red herrings, twists and turns.
A lot of the new characters are really good. Long brings in too many at the same time so, by halfway through the book I was still trying to remember who everyone was. But by the end of the book, I liked all of the characters, even the despicable ones. They were all well-rounded and well-written and from their point of view, all made sense in their actions.
The siege goes wrong from the start and only gets worse and worse until you start to realise that there is a high chance that no heroic victory is coming. And by the end, almost everyone is dead. One misstep is to have important characters meet their death "off-screen". With so many action sequences, I would much rather have had an important death be shown over yet another siege moment.
Kate was great in this and got to shine in her abilities, grit and courage. I hope she stays around with the new author coming on board.

The bad?
It is still far too long. All of Long's books would be far better if they cut seventy pages out. Why he insists on every book being 416 pages is beyond me. King's books were 280-320 pages and far better for it. At least one large action sequence could have been cut out and brought the ending up into a better position. The pacing was also thrown off because of this as you think you are ramping up to the final battle and then we have a break where Gotrek, Snorri and Felix recover in a cabin for a couple of days.
It was good to see Max show up at the end and Kat was great in this also. I do wish we got to hear more from her though as she only seems to get one line at a time.

The really bad?
The bad guys have insane plot armour and Deus ex machina CONSTANTLY. By the fifth time Krell or Kemmler escaped their death by Gotrek you are sick of it. By the time it happened at the end, I literally called out "oh come on" as Long just didn't want to give Gotrek the win after all he had been through. It wasn't fun to keep having this happen. It felt cheap and a huge let down. The wyvern coming down to rescue Krell and the smoke cloud saving Kemmler got really irritating.

If these books were shorter they would be far better. Either way, the series has taken an upswing and I look forward to continuing.

[FuckingDisaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matazombies, de Nathan Long, es un libro de fantasía de 384 páginas, el decimosegundo de la saga Las aventuras de Gotrek y Félix.
Tras la victoria contra el chamán, en el libro anterior, aparece un nigromante que “resucita” a los muertos para conquistar Altdorf y acabar con el imperio. Una vez más, nuestros protagonistas deberán luchar para salvar el mundo.
La historia tiene lugar en el continente, pero la mayor parte de la lucha tiene lugar en el castillo que deben defender. El relato está narrado en tercera persona y las escenas se centran en nuestros personajes principales y las luchas en las que ellos se ven envueltos. La narración es lineal, ya que todas las escenas se suceden y el fácil seguir el hilo conductor de la trama.
A lo largo de la historia, se le da una vuelta de tuerca más a los personajes de Gotrek y Félix, a los que cada vez se conoce mejor y es fácil empatizar con sus situaciones personales. Félix se debe enfrentar varias veces al dilema moral entre lo que quiere y lo que debe hacer. Por otro lado, Gotrek se enfrenta a lo que es por ayudar a su amigo Snorri.
En cuanto a la trama en sí, la historia transcurre de forma lineal en la lucha de Gotrek y Félix contra el mal. Sin embargo, también hay lugar para la justicia y cómo se generan dudas entre los propios amigos cuando se cree que hay un culpable.
La lectura de este libro me ha acompañado durante 12 días. Es un libro entretenido de principio a fin, donde prima la acción. Al ser este el último libro perteneciente al cuarto onmibús, es aquí donde he decidido dejar la saga. Sé que las aventuras de nuestros protagonistas continúan, pero de esta manera, ya tengo mi final. Así que sí, recomiendo esta saga a los seguidores de Warhammer y a los lectores de fantasía y acción.

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

CAUTION HERE MAY BE SPOILERS

Ahh the final Gotrek and Felix novel before we embark on the end times. There was a few good things about this novel but as another Good Reads review said this book feels more like filler. But that doesn't mean it was bad. For one thing the book is based around a siege of a castle but from the inside, interesting. But once again Long proves that his best weapon in his arsenal is dialogue. If there's one thing I love about Warhammer books it's the dialogue between characters. And when there is a lack of the book just suffers.

The Good Stuff
- As I said it's based around a siege from the inside, normally you get the outside view so this was a good touch.

- What happens when you have a siege and a traitor in the midst? Sabotage. And I really liked it, I loved how he sabotaged the food supply and water. I felt myself getting hungry and thirsty just reading how they had less than a biscuit and single glass of water to live on a day. Nasty

- There was that one guy who Felix told to from a coo and take over, but he gives this great line about how the Law is important to the Empire and that it's what really keeps things together, another great piece of dialogue from Long.

