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Warhammer: The Old World
Lords of the Lance
A Warhammer: The Old World Novel
The son of Baron Lothar Aquilena is taken captive in the Land of the Dead. Despite the bitter divide between Duke Carrard of Quenelles and the Baron, they form an uneasy alliance, mounting a treacherous expedition into the cursed realm.
READ IT BECAUSE
It’s a tale of chivalry coming before personal rivalries as noble knights attempt to rescue a nobleman's kidnapped son from the clutches of the undead.
THE STORY
When the son of Baron Lothar Aquilena of the Border Princes is taken captive, he calls in a debt of honour owed to him by Duke Carrard of Quenelles – once his brother-in-arms and now his bitter rival.
This uneasy alliance of warrior knights mounts a dangerous expedition into the lifeless desolation beyond the badlands to a forgotten realm cursed to know neither water nor shade. The baron's son is held captive in the Land of the Dead, and the kings and queens of old do not rest easy in their tombs.
The son of Baron Lothar Aquilena is taken captive in the Land of the Dead. Despite the bitter divide between Duke Carrard of Quenelles and the Baron, they form an uneasy alliance, mounting a treacherous expedition into the cursed realm.
READ IT BECAUSE
It’s a tale of chivalry coming before personal rivalries as noble knights attempt to rescue a nobleman's kidnapped son from the clutches of the undead.
THE STORY
When the son of Baron Lothar Aquilena of the Border Princes is taken captive, he calls in a debt of honour owed to him by Duke Carrard of Quenelles – once his brother-in-arms and now his bitter rival.
This uneasy alliance of warrior knights mounts a dangerous expedition into the lifeless desolation beyond the badlands to a forgotten realm cursed to know neither water nor shade. The baron's son is held captive in the Land of the Dead, and the kings and queens of old do not rest easy in their tombs.
439 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2024
28 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Graham McNeill
339 books903 followersHailing from Scotland, Graham McNeill narrowly escaped a career in surveying to work for Games Workshop as a games designer. He has a strong following with his novels Nightbringer, Warriors of Ultramar, Dead Sky, Black Sun and Storm of Iron.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
February 12, 2024
WARHAMMER: INTO THE PANDERVERSE
If you ever wondered what a Netflix adaptation of Warhammer Fantasy might look like, then look no further. Graham McNeill has successfully stolen the Panderstone from Disney’s vaults to give us one of the most mediocre, canon breaking Black Library novels I’ve ever read, all while checking off every conceivable diversity checkbox imaginable. We have female knights, gay knights, deaf knights, crippled knights, and POC Damsels. Reading this novel made me long for the days when Black Library published novels with human children destroying Eldar grav tanks with sticks and stones.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room, the endless ticking of checkboxes. There are female knights everywhere in this book. There were seemingly more female knights than there were male knights. There were even female men-at-arms, peasant bowmen, mounted yeomen, squires, etc. Previous Bretonnia lore has explicitly stated that all knights and peasant soldiery were males, and Repanse de Lyonesse was a unique exception, but McNeill throws that lore out entirely as he’d rather go full tilt into virtue signaling. McNeill also seems to have confused Pegasus Knights with Valkyries, because the Pegasus Knights were entirely female. But if you think the commitment to gender equality in Bretonnian society was genuine, then I hate to disappoint you. There are no Prophets or Mansels of the Lady. Funny how that works out. The parts of Bretonnian society which are exclusively male must become inclusive, but the parts which are exclusively female must remain exclusively female.
So why are female knights, men-at-arms, etc a problem? Well, for one, Bretonnian canon has made it clear for decades that only men filled those roles. The one exception, Repanse de Lyonesse, was noteworthy precisely because she was an exception, and in fact, her story makes no sense if female knights were ever considered the norm. I was also under the impression that the humans of the Warhammer world were no different than humans from our modern day Earth, so we should expect sexual dimorphism to be a thing there as well, but apparently not. It’s instead a world of human looking aliens where a woman described as “sinewy and bony framed” is still strong enough to haul a fully armored knight. But maybe the lack of sexual dimorphism is intentional, as just about every male knight seemed to constantly cry, suggesting that while the women had far more testosterone flowing through their veins, the males likewise had far more estrogen flowing through theirs.
The book also has not one but two deaf knights, one of whom is repeatedly affirmed by multiple compatriots as being fully capable of being a knight. Which is easy enough to do when you have plot armor and a writer who refuses to ever make your deafness come up as a hindrance. The deaf character even launches into a lecture about how he’s not broken and, if given the opportunity to get his hearing back, would refuse to do it. He then threw up a peace sign, took a selfie, and posted it to Instagram with the hashtags #NotDisabled #DifferentlyAbled.
Another character later has his back broken, and again, there’s a lecture about how that shouldn’t stop him from becoming a knight. There was also mention of a gay knight whose love story would have been told far and wide had he lived. Which, naturally, is what one would expect from a story set in a medieval society.
And yet, despite the hyper progressivism on display, the class divide in Bretonnia is still evident. If you’re a woman who weighs a buck ten soaking wet, you can be a knight. If you’re deaf, you can be a knight. If you’re crippled, you can be a knight. But if you’re poor? Tough luck, I guess.
Continuity wise, McNeill apparently never thumbed through a single Bretonnia army book, or even bothered to read a wiki entry, because he had his Pegasus Knights firing bows. Bretonnian knights famously disdain missile weaponry and consider their use to be dishonorable. They leave that sort of thing to the peasantry. Clearly CS Goto’s force ghost was looking on approvingly as McNeill wrote those scenes, knowing that his writing Space Marines firing multilasers is no longer the silliest, lore breaking scene found in a Black Library novel. McNeill also doesn’t seem to be aware that King Louen Leoncoeur and King Louen Orcslayer are two separate people living in two different time periods (This error was corrected in the audiobook, which I wasted an Audible credit on. I will be asking for a refund).
All of that utterly overwhelmed the rest of the novel, which was filled with cardboard thin, uninteresting characters who are completely forgettable by the time you get to the last page. Many of the subplots also read Iike filler, including a secret birth subplot which is ultimately as significant as Lonestar finding out that Dark Helmet was his father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate. This novel reads like an after school special written by someone who briefly skimmed a Wikipedia article on Bretonnia, decided they didn’t like the Old World, but took the job anyway for an easy paycheck and an opportunity to shove their politics into a book. It felt like an audition for the writing room of Netflix’s The Witcher series, which actually tracks, as McNeill apparently moved to LA. Hopefully Graham McNeill will have nothing to do with Henry Cavill’s Warhammer show. The last thing Cavill needs is to quit The Witcher because of how badly they mangled the source material there only to find himself in that same situation all over again.
I was honestly excited by the return of the Old World, but if this level of mediocrity combined with a full blown assassination of the setting is what we can expect from the Old World, then I think I’ll pass on any future books. And I say that as a huge fan of Warhammer Fantasy and the Black Library. I never thought I’d be grateful for sneaker scalpers buying up all the limited edition copies of this book, but I’m glad they did. Now that I’ve read it, I see that the Audible credit and the money I spent on the ebook was money poorly spent. I can only imagine how angry I would have been had I spent the money on the limited edition version.
If GW wants to inject hyper progressivism into their work, they should put it into Age of Sigmar. Nobody cares about AOS lore, anyway. But Warhammer Fantasy fans aren’t looking for a hyper progressive version of the Old World. They want the Old World as they knew it. If GW isn’t willing to do a proper job of bringing back the Old World, then one has to ask, what was the point of bringing the Old World back at all?
TL;DR - If you like Warhammer Fantasy, skip this book. But if you’re Lauren Hissrich, check it out, because you’ll probably Iove the way McNeill butchers a beloved setting in the name of 21st century progressivism.
