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War of Vengeance #3
The Curse of the Phoenix Crown
The concluding instalment of the War of Vengeance saga.
For centuries, war has raged between the proud elves and unforgiving dwarfs. After many great battles and vicious sieges, many failed attempts at peace and bloody massacres, both the dwarf High King Gotrek Starbreaker and the elf Phoenix King Caledor II tire of war and seek to bring the conflict to an end - but neither will surrender. As the last battle of the war begins, the two kings meet in single combat to decide who will be the true master of the Old World. And only one of them will walk away. The concluding instalment of the War of Vengeance saga.
For centuries, war has raged between the proud elves and unforgiving dwarfs. After many great battles and vicious sieges, many failed attempts at peace and bloody massacres, both the dwarf High King Gotrek Starbreaker and the elf Phoenix King Caledor II tire of war and seek to bring the conflict to an end - but neither will surrender. As the last battle of the war begins, the two kings meet in single combat to decide who will be the true master of the Old World. And only one of them will walk away. The concluding instalment of the War of Vengeance saga.
- GenresFantasy
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
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116 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 18, 2018
Not a very satisfying ending to a very entertaining series. Perhaps C.L. Werner had too many loose threads to tie up. Perhaps the series was ended prematurely. Maybe, there was no way to bring a war of this epic scale to a satisfying end. Whatever the reasons though, this book ended with a whimper. Sad really since there were many cool moments, epic characters, and amazing battles scattered throughout this book and series.
July 31, 2025
This was an excellent Warhammer fantasy novel, and an excellent fantasy novel in general. It focuses on the worst centuries of the War of Vengeance between the dwarfs of the Old World and the Asur (High Elves) of Ulthuan. It is the third in a series about the War of Vengeance. I don't think you need to have read the first two in order to enjoy this. I had, but all three felt like self-contained story arcs, and they were written by different writers.
C.L. Werner is one of the best Black Library authors. His Matthias Thulmann as well as his Brunner novels are some of the best Warhammer fantasy I’ve read, along with his various Skaven-themed novels in the Black Plague series. I had high expectations reading this one. They were met.
Werner was able to hold in tension the great historical/epic scale of the War of Vengeance (sometimes decades, even centuries, pass between chapters) with the dramatic and immediate, i.e. specific, concrete scenes that draw you in. He renders one-on-one battles in an interesting way, as well as large-scale sieges and military operations.
One scene, where Morgrim Elgidum realizes that the Asur might not have been as evil as he assumed, became surprisingly emotionally rich. It makes you think about how wars between different peoples fester, even to the point where there is no turning back, even if you realize what caused the war was a misunderstanding. In other words, the theme of the intractability of conflict--the way war metastasizes like a cancer--comes through. Some heavy stuff for a Warhammer novel.
I really loved this novel. It was one of those reads where you are kind of sad as the pages to-be-read starts to thin, and you know you're going to have to leave the characters soon.
One minor quibble: the character of Caledor II, the Phoenix King, seemed too evil and elitist to be an Asur king. I know part of the lore of the High Elves is their supremacist views, but I feel like their sense of superiority would be clothed in false modesty. I always imagined the elves as tragically waging the war--i.e. more like Imladrik, the Phoenix King’s brother, who tried to avoid the war.
C.L. Werner is one of the best Black Library authors. His Matthias Thulmann as well as his Brunner novels are some of the best Warhammer fantasy I’ve read, along with his various Skaven-themed novels in the Black Plague series. I had high expectations reading this one. They were met.
Werner was able to hold in tension the great historical/epic scale of the War of Vengeance (sometimes decades, even centuries, pass between chapters) with the dramatic and immediate, i.e. specific, concrete scenes that draw you in. He renders one-on-one battles in an interesting way, as well as large-scale sieges and military operations.
One scene, where Morgrim Elgidum realizes that the Asur might not have been as evil as he assumed, became surprisingly emotionally rich. It makes you think about how wars between different peoples fester, even to the point where there is no turning back, even if you realize what caused the war was a misunderstanding. In other words, the theme of the intractability of conflict--the way war metastasizes like a cancer--comes through. Some heavy stuff for a Warhammer novel.