- I like Kat, as I've stated in previous books the whole Felix gets a new girl every book just got really annoying and became something of a habit so it's good to see her stick around for more than one book.

- Any book with Necromancers automatically gets three stars and I love a good warhammer Zombie story 🤷🏼‍♂️

The Bad Stiff
- This book seemed like filler, the main story didn't progress, it literally took place in a castle 🤣 you can't get anymore stationary then that.

- The bad guy didn't really have much of a backstory or any part in the story except to be the guy to raise the dead and throw them at the castle walls, just seemed like...filler

- I've said it before and I'll say it again, when will we find out about Gotreks shame? Why did he take the Slayer oath! When will we find out!

Other than that I liked this book, it was a good read and had so good moments, it was a filler novel but that doesn't mean it wasn't fun to read. I checked and this is the last Gotrek and Felix novel he wrote which is a shame because I think he was just starting to get into his groove and plus this wasnt the strongest book he wrote and certainly not the best to end his contribution on, but still a damn good book. 🙌🏻🙏🏻

[Luke Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last Gotrek and Felix novel I read before the authors changed again (I need to read the Josh Reynolds ones at least): picking up where Shamanslayer ended, having defeating the hordes of Urslak Cripplehorn and Gargorath the God-Touched, things go from bad to worse. The malevolent necromancer Heinrich Kemmler, back from the dead, revives the slain on both sides, with the intent to use the resulting undead horde to conquer the Empire of Sigmar. Pursued to Castle Reikland, a defensive fortress guarding the approach to Altdorf, the Imperial capital, the defenders must hold out as long as they can for reinforcements to arrive, but with Kemmler's undead monsters and black sorcery assailing them from without, and traitors and cabin fever at work within, Gotrek, Felix and their companions face the real prospect this is the end...

The first time undead have been the major theat since Vampireslayer and it was cool to see as prominent a figure from Warhammer lore as Kemmler and his hulking undead champion Krell as the main threat, given the series tended to shy away from doing that before (makes me wish Warhammer Fantasy had had the option to mount Krell on an undead wyvern the way he fights in this novel)... It perfectly captured the fear and relentless drain on morale being trapped in a castle low on supplies and besieged by an unrelenting enemy with none of the weaknesses of mortality can be (a far better take on fighting an undead army than Game of Thrones managed)... It wasn't perfect, a bit confusing in places, but Nathan Long ends his run as author of this series on a fairly high note...

[Hanz Löwe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a general comment on Long's novels in this series

It is difficult to simply take up someone else series, especially when most of the characters were even developed by the writer. Therefore I think he did an admirable job for the first book.

The first book was a bit difficult to read, because of the change in style. However I think he progressively understand the characters better and the story becomes more fluid. Elfslayer and Shamanslayer are the best of his works. They are light, funny and I just couldn't stop reading them! However his last book, zombieslayer was not quite up to the mark, with ending seems a bit rushed.

What I can say is that Long is particularly good at writing battles, and I think he understands that, so most of the books are battle scenes. While it is good that he focuses on what he does best, it does get boring after chapters of nonstop fightings.

It would have been nice if we could see more character development. And I wonder if the romance between Felix and Kat seems plausible if casted in a more rigorous light.

Finally I think the way he exposes and discards the hidden plots laid by King seem like a waste if not callous.

Still I think his contribution enriches the Gotrek and Felix series markably.

[Luis Sparklefury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is a god damn siege novel; one that's somehow so much better than Beastslayer, the book all about the great siege of a city, that it's almost embarrassing - I'm tempted to drop the latter down to two stars in retaliation. There's an endless struggle against horrific, overwhelming odds, an utterly implacable enemy, subterfuge, sabotage, countermeasures, heroic sorties, political strife and discontent: everything you need to cook up a spicy and delicious story of a desperate few battling to survive.
There's less emotional resonance and impact in this than the previous entry, partly because it's very obvious at all times Gotrek and Felix won't die, but it's still there. Disappointing to learn that the next book, Road of Skulls, seemingly is a random non-entry that ignores the entire run so far. Even more tragic that Nathan Long never got to finish some of the arcs he set up - especially that of Snorri Nosebiter's fate.
Didn't expect to get this far into the series, and considered dropping it altogether after the last of William King's novels, but I'm glad I didn't. The start was a little shaky at times, but the rest of Nathan Long's run absolutely triumphs overall.

[midnightbookreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action Adventure Fantasy, Ongoing Series Novel

Join Gotrek on his fantastical aim of a heroic death with Felix's oath of chronicling Gotrek's death.

Within this novel the pair fight zombies, giant bats, ghouls, banshees, wights, and a necromancer.

Discussion / Non-Spoilers

This novel was a definite improvement compared to Shamanslayer. Ideally, these two books should have just been one long book with an act 1 and 2 separating them. A bit of closure actually occurs in this read.

This is a siege read similar to Beastslayer, but the two contrast one another in that this read is more hopeless throughout.

Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers Spoilers
Seriously, the necromancer escapes. The zombie horde just falls when he fades to smoke. Kind of anticlimactic in a climactic way. If this necromancer is the focus of another read then it will be too soon. If he becomes a lieutenant of someone greater then that would be acceptable.

The ending of this novel makes me excited for the groups journey to reclaim Snorri's memory.

[Iain · Rating 2 out of 5]

In some ways this book had the deck stacked against it as it carries forward the rather unsatisfactory ending of Shamanslayer, into a protracted siege battle.

Battles are my least favorite aspect of RPG tie-in fiction. They drag and are difficult to write in an engaging way. So having to toil through hundreds of pages detailing battle against a relentless (and if we're honest, rather boring) horde is a worst case scenario. Long tries to weave in some intrigue, but it's lost in the tide.

Finally, the conclusion (the conclusion of a two book long story arc) is lackluster, and in no way worth the ordeal.

As I understand the final 2 books, "Kinslayer" and "Slayer", are even greater departures from the Gotrek & Felix of William King - I think this is the last book in their core story arc that I'll bother reading.

[Jevon Knights · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thousands of zombies force Gotrek and Felix to take refuge in Castle Reiksguard. The castle is under seige and the occupants try to defend all while something is not right with the castle lords. I've never seen zombies act as smart as they do in this book - they ride horses, they use ladders, they even build seige towers - but it seems that they can be controlled by the necromancer right down to their fine motor skills. The story is interesting enough. The one person that lost character is Kat, the woman Felix fell in love with from the previous book. She's just the perfect little companion that does everything Felix does and goes everywhere Felix goes to the point that the couple move as one body, making her no more than a word on a page. Still worth reading for the sake of more Gotrek and Felix.

[Nonethousand Oberrhein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Survivor’s curse
Back to back with the events in Shamanslayer , the last of Nathan Long’s run in the Gotrek & Felix series doesn’t give the reader the time to rest, renewing the threats and the action, while at the same time digging through all the layers of the characters personalities. Not a physical enemy, but a difficult puzzle will risk to topple down our heroes that, for once, want to survive the fight and do not expect, nor long to find a warrior’s death. An interesting dive into the Slayer creed philosophy, flawed only by the too simplistic ending of the novel. Goodbye Mr. Long, thanks for all the slaying!

[Jake Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

In my opinion this is one of the weakest in the series. The book has a strong premise but the villains just don't deliver. Both the necromancer and the Wight King feel flat and poorly fleshed out (excuse the pun).

The tension of holding the castle against the undead horde is resolved in the last 50 pages with little apparent challenge. Where the entire garrison struggled to survive the onslaught we are led to believe that a mere handful of heroes can just waltz up and sort it all out. As an ending it just falls flat.

[Thom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly think this is my favourite Gotrek and Felix story so far, even though it was following on from the somewhat disappointing finale of Shamanslayer. It feels genuinely suspenseful and grim, I hope that Long writes more sieges in the future, because it seems that he has a definite knack for the sense of desperation that’s very hard to write in situations like that. And I am pleased to say that, 20 years past their debut, Gotrek and Felix are still going strong.

[C Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

The series is getting tired now, and you can see it in this book. The same things repeated again and again, even with some evidence of overall plot progression its too little, too late. The last one I will read.

[Bartek Maciej · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wspaniała pogoda, ciężko się oderwać. Felix i Gotrek kolejny raz chronią imperium, tym razem stając w obronie starożytnej twierdzy Reiklandu. Wróg jak zwykle jest potężny, perfidny i zdradziecki i potrzeba całej siły Goteka i determinacji Felixa by go pokonać. Epicko!

[Michael McCaughey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to see Kemler and Krell make their way into the story. Shame he had to cast curse of years our our protagonists (poor Kat). As we get closer to the end times I find myself slowing down on this amazing series. Don’t want it to end.

[Manuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro con peronajes bien escritos, dialogo inteligente y situaciones excelentes aruinado por un final insulso y maniqueo

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotrek and Felix have to survive a siege.

[Matthew Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable story with the undead menace presented in a very macabre and challenging way.

[Tomáš Šváb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zombies, zombies everywhere