If you ever wondered what a Netflix adaptation of Warhammer Fantasy might look like, then look no further. Graham McNeill has successfully stolen the Panderstone from Disney’s vaults to give us one of the most mediocre, canon breaking Black Library novels I’ve ever read, all while checking off every conceivable diversity checkbox imaginable. We have female knights, gay knights, deaf knights, crippled knights, and POC Damsels. Reading this novel made me long for the days when Black Library published novels with human children destroying Eldar grav tanks with sticks and stones.
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room, the endless ticking of checkboxes. There are female knights everywhere in this book. There were seemingly more female knights than there were male knights. There were even female men-at-arms, peasant bowmen, mounted yeomen, squires, etc. Previous Bretonnia lore has explicitly stated that all knights and peasant soldiery were males, and Repanse de Lyonesse was a unique exception, but McNeill throws that lore out entirely as he’d rather go full tilt into virtue signaling. McNeill also seems to have confused Pegasus Knights with Valkyries, because the Pegasus Knights were entirely female. But if you think the commitment to gender equality in Bretonnian society was genuine, then I hate to disappoint you. There are no Prophets or Mansels of the Lady. Funny how that works out. The parts of Bretonnian society which are exclusively male must become inclusive, but the parts which are exclusively female must remain exclusively female.
So why are female knights, men-at-arms, etc a problem? Well, for one, Bretonnian canon has made it clear for decades that only men filled those roles. The one exception, Repanse de Lyonesse, was noteworthy precisely because she was an exception, and in fact, her story makes no sense if female knights were ever considered the norm. I was also under the impression that the humans of the Warhammer world were no different than humans from our modern day Earth, so we should expect sexual dimorphism to be a thing there as well, but apparently not. It’s instead a world of human looking aliens where a woman described as “sinewy and bony framed” is still strong enough to haul a fully armored knight. But maybe the lack of sexual dimorphism is intentional, as just about every male knight seemed to constantly cry, suggesting that while the women had far more testosterone flowing through their veins, the males likewise had far more estrogen flowing through theirs.
The book also has not one but two deaf knights, one of whom is repeatedly affirmed by multiple compatriots as being fully capable of being a knight. Which is easy enough to do when you have plot armor and a writer who refuses to ever make your deafness come up as a hindrance. The deaf character even launches into a lecture about how he’s not broken and, if given the opportunity to get his hearing back, would refuse to do it. He then threw up a peace sign, took a selfie, and posted it to Instagram with the hashtags #NotDisabled #DifferentlyAbled.
Another character later has his back broken, and again, there’s a lecture about how that shouldn’t stop him from becoming a knight. There was also mention of a gay knight whose love story would have been told far and wide had he lived. Which, naturally, is what one would expect from a story set in a medieval society.
And yet, despite the hyper progressivism on display, the class divide in Bretonnia is still evident. If you’re a woman who weighs a buck ten soaking wet, you can be a knight. If you’re deaf, you can be a knight. If you’re crippled, you can be a knight. But if you’re poor? Tough luck, I guess.
Continuity wise, McNeill apparently never thumbed through a single Bretonnia army book, or even bothered to read a wiki entry, because he had his Pegasus Knights firing bows. Bretonnian knights famously disdain missile weaponry and consider their use to be dishonorable. They leave that sort of thing to the peasantry. Clearly CS Goto’s force ghost was looking on approvingly as McNeill wrote those scenes, knowing that his writing Space Marines firing multilasers is no longer the silliest, lore breaking scene found in a Black Library novel. McNeill also doesn’t seem to be aware that King Louen Leoncoeur and King Louen Orcslayer are two separate people living in two different time periods (This error was corrected in the audiobook, which I wasted an Audible credit on. I will be asking for a refund).
All of that utterly overwhelmed the rest of the novel, which was filled with cardboard thin, uninteresting characters who are completely forgettable by the time you get to the last page. Many of the subplots also read Iike filler, including a secret birth subplot which is ultimately as significant as Lonestar finding out that Dark Helmet was his father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate. This novel reads like an after school special written by someone who briefly skimmed a Wikipedia article on Bretonnia, decided they didn’t like the Old World, but took the job anyway for an easy paycheck and an opportunity to shove their politics into a book. It felt like an audition for the writing room of Netflix’s The Witcher series, which actually tracks, as McNeill apparently moved to LA. Hopefully Graham McNeill will have nothing to do with Henry Cavill’s Warhammer show. The last thing Cavill needs is to quit The Witcher because of how badly they mangled the source material there only to find himself in that same situation all over again.
I was honestly excited by the return of the Old World, but if this level of mediocrity combined with a full blown assassination of the setting is what we can expect from the Old World, then I think I’ll pass on any future books. And I say that as a huge fan of Warhammer Fantasy and the Black Library. I never thought I’d be grateful for sneaker scalpers buying up all the limited edition copies of this book, but I’m glad they did. Now that I’ve read it, I see that the Audible credit and the money I spent on the ebook was money poorly spent. I can only imagine how angry I would have been had I spent the money on the limited edition version.
If GW wants to inject hyper progressivism into their work, they should put it into Age of Sigmar. Nobody cares about AOS lore, anyway. But Warhammer Fantasy fans aren’t looking for a hyper progressive version of the Old World. They want the Old World as they knew it. If GW isn’t willing to do a proper job of bringing back the Old World, then one has to ask, what was the point of bringing the Old World back at all?
TL;DR - If you like Warhammer Fantasy, skip this book. But if you’re Lauren Hissrich, check it out, because you’ll probably Iove the way McNeill butchers a beloved setting in the name of 21st century progressivism.
February 2, 2024
Graham Mcneil has written some of my fave books, Nightbringer, False Gods, Fulgrim.
Needless to say this was not one of them. Absolutely sucked. Definitely betrayed Bretonnian lore often. Knights using bows?! Also so much panderverse injection, we don't want woke GW. Also that narrator was insufferable. I did not finish this book and got a refund from audible. Don't waste your time. Graham if you're reading this. Plz go back to your old way of writing, where you respected the lore!
Needless to say this was not one of them. Absolutely sucked. Definitely betrayed Bretonnian lore often. Knights using bows?! Also so much panderverse injection, we don't want woke GW. Also that narrator was insufferable. I did not finish this book and got a refund from audible. Don't waste your time. Graham if you're reading this. Plz go back to your old way of writing, where you respected the lore!
February 3, 2024
The short review is save your money and read the older novels .
The story is based off the old story of the Ten Thousand. You follow an army stranded in enemy land fighting for survival. However , it appears
Old World is returning with random bits of wokeness that detract from the gritty warhammer I expect most fans to want. The previous reviewer who described it as warhammer meets Netflix was spot on .
The story is based off the old story of the Ten Thousand. You follow an army stranded in enemy land fighting for survival. However , it appears
Old World is returning with random bits of wokeness that detract from the gritty warhammer I expect most fans to want. The previous reviewer who described it as warhammer meets Netflix was spot on .
February 27, 2024
A well-executed, fun, little adventure book that takes us across the Warhammer world from the Border Princes, to the Lands of the Dead, the Marshes of Madness, and the Badlands. It's a solid return to the setting though imperfect. Character growth isn't evenly distributed, not that it necessarily has to be in a Warhammer war story spotlighting a half-a-dozen individuals. The characters definitely have depth to them though which isn't always a given with Black Library. They have some heart and aren't walking, talking tropes (looking at you Fell Cargo, a book that is so attached to tropes related to Pirates of the Caribbean that all of the characters are completely predictable and a massive part of Estalia has to be an inexplicable tropical jungle, probably just because the author couldn't imagine pirates without rainforests, even if that means covering Warhammer Spain in them).
The story could also have used a bit more editing, as some errors have been missed. Perhaps most notable and humorous of which, at several points in the novel the knights of Bretonnia swear to or mention Louen Leoncoeur and name him has King of Bretonnians. Louen Leoncoeur is/will be the last king of Bretonnia when the Old World meets its end in the Endtimes several centuries in the future, while the current king at this period is Louen Orc-Slayer. It's a small error that occurs at least twice in the book that I noticed and something that should've definitely been picked up by editors at Black Library and/or GW. There could be other obvious and less obvious mistakes that I didn't pick up on. So no errors that distract you too much from the story but I can see how they could be confusing to people not super aware of the lore of the wider setting.
Is the story complex? No. Is it deep? Not especially. Is it the most impactful book you'll ever read? Not by any stretch of the imagination. But that's not what this book is trying to be. It's a fun adventure novel about knights killing mummies and monsters. It's not supposed to be high art, it's supposed to be fun and get people excited about the setting again, two things that I think McNeill accomplishes. It's a well executed summer action flick, not Killers of the Flower Moon and that's OK.
~~~~Rant about the "wokening" of Warhammer below (also spoilers)~~~
I've noticed a lot of the reviews for this book are very low. Some of which are made by individuals who have never reviewed a book on Goodreads before. These also use similar terminology like "Panderverse" and "woke/wokeness." This is coupled with saying that Lords of the Lance isn't true to the lore of Bretonnia. I'm going to address the latter point first.
From what I can tell people are attacking the lore-accuracy of the book from two angles: the inclusion of women in Bretonnian armies and knights using bows. The use of a bow by a knight is in fact strange, but only one knight wields a bow in this story, so I think this is only a single anomalous knight, not a wider anachronism or lore change. I don't really care and you shouldn't either if some throwaway person has a bow.
The thing with women is more interesting and is representative of a wider lore change in the setting: Bretonnia is now far more accepting of women and allows women to become knights and participate the military matters. This is neat and I think it's very justifiable. Bretonnia has always been controlled/manipulated by a collection of women and a goddess, the Lady of the Lake and her handmaidens. These women have always possessed massive amounts of power with Bretonnia. They control the faith, are the only ones capable a wielding magic in Bretonnia, and control the means by which new Grail Knights are created and the selection of new kings of Bretonnia (the Lady controls who can drink from the Grail, only Grail Knights can become King, and all Grail Knights are fanatically loyal to the Lady and her servants). In this environment, Bretonnia is essentially ruled, albeit rather indirectly, by a cabal of women, it isn't shocking for their society to be rather accepting of women in general. To not honor women and allow them to be knights would be stranger, as they are running the show in this system. As for allowing/forcing women peasants to serve in the army, the nobles of Bretonnia don't care about the peasants wellbeing. Why would they care about the gender of the disgusting peasant meat shields?
This leads us to another point, lore changes. Games Workshop changes the lore in its settings all the time. Just look at older edition's versions of Lizardmen or other factions. Shit gets changed all the time. When lore changes happen are new books automatically bad and lore-breaking? Should I go bitching about Kremlo no longer being canon and changes to slann lore in every single Lizardmen book released since he got the axe? No that's dumb.
So let's address the chuds in the room. "Wokeness" in Warhammer. The term woke, as it is used by people today, is ridiculous. They're talking about having a black main character in X, "it's woke trash". They allow a woman to do Y, "it's woke". There's a gay guy, "we're entering the Panderverse with a tsunami of wokeness". I don't like wierd misogynistic people in my hobby, I don't like being associated with those sort of people in people's minds. There are women knights in this book. They aren't Mary Sue's (most of them don't survive to the ending, like most of the men). We don't know their stories or how they became knights. If you read that there is a lady knight and automatically assume they are unqualified or only written in for "wokeness", I think it says a lot about you.
There's a single gay character in the book. He dies and it's mentioned that he's gay in a single line. Apparently that makes the book automatically shit and political. GW is cramming their gay agenda down our throats with their throwaway dead gay guy. The Lords of the Lance is progressive propaganda because a deaf guy and a knights errant who was heroically paralyzed (from the waist down, he can still ride a horse) in defense of one of the Lady's Handmaidens were allowed to be knights. It's all reactionary horseshit that I can't stand. I'm not gonna pretend you aren't some sexist because you're mad women can kill magical mummies and ghouls now too. This is a fantasy setting, not Earth, we can leave the prejudices and other bullshit at the door. Warhammer Fantasy doesn't have to be as sexist as Medieval France. That's just my two cents.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ End of Rant~~~~~~
I'll be taking a break from Warhammer for a bit. I plan on reading The River Between by Ngugi before finishing Nomad Century.
That book is just too damn depressing to read in a short amount of time or uninterrupted. After that maybe Chain-Gang All-Stars? I'm not sure yet. I've got a large reading backlog, lots of potential directions I could go in.
Looking forward to the next Old World book, whatever it ends up being about and whenever it arrives. I'm all for more spooky scary Tomb King goodness, especially if they're bringing in Settra to jack up Bretonnia.
The story could also have used a bit more editing, as some errors have been missed. Perhaps most notable and humorous of which, at several points in the novel the knights of Bretonnia swear to or mention Louen Leoncoeur and name him has King of Bretonnians. Louen Leoncoeur is/will be the last king of Bretonnia when the Old World meets its end in the Endtimes several centuries in the future, while the current king at this period is Louen Orc-Slayer. It's a small error that occurs at least twice in the book that I noticed and something that should've definitely been picked up by editors at Black Library and/or GW. There could be other obvious and less obvious mistakes that I didn't pick up on. So no errors that distract you too much from the story but I can see how they could be confusing to people not super aware of the lore of the wider setting.
Is the story complex? No. Is it deep? Not especially. Is it the most impactful book you'll ever read? Not by any stretch of the imagination. But that's not what this book is trying to be. It's a fun adventure novel about knights killing mummies and monsters. It's not supposed to be high art, it's supposed to be fun and get people excited about the setting again, two things that I think McNeill accomplishes. It's a well executed summer action flick, not Killers of the Flower Moon and that's OK.
~~~~Rant about the "wokening" of Warhammer below (also spoilers)~~~
I've noticed a lot of the reviews for this book are very low. Some of which are made by individuals who have never reviewed a book on Goodreads before. These also use similar terminology like "Panderverse" and "woke/wokeness." This is coupled with saying that Lords of the Lance isn't true to the lore of Bretonnia. I'm going to address the latter point first.
From what I can tell people are attacking the lore-accuracy of the book from two angles: the inclusion of women in Bretonnian armies and knights using bows. The use of a bow by a knight is in fact strange, but only one knight wields a bow in this story, so I think this is only a single anomalous knight, not a wider anachronism or lore change. I don't really care and you shouldn't either if some throwaway person has a bow.
The thing with women is more interesting and is representative of a wider lore change in the setting: Bretonnia is now far more accepting of women and allows women to become knights and participate the military matters. This is neat and I think it's very justifiable. Bretonnia has always been controlled/manipulated by a collection of women and a goddess, the Lady of the Lake and her handmaidens. These women have always possessed massive amounts of power with Bretonnia. They control the faith, are the only ones capable a wielding magic in Bretonnia, and control the means by which new Grail Knights are created and the selection of new kings of Bretonnia (the Lady controls who can drink from the Grail, only Grail Knights can become King, and all Grail Knights are fanatically loyal to the Lady and her servants). In this environment, Bretonnia is essentially ruled, albeit rather indirectly, by a cabal of women, it isn't shocking for their society to be rather accepting of women in general. To not honor women and allow them to be knights would be stranger, as they are running the show in this system. As for allowing/forcing women peasants to serve in the army, the nobles of Bretonnia don't care about the peasants wellbeing. Why would they care about the gender of the disgusting peasant meat shields?
This leads us to another point, lore changes. Games Workshop changes the lore in its settings all the time. Just look at older edition's versions of Lizardmen or other factions. Shit gets changed all the time. When lore changes happen are new books automatically bad and lore-breaking? Should I go bitching about Kremlo no longer being canon and changes to slann lore in every single Lizardmen book released since he got the axe? No that's dumb.
So let's address the chuds in the room. "Wokeness" in Warhammer. The term woke, as it is used by people today, is ridiculous. They're talking about having a black main character in X, "it's woke trash". They allow a woman to do Y, "it's woke". There's a gay guy, "we're entering the Panderverse with a tsunami of wokeness". I don't like wierd misogynistic people in my hobby, I don't like being associated with those sort of people in people's minds. There are women knights in this book. They aren't Mary Sue's (most of them don't survive to the ending, like most of the men). We don't know their stories or how they became knights. If you read that there is a lady knight and automatically assume they are unqualified or only written in for "wokeness", I think it says a lot about you.
There's a single gay character in the book. He dies and it's mentioned that he's gay in a single line. Apparently that makes the book automatically shit and political. GW is cramming their gay agenda down our throats with their throwaway dead gay guy. The Lords of the Lance is progressive propaganda because a deaf guy and a knights errant who was heroically paralyzed (from the waist down, he can still ride a horse) in defense of one of the Lady's Handmaidens were allowed to be knights. It's all reactionary horseshit that I can't stand. I'm not gonna pretend you aren't some sexist because you're mad women can kill magical mummies and ghouls now too. This is a fantasy setting, not Earth, we can leave the prejudices and other bullshit at the door. Warhammer Fantasy doesn't have to be as sexist as Medieval France. That's just my two cents.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ End of Rant~~~~~~
I'll be taking a break from Warhammer for a bit. I plan on reading The River Between by Ngugi before finishing Nomad Century.
That book is just too damn depressing to read in a short amount of time or uninterrupted. After that maybe Chain-Gang All-Stars? I'm not sure yet. I've got a large reading backlog, lots of potential directions I could go in.
Looking forward to the next Old World book, whatever it ends up being about and whenever it arrives. I'm all for more spooky scary Tomb King goodness, especially if they're bringing in Settra to jack up Bretonnia.
February 7, 2024
This has to have been ghost written by CS Goto.
February 12, 2024
Spoilers follow.
Have you ever read a book and at the end you feel it was only written for the purpose of making money? That it just lacked soul? This is one of those books.
The main characters spend half a book marching to the big battle. They then lose. They then spend the second half of the battle trying to escape back home, losing multiple more battles in the process. That wouldn't be bad except there is no character growth in the process. It's just run away, someone dies or get crippled in losing battle, repeat.
The final battle is won, in a very unsatisfying way, that doesn't do anything to enhance any of the main characters narratively.
The author has written good stuff for Black Library, so I feel his heart just wasn't in this one.
Unlike a lot of people online I don't mind that there are female knights. It makes sense with Games Workshop's business direction. However, knights using bows goes completely against the source material, and makes you question not only the author's familiarity with the Code of Chivalry (as it pertains to Bretonnia), but also of the editing.
Somehow I still managed to finish the book, and just kept getting more disappointed as it went.
Have you ever read a book and at the end you feel it was only written for the purpose of making money? That it just lacked soul? This is one of those books.
The main characters spend half a book marching to the big battle. They then lose. They then spend the second half of the battle trying to escape back home, losing multiple more battles in the process. That wouldn't be bad except there is no character growth in the process. It's just run away, someone dies or get crippled in losing battle, repeat.
The final battle is won, in a very unsatisfying way, that doesn't do anything to enhance any of the main characters narratively.
The author has written good stuff for Black Library, so I feel his heart just wasn't in this one.
Unlike a lot of people online I don't mind that there are female knights. It makes sense with Games Workshop's business direction. However, knights using bows goes completely against the source material, and makes you question not only the author's familiarity with the Code of Chivalry (as it pertains to Bretonnia), but also of the editing.
Somehow I still managed to finish the book, and just kept getting more disappointed as it went.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2024
(Wanted to give this 5 stars just to counter the bores that cry “DEI!” Just because the main character is a woman… but I’ll give it an honest review)
A fun if shallow story that very much feels par for the course for new edition releases, although this is probably on the better end of one. Bretonnian (French) knights trek across the desert to find their lost brother in arms. Queue a run in with mummies, ghouls and giants as they try to return home.
Outside of a few key characters, it’s very hard to keep up with all of the cast in this one and for this I was quite relieved when some where killed off so I could get more time with the main 4.
Not the best WHFB story, but by no means the worst.
A fun if shallow story that very much feels par for the course for new edition releases, although this is probably on the better end of one. Bretonnian (French) knights trek across the desert to find their lost brother in arms. Queue a run in with mummies, ghouls and giants as they try to return home.
Outside of a few key characters, it’s very hard to keep up with all of the cast in this one and for this I was quite relieved when some where killed off so I could get more time with the main 4.
Not the best WHFB story, but by no means the worst.
February 9, 2024
Don’t know what is up with these people but for someone just getting into Warhammer Old World this book was awesome!
October 22, 2024
Het boek had een paar plot twists die ik niet zag aankomen en een paar dingen die ik wel verwachtte. Tegen het einde werd ik compleet meegenomen door het verhaal.
February 5, 2024
Graham takes us on a tour of the land, introducing us to the Bretonnians, the undead of Khemri, the flesh-eater courts and even a giant! The final charge of the Bretonnians was a powerful scene, with the forces of good and evil aligned, seemingly insurmountable odds and feats of heroism abound.
If you're into Warhammer at all, it's amazing! If not, then it's a great introduction to the old world.
If you're into Warhammer at all, it's amazing! If not, then it's a great introduction to the old world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2024
It's a nice, (mostly) straightforward adventure story. Not bad but not mindblowingly new or awesome either and... Well, it's a Warhammer book, so you've got armies and battles, gore and deaths, not so subtle nods to tabletop models (looking at you "horror of the crypt") and caracters suddenly feeling heroic after a horn sounding.
The first half of the book was quite good : we got a nice view of a Border Prince and a Bretonian host (with knights, peasants and Grail fanatics). I'm quite knew to the lore of Bretonnia (never read old army books nor novels, only read a few wiki articles, saw some Youtube videos and played Total War Warhammer with them...), so I don't know if women pegasus knights, Grail knights basicaly immortals unless slain and the lore of handmaiden of the Lady were already there or if it's knew for the Old World, but it was interesting.
The characters are okay, not purely archetypal but not awesome peculiar heroes either. They felt like regular people and it's nice to be honest.
The revelation of the death of Katarina's brother before the host was assembled is not a surprise at all. The twist, alltough, was unexpected : didn't know that liche priest could fake life like that. The offscreen deaths of the Duke and the Baron were also a surprise, for I suspected that Varo & co will go inside the pyramid at some point. It was not the case and I was pleasantly surprised.
The second part is not the best in my opinion : it's too long and the adventures aren't that interesting. The remnants of the host suffers from the heat and the chase by the undead, until some magic shenanigan happens so they can continue their journey home... If the Mourkain part had been cut, it will have make for a nicer second act.
The final battle (because it's Warhammer, we need the final showdown) is kind of bland. The baddies dies because holy shenanigan again and that's it.
To be honnest, I didn't really care about the Tomb King plot : undead queen killed by ancestors so need their blood to revive her. But she's mad and need the Grail knight sword to restore her sanity.
It feels like the plot isn't one, just a excuse, and the book would be better if we've got glances of what happened inside the pyramid or more explications about the queen's soul, death, the sword and so on.
But, with Settta now awakened (awakening ?), I'm hoping that this book will only be the starting point of a interesting series about Tomb King and their threat to the world of flesh and life.
Special point to the undead fear felt by mortals : it's a rich idea, nice after reading the Gotrek and Felix book with skeletons and no fear like that at all.
The first half of the book was quite good : we got a nice view of a Border Prince and a Bretonian host (with knights, peasants and Grail fanatics). I'm quite knew to the lore of Bretonnia (never read old army books nor novels, only read a few wiki articles, saw some Youtube videos and played Total War Warhammer with them...), so I don't know if women pegasus knights, Grail knights basicaly immortals unless slain and the lore of handmaiden of the Lady were already there or if it's knew for the Old World, but it was interesting.
The characters are okay, not purely archetypal but not awesome peculiar heroes either. They felt like regular people and it's nice to be honest.
The revelation of the death of Katarina's brother before the host was assembled is not a surprise at all. The twist, alltough, was unexpected : didn't know that liche priest could fake life like that. The offscreen deaths of the Duke and the Baron were also a surprise, for I suspected that Varo & co will go inside the pyramid at some point. It was not the case and I was pleasantly surprised.
The second part is not the best in my opinion : it's too long and the adventures aren't that interesting. The remnants of the host suffers from the heat and the chase by the undead, until some magic shenanigan happens so they can continue their journey home... If the Mourkain part had been cut, it will have make for a nicer second act.
The final battle (because it's Warhammer, we need the final showdown) is kind of bland. The baddies dies because holy shenanigan again and that's it.
To be honnest, I didn't really care about the Tomb King plot : undead queen killed by ancestors so need their blood to revive her. But she's mad and need the Grail knight sword to restore her sanity.
It feels like the plot isn't one, just a excuse, and the book would be better if we've got glances of what happened inside the pyramid or more explications about the queen's soul, death, the sword and so on.
But, with Settta now awakened (awakening ?), I'm hoping that this book will only be the starting point of a interesting series about Tomb King and their threat to the world of flesh and life.
Special point to the undead fear felt by mortals : it's a rich idea, nice after reading the Gotrek and Felix book with skeletons and no fear like that at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2024
I dont know what I expected from Games "Oops, We Murdered Our Franchise" Workshop's and Black "Strapped For Cash" Library's latest hellacious undertaking of resurrecting the Old World, but this was not it. Disregarding some of the more *interesting* lore choices and world building, my main gripe with this novel would be that for being the first one to come out in this setting, it is "okay". Propably not something you want to start on.
Considering that they brought in McNeill, who I consider one of the really good writer for this one, it feels disappointing. It is not even bad enough to be fun to complain about.
Well, the atleast the next one cant be worse, right?
Considering that they brought in McNeill, who I consider one of the really good writer for this one, it feels disappointing. It is not even bad enough to be fun to complain about.
Well, the atleast the next one cant be worse, right?
December 1, 2024
I tried very hard to finish this - got close but just couldn’t - so this is my first DNF in years - the sad thing is the Tomb Kings and the lands and cities of Khemri are beautifully described - but the depiction of the Bretonnians, the plot, the dialogue, are awful - this is a very rare miss for Mr McNeill - not a great restart for Old World fiction. Stick to the old Old World novels.
March 29, 2024
A fantastic return to the world of Warhammer Fantasy and a clear definition of how future storytelling will be displayed.
As much as the narrative transports the reader into a fantasy world so hugely defined by magic and creatures far beyond mortal reach, its protagonists are human, each bearing witness to glimpses of daily Bretonnian society. Because of (and thanks to) their visual filter, this reality of theirs becomes remarkably close to ours, granting the reader (on more than one occasion) the faculty to detach oneself from the role of mere incorporeal spectator and partake in the story in the guise of a comrade-in-arms or a paesant, silent and nameless but yet present and witnessing to all the pivotal events.
I do not deny that my thoughts are largely due to the emotion of returning to the 'Old World' setting after so long, as well as the evident inspiration this narration took from the chivalric poetry that I hold so dear. However, I genuinely enjoyed this book, which I would undoubtedly recommend: a tale of wounded souls, meant for likewise melancholic readers in need of giving voice to their nostalgic thoughts, their desire for glorious deeds, and their quest for virtuous love.
I got the chance (and luck) to read the limited edition of the book: this contains the "journal of Ebrardus Evotarum" extra content (which is a nice addition to the story) and, as far as the edition goes, looks and feels magnificent. The binding is solid and durable (considering that I usually carry my reading books in my bag everywhere, from public transport to parks) and is, simply put, magnificent to look at. The edition even has its edges painted, depicting a pattern consisting of a sword-like fleur de lis and crossed tourney lances.
As much as the narrative transports the reader into a fantasy world so hugely defined by magic and creatures far beyond mortal reach, its protagonists are human, each bearing witness to glimpses of daily Bretonnian society. Because of (and thanks to) their visual filter, this reality of theirs becomes remarkably close to ours, granting the reader (on more than one occasion) the faculty to detach oneself from the role of mere incorporeal spectator and partake in the story in the guise of a comrade-in-arms or a paesant, silent and nameless but yet present and witnessing to all the pivotal events.
I do not deny that my thoughts are largely due to the emotion of returning to the 'Old World' setting after so long, as well as the evident inspiration this narration took from the chivalric poetry that I hold so dear. However, I genuinely enjoyed this book, which I would undoubtedly recommend: a tale of wounded souls, meant for likewise melancholic readers in need of giving voice to their nostalgic thoughts, their desire for glorious deeds, and their quest for virtuous love.
I got the chance (and luck) to read the limited edition of the book: this contains the "journal of Ebrardus Evotarum" extra content (which is a nice addition to the story) and, as far as the edition goes, looks and feels magnificent. The binding is solid and durable (considering that I usually carry my reading books in my bag everywhere, from public transport to parks) and is, simply put, magnificent to look at. The edition even has its edges painted, depicting a pattern consisting of a sword-like fleur de lis and crossed tourney lances.
February 1, 2024
Fun!
I had been waiting for the return of the old world for years, and this was a great first read! Very much enjoyed this adventure and hope there is more to come!
I had been waiting for the return of the old world for years, and this was a great first read! Very much enjoyed this adventure and hope there is more to come!
September 20, 2024
Tempted to give this a five star rating to cock a snook at all the man babies whinging about 'woke' because the fantasy novel with walking skeletons had lady knights riding pegasi, sadly honesty compels me to give it a solid 3.75. Solid for the first half, but the big dramatic finale to the plot set up is at the halfway mark and the remainder of the book increasingly episodic encounters with various GW kits killing off bit characters. Fun in parts and some great set pieces but lacking momentum
February 24, 2024
I didn't know if I would like a knight story, but I had a pretty good time with this one. There were definitely points that dragged and I hated how abrupt the ending was (if we don't get to see these relationships develop further in a sequel, so help me Games Workshop...), but it was really cool to see so many cool people work together to win the day. Especially the Pegasus Knights! Super cool!
March 30, 2024
Rating of 4.5.
One of Warhammer’s very best authors brings fans back to the Old World in the gripping and action-packed fantasy adventure, Lords of the Lance by Graham McNeill.
Even centuries before the final war with the forces of Chaos, the Old World is still a dangerous place, where monsters, dark creatures and the forces of Chaos seek to destroy everything. There are many dangerous places throughout the Old World, but few are more sinister than the Land of the Dead, an abandoned wasteland where the ancient and powerful nation of Khemri once stood. Haunted by the evil actions of the dread necromancer Nagash, the former realm of Khemri is now ruled by the unliving Tomb Kings. In this realm of sand, skeletons and death, only the greatest of warriors can hope to enter and survive, especially if they are on a noble quest.
Baron Lothar Aquilena is a great knight who has carved out territory in the lawless realm of the Border Princes. However, despite his prowess, skilled warriors, and clever advisers, he is powerless when his son goes missing in the Land of the Dead, taken captive by the risen Amaranthine Queen, who seeks revenge against those who previously defeated her. Desperate, Baron Lothar has no choice but to call in a debt of honour owed to him by his Bretonnian cousin, Duke Carrad of Quenelles, years after they suffered a falling out. Despite the enmity between them, Duke Carrad leads his knights to Lothar’s realm, determined to repay the debt owed.
United in their mission, despite a mostly unwelcome reception by Baron Lothar, the knights of Bretonnia and the men of the Border Princes begin their quest to the Lands of the Dead. However, crossing the deserts of Khemri is no easy task, and the loosely combined force soon experience the treacherous sand, blazing heat, unnatural creatures, and the forces of the dead. Despite these obstacles, the host approach the giant tombs of Khemri, ready to save the Baron’s son. However, nothing is as it seems, and soon the assembled knights and their retainers encounter a deadly enemy that none of them are prepared for.
Graham McNeill made me fall in love with the Old World once again as he provides a powerful and intense character-driven adventure across an iconic setting. Lords of the Lance was a pretty damn awesome novel and I had such an epic time getting through it.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/03/30/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
One of Warhammer’s very best authors brings fans back to the Old World in the gripping and action-packed fantasy adventure, Lords of the Lance by Graham McNeill.
Even centuries before the final war with the forces of Chaos, the Old World is still a dangerous place, where monsters, dark creatures and the forces of Chaos seek to destroy everything. There are many dangerous places throughout the Old World, but few are more sinister than the Land of the Dead, an abandoned wasteland where the ancient and powerful nation of Khemri once stood. Haunted by the evil actions of the dread necromancer Nagash, the former realm of Khemri is now ruled by the unliving Tomb Kings. In this realm of sand, skeletons and death, only the greatest of warriors can hope to enter and survive, especially if they are on a noble quest.
Baron Lothar Aquilena is a great knight who has carved out territory in the lawless realm of the Border Princes. However, despite his prowess, skilled warriors, and clever advisers, he is powerless when his son goes missing in the Land of the Dead, taken captive by the risen Amaranthine Queen, who seeks revenge against those who previously defeated her. Desperate, Baron Lothar has no choice but to call in a debt of honour owed to him by his Bretonnian cousin, Duke Carrad of Quenelles, years after they suffered a falling out. Despite the enmity between them, Duke Carrad leads his knights to Lothar’s realm, determined to repay the debt owed.
United in their mission, despite a mostly unwelcome reception by Baron Lothar, the knights of Bretonnia and the men of the Border Princes begin their quest to the Lands of the Dead. However, crossing the deserts of Khemri is no easy task, and the loosely combined force soon experience the treacherous sand, blazing heat, unnatural creatures, and the forces of the dead. Despite these obstacles, the host approach the giant tombs of Khemri, ready to save the Baron’s son. However, nothing is as it seems, and soon the assembled knights and their retainers encounter a deadly enemy that none of them are prepared for.
Graham McNeill made me fall in love with the Old World once again as he provides a powerful and intense character-driven adventure across an iconic setting. Lords of the Lance was a pretty damn awesome novel and I had such an epic time getting through it.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2024/03/30/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
March 5, 2024
OK. Let‘s address claims of „wokeness“ and associated perceived lore conflicts first, because that seems to have been an issue with many.
- Female pegasus knights using bows. These warriors all come from the Border Princes, an area where, as movie Guy de Lusignan would say „there are no civilized rules!“. Rules-wise, Border Princes field blackpowder weapons, which is one of the biggest no-nos of the Code Chivalric. So, frankly, the background gave the author leeway to make up whatever the hell he wanted.
- Yes, there are maybe two or three other female knights not from the Border Princes mentioned; it is clearly a niche phenomenon and the women in question know they are barely being tolerated. Keep in mind this book is set a few centuries before the background of the old WHFB, so social mores in Bretonnia probably grew more rigid, is all. Remember that the old WFRP allowed for female characters to serve as knights even centuries later; they just needed to hide their identity.
As to women among the Grail Pilgrims — not a stretch by any means, and the nobility never cared much what the peasants do, anyway (as long as they’re not rebelling). Unless you have been chosen by the Lady, or think you have been — have people seriously forgotten about Repanse de Lyonesse, Fantasy Joan of Arc?
- The dreaded „POC damsel“. It is said she has „brown skin“; how brown is entirely not clear. Anyone who has ever been to Southern France will realize that there is a remarkable spectrum of skin tones among the old French population, and, given Bretonnia is Fantasy France, and Quenelles is a southern dukedom, that is not a stretch either.
- One line or so about a gay knight character. Oooh. Shocking. Moving on.
Now, as to how I would rate the book: It is interesting for me on a professional level (I have a PhD in medieval history) how this book follows some medieval narrative patterns; I am particularly reminded of the „Vie de Saint-Louis“ by Jean de Joinville and similar sources on the Crusades. Some Arthurian themes have obviously been mixed in as well. What is interesting is the recurring theme of astrology, which had a strong presence in late medieval sources in particular. As a read — it is a very good read. Not one of the best ever, hence only four stars, but a fair stab at the genre. Hoping to see more of that.
TL;DR: Canon conflicts mostly overhyped by thin-skinned readers. If you are willing to step outside your literary comfort zone a little, you will not regret it.
- Female pegasus knights using bows. These warriors all come from the Border Princes, an area where, as movie Guy de Lusignan would say „there are no civilized rules!“. Rules-wise, Border Princes field blackpowder weapons, which is one of the biggest no-nos of the Code Chivalric. So, frankly, the background gave the author leeway to make up whatever the hell he wanted.
- Yes, there are maybe two or three other female knights not from the Border Princes mentioned; it is clearly a niche phenomenon and the women in question know they are barely being tolerated. Keep in mind this book is set a few centuries before the background of the old WHFB, so social mores in Bretonnia probably grew more rigid, is all. Remember that the old WFRP allowed for female characters to serve as knights even centuries later; they just needed to hide their identity.
As to women among the Grail Pilgrims — not a stretch by any means, and the nobility never cared much what the peasants do, anyway (as long as they’re not rebelling). Unless you have been chosen by the Lady, or think you have been — have people seriously forgotten about Repanse de Lyonesse, Fantasy Joan of Arc?
- The dreaded „POC damsel“. It is said she has „brown skin“; how brown is entirely not clear. Anyone who has ever been to Southern France will realize that there is a remarkable spectrum of skin tones among the old French population, and, given Bretonnia is Fantasy France, and Quenelles is a southern dukedom, that is not a stretch either.
- One line or so about a gay knight character. Oooh. Shocking. Moving on.
Now, as to how I would rate the book: It is interesting for me on a professional level (I have a PhD in medieval history) how this book follows some medieval narrative patterns; I am particularly reminded of the „Vie de Saint-Louis“ by Jean de Joinville and similar sources on the Crusades. Some Arthurian themes have obviously been mixed in as well. What is interesting is the recurring theme of astrology, which had a strong presence in late medieval sources in particular. As a read — it is a very good read. Not one of the best ever, hence only four stars, but a fair stab at the genre. Hoping to see more of that.
TL;DR: Canon conflicts mostly overhyped by thin-skinned readers. If you are willing to step outside your literary comfort zone a little, you will not regret it.
January 30, 2024
Going into this book, I knew little of Warhammer: Old World. As a child, I had watched my uncle move pieces around a board, recognising skeletons, knights, dragons and the like but never actually took in much lore - Knights are good guys, Skeletons are bad guys, etc etc. The Old World resurgence put forth by Games Workshop was therefore welcome to me, and any lore complaints had by others, were sure to wash over myself as I never knew the established lore to begin with. For example, who cares if the Pegasus Knights are female? It doesn't detract from the story in any way.
This book itself follows a very simple plot - don't go into it expecting anything much deeper. In fact, the blurb on the back of the book very much outlines exactly what is going to happen within the story, with no surprises, twists or turns along the way (Or nothing that managed to surprise me). The story that is to be had here is the adventure into the old world itself, with its interesting locations, brilliantly described. Again, there are some odd moments here - why describe this brilliantly crafted 'Forgotten desert city' and then barely enter any part of it? Is it setting up for future stories? Who knows.
Our characters are all very standard heroes, without too much to say about them that makes them stand apart from each other. A few proud knights, some Pegasus riders, a scary skeleton army... nothing stood out or really had me gripped. There are some deaths along the way, but nothing I felt hit hard as we rarely got enough time to gain to fully love the characters.
I would just mention that there is very little point including a map within the first few pages, if that map doesn't hold any of the locations our characters actually visit - what is the point? This was surely an oversight?
Nevertheless, I will be buying the next Old World story and I hope that we can see more of these lands and locations going forth.
This book itself follows a very simple plot - don't go into it expecting anything much deeper. In fact, the blurb on the back of the book very much outlines exactly what is going to happen within the story, with no surprises, twists or turns along the way (Or nothing that managed to surprise me). The story that is to be had here is the adventure into the old world itself, with its interesting locations, brilliantly described. Again, there are some odd moments here - why describe this brilliantly crafted 'Forgotten desert city' and then barely enter any part of it? Is it setting up for future stories? Who knows.
Our characters are all very standard heroes, without too much to say about them that makes them stand apart from each other. A few proud knights, some Pegasus riders, a scary skeleton army... nothing stood out or really had me gripped. There are some deaths along the way, but nothing I felt hit hard as we rarely got enough time to gain to fully love the characters.
I would just mention that there is very little point including a map within the first few pages, if that map doesn't hold any of the locations our characters actually visit - what is the point? This was surely an oversight?
Nevertheless, I will be buying the next Old World story and I hope that we can see more of these lands and locations going forth.
March 5, 2024
I love the book and hope it will start a good series. Can't wait for the second part. Characters are interesting, and the journey they embark on is full of amazing adventures. Is it a very deep novel? No. But the cast is full of different and crazy characters, and the battles are well described. They also meet soooo many enemies and monsters - it's not just Tomb Kings, which is great as it gives you a glimse of more things to come. It's really entertaining and that's the only thing I care about when reading a fantasy/hobby novel.
The elephant in the room. Yes, there are a few female knights... and who cares? They are all well explained and if someone thinks they contradict the lore the probably didn't read it and is just review bombing because "no girls allowed" and "woke". Why would a mature grown-up cry about the fact that hobby becomes more inviting to female readers and gamers is beyond me. The lore? The lore in medival times that were poorly recorded is just stories of unreliable narrator. The fact that someone in another novel happening 300 years later said that female knights were unheard of means nothing. 300 years separate those events. Do you really believe some details are not lost in history? Especially when most of the story happens on the fringes of the kingdom and in the Border Princes? How reliable and precise do you think chronicles of those times were in our world? And especially when it comes to frowned upon female knights. It's just easy to understand that they could have been omited in history records.
So if you are a Warhammer fan and are on a fence, and you are not against a more inclusive hobby, go read that book. It's fun and got me so excited about Bretonnia, that I started collecting their army. And yes... I converted my Pegasus Knights to be female;)
The elephant in the room. Yes, there are a few female knights... and who cares? They are all well explained and if someone thinks they contradict the lore the probably didn't read it and is just review bombing because "no girls allowed" and "woke". Why would a mature grown-up cry about the fact that hobby becomes more inviting to female readers and gamers is beyond me. The lore? The lore in medival times that were poorly recorded is just stories of unreliable narrator. The fact that someone in another novel happening 300 years later said that female knights were unheard of means nothing. 300 years separate those events. Do you really believe some details are not lost in history? Especially when most of the story happens on the fringes of the kingdom and in the Border Princes? How reliable and precise do you think chronicles of those times were in our world? And especially when it comes to frowned upon female knights. It's just easy to understand that they could have been omited in history records.
So if you are a Warhammer fan and are on a fence, and you are not against a more inclusive hobby, go read that book. It's fun and got me so excited about Bretonnia, that I started collecting their army. And yes... I converted my Pegasus Knights to be female;)
December 25, 2025
This is a Marvel-Netflix story dressed up as a Warhammer book. And no, a female lead is not the problem. Bretonnia already has Repanse de Lyonesse (basically Joan of Arc), so the idea of another archetypal female knight or paladin is completely fine - especially since this story is set before Repanse. That’s not the issue.
The problem is how the character is written, and how the story deliberately ignores or outright defies the core rules and foundational logic of the Warhammer world—and not in a clever or subversive way. It feels less like a Warhammer story and more like a vehicle for a real-world ideology awkwardly shoved into a fantasy setting. This isn’t grimdark Warhammer; it’s a political statement wearing Warhammer’s skin.
The reader is basically force-fed anti-feudalism messaging, delivered by a carefully assembled group of “strong” female characters, with an added layer of “disabled people are heroes too”, all while established lore is bent or outright broken to make it work. None of this grows organically from the setting, it’s imposed on it.
And that’s why this doesn’t feel like Warhammer.
This book doesn’t belong alongside genuinely great titles like Reiksguard, Sword of Justice, Knights of Bretonnia, Iron Company, Headtaker, and the rest. There’s a reason the Warhammer universe feels so special and niche: it has rules, boundaries, and internal logic. Every faction operates within its own constraints, traditions, and worldview, and that’s exactly what makes them unique, interesting, and compelling.
That structure is why so many of us love this setting. Once you start rewriting or ignoring those rules to serve a modern message, you’re not “evolving” Warhammer - you’re diluting it at best, and completely breaking it at worst.
The problem is how the character is written, and how the story deliberately ignores or outright defies the core rules and foundational logic of the Warhammer world—and not in a clever or subversive way. It feels less like a Warhammer story and more like a vehicle for a real-world ideology awkwardly shoved into a fantasy setting. This isn’t grimdark Warhammer; it’s a political statement wearing Warhammer’s skin.
The reader is basically force-fed anti-feudalism messaging, delivered by a carefully assembled group of “strong” female characters, with an added layer of “disabled people are heroes too”, all while established lore is bent or outright broken to make it work. None of this grows organically from the setting, it’s imposed on it.
And that’s why this doesn’t feel like Warhammer.
This book doesn’t belong alongside genuinely great titles like Reiksguard, Sword of Justice, Knights of Bretonnia, Iron Company, Headtaker, and the rest. There’s a reason the Warhammer universe feels so special and niche: it has rules, boundaries, and internal logic. Every faction operates within its own constraints, traditions, and worldview, and that’s exactly what makes them unique, interesting, and compelling.
That structure is why so many of us love this setting. Once you start rewriting or ignoring those rules to serve a modern message, you’re not “evolving” Warhammer - you’re diluting it at best, and completely breaking it at worst.
February 19, 2024
The Warhammer universes are difficult settings for writers. Rulebook descriptions often leave little room for nuanced characters. When every knight of the realm must be a brave warrior with impeccable honour, then it can be difficult to create multiple characters that fit the template and are still distinguishable from one another. Lords of the Lance fails to overcome this limitation.
We follow a group of nearly identical knights of varying anger levels as they travel across an undead-infested desert to rescue a noble’s son. The plot is threadbare, mostly travelling with the occasional battle. There is some discussion of the life of a Bretonnian, largely through conversation about past events. “Show, don’t tell” is not a rule that applies here.
A more interesting path, perhaps, would have been to focus the plot on the knights errant. We see these early on in the novel as young men (and presumably women) who are arrogant, naive, and display a façade of bravery that would surely not survive an encounter with the undead. Here would be an opportunity to see characters grow and fail under the strict demands of knighthood in Bretonnia.
I was glad to see female knights of the realm in this novel. I include female knights in my Bretonnian army, and I’m happy that it is considered accurate to the lore.
We follow a group of nearly identical knights of varying anger levels as they travel across an undead-infested desert to rescue a noble’s son. The plot is threadbare, mostly travelling with the occasional battle. There is some discussion of the life of a Bretonnian, largely through conversation about past events. “Show, don’t tell” is not a rule that applies here.
A more interesting path, perhaps, would have been to focus the plot on the knights errant. We see these early on in the novel as young men (and presumably women) who are arrogant, naive, and display a façade of bravery that would surely not survive an encounter with the undead. Here would be an opportunity to see characters grow and fail under the strict demands of knighthood in Bretonnia.
I was glad to see female knights of the realm in this novel. I include female knights in my Bretonnian army, and I’m happy that it is considered accurate to the lore.
May 13, 2024
I cannot adequately rate this book because there is no Zero rating and One Star is too much. This book sets the lowest bar possible for writing and adherence to lore. There’s no need to say much about the book other than it’s a disgrace in every way imaginable. Actually, it’s not a book, it’s political propaganda intended to pander to ‘modern audiences’ and drive away long-time fans and people with a brain in general. The author had been decent so far but he went the way of so many others – he’s not the first disappointing creator gone woke and he won’t be the last. However, the writing is so uncharacteristically bad that another possibility comes to mind; the author was forced to drown the book in propaganda and pandering and he made it intentionally bad as a result. In that case he’ll get paid and will continue to write bad propaganda for GW in the future but he’ll lose his credibility both as a man and as a writer. The honourable thing to do would be simply to refuse to write this pathetic crap of a book.
I’m a longtime fan of Warhammer and I will continue to be a fan of the Fantasy and 40K settings as they were up to this point. GW will not get any more money from me in any way, shape or form until they stop hating their fans, stop pandering to modern ideologues and apologize. Until then, don’t buy anything of the crap they put out and don’t tolerate their disrespect.
I’m a longtime fan of Warhammer and I will continue to be a fan of the Fantasy and 40K settings as they were up to this point. GW will not get any more money from me in any way, shape or form until they stop hating their fans, stop pandering to modern ideologues and apologize. Until then, don’t buy anything of the crap they put out and don’t tolerate their disrespect.
August 2, 2024
This should have been a new Horus Rising part 1! I was so sure that the first The Old World novel would be a prestige project and a great presentation of this wonderful universe for both new and old fans. But this book is sadly neither a good entry point to the Warhammer universe for newcomers or a warm welcome back for old fans.
I was so incredibly hyped about getting new Warhammer Old World novels, and Graham McNeill is by all acounts a competent author, but it is so disappointing that Black Library/Games Workshop/whoever didn´t hire an author that has an interest in the Warhammer Fantasy universe, or at least the time and willingness to research the lore.
Lords of the Lance strikes me as well-written fanfiction with some puzzling errors that goes directly against established canon (f.x. archer knights, damsels that behave like normal, modern persons even though they should have been abducted as kids by fairy entities and returned to society as distanced, powerful and eery non-persons and of course a sudden influx of female knights that isn´t explained at all (I think Repanse de Lyonesse was the only female knight probably explored in the lore before this book).
And on top of that the story is pretty bland, simple and without layers. I cannot understand how a good author like McNeill can´t get more out of a universe as wonderful as that of Warhammer.
I was so incredibly hyped about getting new Warhammer Old World novels, and Graham McNeill is by all acounts a competent author, but it is so disappointing that Black Library/Games Workshop/whoever didn´t hire an author that has an interest in the Warhammer Fantasy universe, or at least the time and willingness to research the lore.
Lords of the Lance strikes me as well-written fanfiction with some puzzling errors that goes directly against established canon (f.x. archer knights, damsels that behave like normal, modern persons even though they should have been abducted as kids by fairy entities and returned to society as distanced, powerful and eery non-persons and of course a sudden influx of female knights that isn´t explained at all (I think Repanse de Lyonesse was the only female knight probably explored in the lore before this book).
And on top of that the story is pretty bland, simple and without layers. I cannot understand how a good author like McNeill can´t get more out of a universe as wonderful as that of Warhammer.
February 15, 2024
Absolutely fantastic!
It's been some time since I read a book as good as this, the story is intriguing and keeps you on edge wondering what bad things will happen next to our band of characters and how they will make it out of their current predicaments.
The characters are diverse, varied and well written and you get quite attached to them.
Reading the first half of this book reminded me so much of watching the first few seasons of Game of thrones back when it was airing for the first time, the dialogue between characters, the pacing and overall feel of the story feels wonderful.
the pacing of the story did get a little drawn out in certain parts in the second half and faltered a little in quality near the end but it's not enough to not give this book a 5/5.
So if you want to read about a Brettonian war host making a journey deep into Nehekara, the lands of the Tomb Kings facing all kinds of dangers and predicaments while at the same time forging deep bonds of comraderie exploring several interesting characters then this book will fit you perfectly!
It's been some time since I read a book as good as this, the story is intriguing and keeps you on edge wondering what bad things will happen next to our band of characters and how they will make it out of their current predicaments.
The characters are diverse, varied and well written and you get quite attached to them.
Reading the first half of this book reminded me so much of watching the first few seasons of Game of thrones back when it was airing for the first time, the dialogue between characters, the pacing and overall feel of the story feels wonderful.
the pacing of the story did get a little drawn out in certain parts in the second half and faltered a little in quality near the end but it's not enough to not give this book a 5/5.
So if you want to read about a Brettonian war host making a journey deep into Nehekara, the lands of the Tomb Kings facing all kinds of dangers and predicaments while at the same time forging deep bonds of comraderie exploring several interesting characters then this book will fit you perfectly!
February 2, 2024
Hooolyyy.
What was that? If only I could rate this as a 0...
I just wanna say that I absolutely loved Knights of Bretonnia, it's a 5/5 for me , but this...
Some time ago I thought to myself "thank the dark gods warhammer didn't fall into the modern trend of trying to go broke"
Who is this for ? Do you think blue haired , overweight butch girls are the main readers of Warhammer?
And not only that.... you absolutely broke the lore in almost every way.
Did you read some feminist interpretation of Knights of Bretonnia on reddit and just went with it?
I'm gonna stick to the older books .
What was that? If only I could rate this as a 0...
I just wanna say that I absolutely loved Knights of Bretonnia, it's a 5/5 for me , but this...
Some time ago I thought to myself "thank the dark gods warhammer didn't fall into the modern trend of trying to go broke"
Who is this for ? Do you think blue haired , overweight butch girls are the main readers of Warhammer?
And not only that.... you absolutely broke the lore in almost every way.
Did you read some feminist interpretation of Knights of Bretonnia on reddit and just went with it?
I'm gonna stick to the older books .
April 19, 2024
This was an enjoyable return to the Old World years after the death of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. I hope the game is successful, so we get more novels set in the old world.
When cracking open an old Warhammer Fantasy novel, you never knew what you were going to get. Some were really good, but more than a few were astoundingly awful. I'm glad the first Old World novel was good. I enjoyed the changes to Bretonnia. It's a fantasy realm, not actual feudal France, so why not female knights? Lords of the Lance was more enjoyable than the old Bretonnian novels of Warhammer Fantasy, so none of the changes bothered me.
Let the gatekeepers rage. I am looking forward to more Old World novels.
When cracking open an old Warhammer Fantasy novel, you never knew what you were going to get. Some were really good, but more than a few were astoundingly awful. I'm glad the first Old World novel was good. I enjoyed the changes to Bretonnia. It's a fantasy realm, not actual feudal France, so why not female knights? Lords of the Lance was more enjoyable than the old Bretonnian novels of Warhammer Fantasy, so none of the changes bothered me.
Let the gatekeepers rage. I am looking forward to more Old World novels.
February 27, 2024
As far as reintroductions to the Old World go, this was a decent start. Straight away it deals with modernising some older lore by giving us female Knights who are more than capable of being stand out characters on their own. The way disability is dealt with was surprisingly well done; it didn't pretend that disability is no barrier, but it showed disabilities being worked around and characters succeeding despite them.
My biggest gripe, and one I simply cannot see past is the pegasus knight welding a bow and arrow. Bretonnian nobles do not fight with ranged weapons.
My biggest gripe, and one I simply cannot see past is the pegasus knight welding a bow and arrow. Bretonnian nobles do not fight with ranged weapons.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2024
3.5*
Overall, it was very well-written, with an engaging story for the most part, as well as quite well-developed characters.
However, it did drag a bit at times, and I can't help but feel that some of the elements of the story are a major deviation from previously established Bretonnian society and lore, especially when it comes to the story of Repanse, and why she's special (generally speaking, Repanse does of course not appear in this story).
Overall, it was very well-written, with an engaging story for the most part, as well as quite well-developed characters.
However, it did drag a bit at times, and I can't help but feel that some of the elements of the story are a major deviation from previously established Bretonnian society and lore, especially when it comes to the story of Repanse, and why she's special (generally speaking, Repanse does of course not appear in this story).
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