I really loved this novel. It was one of those reads where you are kind of sad as the pages to-be-read starts to thin, and you know you're going to have to leave the characters soon.
One minor quibble: the character of Caledor II, the Phoenix King, seemed too evil and elitist to be an Asur king. I know part of the lore of the High Elves is their supremacist views, but I feel like their sense of superiority would be clothed in false modesty. I always imagined the elves as tragically waging the war--i.e. more like Imladrik, the Phoenix King’s brother, who tried to avoid the war.
November 8, 2017
The Curse of the Phoenix Crown carries on from the previous book and really ramps up the war between the Elgi and the Dawi (Dwarves and Elves! :D ) with one big battle one after another! :D The politics abound throughout with political manoeuvrings on all fronts! :D But as the book goes on it is very apparent that a diplomatic solution is simply not on the cards and the stone slinging continues! :D The Druchii and Astri put in the appearance and the backstabbing of the Witch King neatly ties things up into the overall events! :D At the same time this brilliantly ties the war into the greater events that are conspiring around both the dwarves and the elves! :D
The battles though never lose sight of the character though with all of them fully realised and the book continually flows over the characters over the centuries of the war catching up with them which the book a particular feel that reminds the characters constantly of what is at stake and why they are fighting! :D The diplomacy that is ongoing as well works as method as well letting us catch up with both sides in the conflict and neatly shows that there are characters both good and bad on either side though the the elves seem to get the short straw often! :D
There are plot points and hints at later events throughout and this gives the book it epic feel from sieges to personal combat and heroics the whole book rocks along brilliantly and engages in brilliantly world building all along! :D The descriptions of the Dwarf tunnels, forests and Elvish cities are brilliantly handled and make a grand canvas for the events and daring do taking place throughout the The Curse of the Phoenix! :D
The Curse of the Phoenix is clever, world-building, fast-paced, full of grim chins and heroics, and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
The battles though never lose sight of the character though with all of them fully realised and the book continually flows over the characters over the centuries of the war catching up with them which the book a particular feel that reminds the characters constantly of what is at stake and why they are fighting! :D The diplomacy that is ongoing as well works as method as well letting us catch up with both sides in the conflict and neatly shows that there are characters both good and bad on either side though the the elves seem to get the short straw often! :D
There are plot points and hints at later events throughout and this gives the book it epic feel from sieges to personal combat and heroics the whole book rocks along brilliantly and engages in brilliantly world building all along! :D The descriptions of the Dwarf tunnels, forests and Elvish cities are brilliantly handled and make a grand canvas for the events and daring do taking place throughout the The Curse of the Phoenix! :D
The Curse of the Phoenix is clever, world-building, fast-paced, full of grim chins and heroics, and action packed! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2025
Not the biggest fan of how sprawling the story became given how the first and second books managed the span of time and the large cast fairly well. But it is also a story of vengeance and those are hard to give satisfying conclusions. The characters and their struggles were still top-notch, and underscored that even if daemons and dark elves instigate violence, the fault lies not just in the one who kills first, but in the one who continues killing in retaliation. And only Thoriol is able to put aside the grief from the death of his father at the end of the previous book and focus the high elves on the looming threat of their ancient enemy and away from conflict with their old friends turned new enemies.
March 25, 2016
Oh man, what an epic ending to The War of Vengeance! C. L. Werner did a Damn fine job of taking the plot strands from the first 2 novels and finishing them off with exceptional talent. The action was superb, what politics there were, were great.
My only disappointment is that he couldn't focus more on certain things. He had so much ground to cover in so little book(be that his choice or Black Library's) that I feel like it would have been much better and gone into much better detail about the current state of the elves and dwarfs(as well as druchii and astri?) if he had been able to write 2 for it.
So, other than the pacing(which made it really Damn intense as we rushed headlong into oblivion with our Dawi and Elgi friends) was also a little bit of a disappointment, as we didn't get to see as much as I had hoped. All in all, a Damn good read, and a Damn fine addition to my collection!
My only disappointment is that he couldn't focus more on certain things. He had so much ground to cover in so little book(be that his choice or Black Library's) that I feel like it would have been much better and gone into much better detail about the current state of the elves and dwarfs(as well as druchii and astri?) if he had been able to write 2 for it.
