Realm of Chaos

by Marc Gascoigne

In a collection of twelve linked stories drawn from Inferno! magazine, the armies of the Ruinous Powers are sweeping down from the north to reign chaos down on the realm. Original.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2000

About the author

Publisher, editor, designer – a lifetime in books. Previously publisher of Aconyte, Angry Robot, Black Library, and Solaris. Before that, responsible for a whole bookcase worth of books, both fiction and non-fiction, tie-ins and original works, as well as games design, journalism, computer game scripting, etc. Winner of both the World Fantasy Award and British Fantasy Award.

Reviews

[Jason Ray Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent Warhammer fantasy anthology. Compared to a lot of the Warhammer fantasy fiction I’ve read, this was somewhat early in the history of the Black Library. So, some of the fiction felt different stylistically and thematically. It was a little more lighthearted than later Warhammer fantasy, after the doom of the Old World became such a central world plot element. These stories feel much more like you’re entering a static world, one that isn’t necessarily rotting away. There are several stories that will stick with me.

“The Birth of a Legend” by Gav Thorpe was surprising. This story is told elsewhere, by Graham McNeill in Legends of Sigmar.
“The Hounds of Winter” by Jonathan Green was an intriguing ghost story.
“Grunsonn’s Marauders” by Andy Jones felt like a gritty D&D adventure; it was interesting to see an elf and a dwarf getting along.
“The Doorway Between” by Rjurik Davidson was an interesting study of the Witch Hunter trope.
“Mormacar’s Lament” by Chris Pramas was really good, a very intriguing exploration of the fight between the Druchii and the High Elves.
“The Blessed Ones” by Rani Kellock felt very skullduggery and traditional S&S.
“Dark Heart” by Jonathan Green was an interesting gothic story.
“The Chaos Beneath” by Mark Brendan was an interesting daemonic possession story.
“Paradise Lost” by Andy Jones was a fun pirate story featuring the Lizardfolk of Lustria.
“Wolf in the Fold” by Ben Chessell was an interesting werewolf story.

The last tale, “The Faithful Servant” by Gav Thorpe, was philosophical and, in my opinion, revealed the potential for what this world could provide writers moving forward.

I loved this. It was great to read some Warhammer fantasy fiction from the earlier days.

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vote: 3,5

Maybe not best Warhammer fantasy anthology ever, but some tales from Games Workshop's late "Inferno!" magazine here reprinted really deserved to be read.

Individual reviews after the spoiler.



Birth of a legend: 3 stars

Dwarven King Kurgan is prisoner after a surprise attack by Orcs.
He and his companions are going to die eaten soon, but a band of human barbarian huntersrun to the rescue... Not a bad tale, but if you know basics of Warhammer lore, you already know the story, the twists and the identity of the barbarian chief.

The Hounds of Winter: 3 stars

A nice ghost story of Jonathan Green's Badenov's Band of mercenaries. After 300 years Mannslieb and Morrslieb are going to be allined again this Midwinter's Eve, and the Chaos warband of the Winter King is going to rise again...

Hatred: 2 stars

A lame story about witch hunter bearing the same mark of the corruption he is hunting for by Ben Chessell. Storyline and characters were not much interesting at all.

Grunsonn's Marauders: 2 star

Another tale about the mercenary adventurers met previously in "Paradise lost".
A dungeon quest more D&D style than Wfrp and missing for good the grimdark feeling of the Warhammer setting, but I've read Grunsonn's Marauders were the test group of Warhammer Quest tabletop game at Games Workshop so that's ok.

The doorway between: 4 stars

Witch hunter Frantz Heidel is hired by baron Ludwig Heitz to take back his family heirloom from a rampaging Chaos warband, but in the grim world of Warhammer appearances can be often deceptive.
An enjoyable tale with lots of the thademark elements of the grimdark setting.
The twist was predictable but I really liked very much story, characters and ending.

Mormacar's lament: 5 stars

A real amazing tale of courage, tragedy and darkness by Chris Pramas.
Prisoner of the Forsworn Dark Elves, long time nemesis of his people, Mormacar the Shadow Dancer escapes from Gag Craef together with Einar the Norsman. He's going to learn that can be friendship and honour between humans and elves, but can they warn in time Ulthuan's fortress city of Arthuan about the coming surprise attack? Fate is cruel and Kaine the Murder God is laughing.

The Blessed Ones: 5 stars

An unlucky thief, a painting giving to the owner the gift of immortality, flashing blades in the night. A grim action packed tale in the dirty alleys of the academic city of Nuln by Rani Kellock, mixing for good the classic fantasy theme of the thief run out of luck with Warhammer setting elements. Maybe the ending was not a surprising one, but I really enjoied a lot this short story.

Dark Heart: 4,5 stars

Another tale of Jonathan Green's Torben Badenov and his band of mercenaries. This time they are fighting against a whole brood of vampires. Liked a lot this story, it could be a perfect adventure for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, and the final twist was maybe not unexpected but still really great.

The Chaos beneath: 3 stars

A witch hunter investigating about cultists under the sewers of Marienburg finds out more than he can handle. A nice action packed tale by Mark Brendan about Chaos, deceit, demonic possession, ancient necromancers and their dangerous books, and a young apprentice sorcerer changing his life and career for good.

Paradise lost: 2, 5 stars

A funny tale about a mercenary band, Grunsonn's Marauders, cast away on a lost island inhabited by lizardmen after an unlucky encounter with pirates. Not bad, but the adventurers band (a dwarf, an elf, an ex imperial envoy and a Norsca barbarian speaking with german accent) really seem too much out from a Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay or a Dungeons & Dragons old edition manual. A story not aged well at all.

Wolf in the fold: 4 stars

Before dying "The Thousand Faces of Magritta", one of the most famous assassins in the Old World, wants to confess his sins. But in his tale about his last contract and his love for a werewolf there is much more than meets the eye. A great story by Ben Chessell.

The faithful servant: 4 stars

Markus, a warrior priest of Sigmar, is the only survivor after a great battle where Kislevite Lancers, Knight Panther and the combined forces of Kislev and the Empire fought against the rampaging hordes of Chaos.
Crushed under his horse, Markus is waiting for rescue. Sadly, the only rescue coming for him is Estebar, Master of Slaughter and Chaos Champion of Slaanesh, the Lord of Pleasure.
A great tale of faith and corruption by Gav Thorpe.

[Roger L · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3.5 stars. Some stories were very good with memorable characters.

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

Birth of Legend - Gav Thorpe
The Hounds of Winter - Jonathan Green (Review in The Dead and the Damned)
Hatred - Ben Chessell
Grunsonn's Marauders - Andy Jones
The Doorway Between - Rjurik Davidson
Mormacar's Lament - Chris Pramas
The Blessed Ones - Rani Kellock
Dark Heart - Jonathan Green (Review in The Dead and the Damned)
The Chaos Beneath - Mark Brendan
Paradise Lost - Andy Jones
Wolf in the Fold - Ben Chessell
The Faithful Servant - Gav Thorpe

Review
"Birth of a Legend" by Gav Thorpe is an good "first contact" kind of tale between Dwarves and Humans.
A tale of how dwarves met the mighty Siggmar, only fifteen years old, and how he came to have his holy hammer Ghal Maraz or Skull Splitter given by King Kurgan. It's probably one of the best stories in this anthology. Several years later Graham McNeil wrote a trilogy depicting Sigmar that I have yet to read. 8/10

The Hounds of Winter - Jonathan Green (Review in The Dead and the Damned) brings together spirits of legend on a spooky night at a remote inn. (Check the link above) 7/10

"Hatred" by Ben Chessel is about a sinister witch-hunter.It was nothing spectacular to it and I didn't enjoy. Okay so he turned. Now what? I really couldn't find this story midly interesting. 4/10
In "Grunsonn's Marauders" by Andy Jones, introduces us to his band of mercenary adventurers consisting of a Dwarf, an Elf, a Barbarian (Norcsa) and a normal human. Really?? And Elf and a Dwarf together? Right. They even care about each other... oh please... I thought this was going to be a Forgotten Realms story. Really. But it was not. It was not good. Somewhat funny but besides that nothing good. The plot is simple. They are task with retrieving a finger (yes a finger) from a place guarded by some powerful guardians. A twist in the end but nothing interesting. 4/10

The Doorway Between - Rjurik Davidson is tale was a good story. A witch hunter is tasked with something and another witch hunter appears to help him. It's a nice story but witch hunter are not mercenary... The battle with the champion of chaos was anti-climax. The end was good. Nothing spectacular. 5/10

Mormacar's Lament - Chris Pramas it was a nice tale. A high elf is capture by his dark brether Druchii and is improssioned in Hag Graef. There he plots to escape with a strange ally. A Norcsa raider. In the beginning they don't get along but after some trials the elf mourns for the norcsa as he sacrifice so the high elf can report to their kin that the dark elves are massing for attack. It's a nice tale but something was odd. How could the Norcsa see in the caves for several days? Very Strange. The end of the tale is very good. After dozen trials and battles he is killed by his own kin because he was dressed as a dark elf. Very nice! 7.5/10

The Blessed Ones - Rani Kellock brings us a tale about a robber who robs a painting for a unknown lord with strange malefic proprieties. Interesting tale. It gives "life" to it. 6/10

Dark Heart - Jonathan Green (Review in The Dead and the Damned)

The Chaos Beneath - Mark Brendan this tale deals with a witch hunter in the sewers of Marienburg and the rituals of the chaos cultists. It's a good tale. 6/10

Paradise Lost - Andy Jones another tale that follows Grunsonn's Marauders. In these tale they are stranded on a island which have some lizardman folk that look at them as gods. They are not the clever lizardman from lustria but stranded as the Marauders. It's better tale that the previous but nothing that would be considered today. 6.5/10

Wolf in the Fold - Ben Chessell brings us some cool story about a deadly assassin feared in the Olde Worlde. As he lay dying he begs for rependence. He tells a tale of werewolves and strange love. Very good tale. 7.5/10

The Faithful Servant - Gav Thorpe probably the best story on this book. A Sigmar warrior priest is the last standing man on a battlefield. His majestic horse died on him and he is laying there waiting for rescue. But the rescue is a dark champion of Tzeentch that makes him a question about his faith. There we find more about both particpants as the champion tries to convert the priest saying that either he converts or he will kill every habitant from Kislev to Aldorft. The priest thinks that maybe he fool the champion saying that he say he is to be convert but in his heart still praise Sigmar. A bunch of hounds of Khorne are descending and the champion says to him that if he grabs something from a dark god maybe they would spare you and he lets his unholy black sword on the ground. It ends with us thinking that he grabed it but never confirmed it. I think what is more important to die praising a god or to live praising the opposite? 10/10

Conclusion
A solid anthology with good books. Nice addition to the warhammer world. But maybe buy the anthology Tales of the Old World that has much of this stories in it.

[Sebastien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Voyant le titre et l'image sur ce livre, même sachant que ça serait des mini-histoires, j'ai désiré lire ce livre. Je croyais que ça serait des histoires sur le Chaos. Malheureusement, ce ne fut que la dernière histoire qui représente la couverture, pour le reste c'est des histoire varié qui n'ont pas nécessairement lien au Chaos.

Je dois quand même donner son dû à ce qui est mérité, il y a des aventures dans ce livre qui sont digne de lecture et même de se rappeler. C'est la raison pour laquelle je vais dire que ma critique représente le fait que je n'aime pas les mini-hitoires, sinon la cote aurais dû être de 4 étoiles.

Cependant ne vous laissez pas prendre par la couverture accrocheuse et par le titre, ce livre ne traite que très peu du chaos.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard of any of these writers before I read this book but it was actually pretty good. The stories are all set in the Warhammer universe and have some gaming type constraints, but it's a decent collection.

[Avi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good thing about these Warhammer books is that you always know what you're going to get out of them; the downside is that it's never anything particularly interesting. However, it's an interesting diversion for those of us who enjoy sometimes reading about dwarves smashing the skulls of orks.