So, other than the pacing(which made it really Damn intense as we rushed headlong into oblivion with our Dawi and Elgi friends) was also a little bit of a disappointment, as we didn't get to see as much as I had hoped. All in all, a Damn good read, and a Damn fine addition to my collection!
August 15, 2024
Eh, fine novel but it was presented way too much from dwarf point of view, thin-skinned crybabies with love for warcrimes that they are.
If you didn't read the first two books you might come away with understanding that Elves started it all, because the Dwarven atrocities such as the first destruction of Kor Vanaeth which happened before the dwarven ambassadors arrived to demand payment from the Phoenix King, is not mentioned. Or just how scummy Snorri Halfhand actually was, rather than this mythical noble prince.
If you didn't read the first two books you might come away with understanding that Elves started it all, because the Dwarven atrocities such as the first destruction of Kor Vanaeth which happened before the dwarven ambassadors arrived to demand payment from the Phoenix King, is not mentioned. Or just how scummy Snorri Halfhand actually was, rather than this mythical noble prince.
June 8, 2016
C.L. Werner was definatly the right choice to finish this trilogy.
The book was like a surge of fresh energy after having read the Master of Dragons book, grabbing onto plot threads and weaving an intricate loom as well as dragging in several threads of his own into the mix. Only problem was pacing, there were so much ground to cover and in just one book too. At times things happened off-screen that might have been interesting to know more about, but at the same time things that had grown stale and were in less need of screen-time were rightly put in the back.
Because i was getting mightly tired of Liandra and Thoriel at this point and those chars were delegated to the background, thankfully.
In this book you get to see the making of the first Slayer as well as the founding of the Slayer cult, which frankly i have waited for since the first book.
You get to see the emergance of a faction which plays a miniscule role in the series, but one that will be well established and known in the current setting of Warhammer Fantasy.
And you get to see the death of several characters that you have been wanting to see dead for some time, as well as several you dont want to see die.
All in all, if you have read the first two books of the series, there is no reason at all that you shouldnt read the final. Because it is a good book.
The book was like a surge of fresh energy after having read the Master of Dragons book, grabbing onto plot threads and weaving an intricate loom as well as dragging in several threads of his own into the mix. Only problem was pacing, there were so much ground to cover and in just one book too. At times things happened off-screen that might have been interesting to know more about, but at the same time things that had grown stale and were in less need of screen-time were rightly put in the back.
Because i was getting mightly tired of Liandra and Thoriel at this point and those chars were delegated to the background, thankfully.
In this book you get to see the making of the first Slayer as well as the founding of the Slayer cult, which frankly i have waited for since the first book.
You get to see the emergance of a faction which plays a miniscule role in the series, but one that will be well established and known in the current setting of Warhammer Fantasy.
And you get to see the death of several characters that you have been wanting to see dead for some time, as well as several you dont want to see die.
All in all, if you have read the first two books of the series, there is no reason at all that you shouldnt read the final. Because it is a good book.
May 25, 2016
I like this book but it suffered from one fatal flaw:pacing.
It felt as if the writer realized:; darn I have to go over centuries of war to finish this because we did not even reach a few decades in the first two books. I get that it would have been kinda dull if every single battle was to be described but chapters with more then 60 years in between? One could say:; well elves and dwarfs live very long (and true most characters from the first two books are active in the third) but it felt like an excuse to speed it up. There should have been a better balance.
Besides that flaw, it was a pleasant book to read and neatly helps to close a chapter of the warhammer lore. If you have read the first two books, pick this one up as well, it is worth it.
It felt as if the writer realized:; darn I have to go over centuries of war to finish this because we did not even reach a few decades in the first two books. I get that it would have been kinda dull if every single battle was to be described but chapters with more then 60 years in between? One could say:; well elves and dwarfs live very long (and true most characters from the first two books are active in the third) but it felt like an excuse to speed it up. There should have been a better balance.
Besides that flaw, it was a pleasant book to read and neatly helps to close a chapter of the warhammer lore. If you have read the first two books, pick this one up as well, it is worth it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews