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Drekki Flynt #1
The Arkanaut's Oath: Warhammer Age of Sigmar
A Drekki Flynt Novel
In his first full-length novel, the swashbuckling Drekki Flynt finds himself at the mercy of his nemesis, Rogi Throkk, who sends him to find the fabled talisman of Achromia...or die trying.
Listen to it because
This high-flying, high-stakes tale follows the incorrigible Drekki Flynt as a simple job draws him and his crew into a sprawling conspiracy.
The story
Drekki Flynt! Captain of the Aelsling, known throughout the Skyshoals of Achromia! Say his name and make half a tavern starry-eyed, while the other half mutters about how much money he owes them.
Drekki Flynt! Uncommonly tall for a duardin—an adventurer, an endrineer, a wit and a self-proclaimed genius.
Drekki Flynt...is in trouble.
Lured by the promise of a lucrative contract, Drekki finds himself at the mercy of his nemesis, Rogi Throkk, who gives him an ultimatum—recover the fabled talisman of Achromia, or die. As it is, Drekki will probably die anyway, but that's really not Throkk's problem. Braving perils including—but not limited to—giant air-beasts, grot pirates, and terrible storms, the crew of the Aelsling is sucked into a conspiracy that will see an ancient empire rise again, or fall forever to Chaos...
In his first full-length novel, the swashbuckling Drekki Flynt finds himself at the mercy of his nemesis, Rogi Throkk, who sends him to find the fabled talisman of Achromia...or die trying.
Listen to it because
This high-flying, high-stakes tale follows the incorrigible Drekki Flynt as a simple job draws him and his crew into a sprawling conspiracy.
The story
Drekki Flynt! Captain of the Aelsling, known throughout the Skyshoals of Achromia! Say his name and make half a tavern starry-eyed, while the other half mutters about how much money he owes them.
Drekki Flynt! Uncommonly tall for a duardin—an adventurer, an endrineer, a wit and a self-proclaimed genius.
Drekki Flynt...is in trouble.
Lured by the promise of a lucrative contract, Drekki finds himself at the mercy of his nemesis, Rogi Throkk, who gives him an ultimatum—recover the fabled talisman of Achromia, or die. As it is, Drekki will probably die anyway, but that's really not Throkk's problem. Braving perils including—but not limited to—giant air-beasts, grot pirates, and terrible storms, the crew of the Aelsling is sucked into a conspiracy that will see an ancient empire rise again, or fall forever to Chaos...
Audible Audio
First published August 27, 2022
25 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
About the author
Guy Haley
288 books719 followersGuy Haley is the author of over 50 novels and novellas. His original fiction includes Crash, Champion of Mars, and the Richards and Klein, Dreaming Cities, and the Gates of the World series (as K M McKinley). However, he is best known as a prolific contributor to Games Workshop's Black Library imprint.
When not writing, he'll be out doing something dangerous in the wild, learning languages or gaming.
When not writing, he'll be out doing something dangerous in the wild, learning languages or gaming.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 20, 2023
I like Age of Sigmar for its unique twists on familiar concepts, and ‘take dwarfs, but make them steampunk sky privateers!’ is one of them. In that sense, The Arkanaut's Oath is exactly what I asked for; but in actuality the writing makes it feel all too familiar.
The biggest problem facing this book is how much it relies on clichés. From dwarfy dwarfs who love ale and stroking their beards, to the signature ‘heist’ ensemble of snarky and eccentric characters, there’s little here that actually comes across as original. Beyond this carrying a tone of ‘telling not showing’, if you’re even remotely knowledgeable of the wider pop culture that informs the story beats of this novel, then at best you’ll be getting a regurgitation of something else you love, and at worst, you’ll just find it plain boring.
There is a fair amount of page space dedicated to world-building, which makes a lot of sense for a book that exists primarily to explore the Age of Sigmar setting. However my opinion of it ranged from feeling annoyed to outright uninvested. The prime culprit of this was the liberal use of footnotes to explain words and concepts used throughout the book. The problem being that a lot of these terms are just unnecessary stand-ins for perfectly usable words that already exist in the English language, and the constant need to glare down at the bottom of the page to have it explained makes for an incredibly disjointed reading experience. Worse still, these footnotes will explain in detail a fantasy unit of measurement, while leaving huge lore events (e.g. Necroquake) without explanation, meaning that if you’re not already familiar with the wider Age of Sigmar story, you’ll likely fail to understand references that would have been much better served by the footnotes that this book seems to love.
It’s not all bad exactly. The bar can get very low with Black Library publications, and this is still a notch above that, thanks mainly to how well visualized the core cast of characters are. They’re written with personality and a lived camaraderie, which goes a long way to giving them staying power. Character dialogue is just solid, and always comes in at the right moments. If anything was to make me come back for another adventure with Drekki Flynt, it would be this, providing that more is done to tell a story that earns the time investment.
Ultimately, I think this book is a prime example of how much Black Library releases are held back by the publication itself. Because the authors are rarely terrible writers, and the setting itself is simply fantastic, yet I keep reading books that fail to capitalise on either on these strengths. Which leaves The Arkanauts Oath as an average (but worse than should be) book. That might still be enough for some readers, but for me, I know I'll forget all about Drekki Flynt - which is strange for a book that wants him to seem larger than life.
The biggest problem facing this book is how much it relies on clichés. From dwarfy dwarfs who love ale and stroking their beards, to the signature ‘heist’ ensemble of snarky and eccentric characters, there’s little here that actually comes across as original. Beyond this carrying a tone of ‘telling not showing’, if you’re even remotely knowledgeable of the wider pop culture that informs the story beats of this novel, then at best you’ll be getting a regurgitation of something else you love, and at worst, you’ll just find it plain boring.
There is a fair amount of page space dedicated to world-building, which makes a lot of sense for a book that exists primarily to explore the Age of Sigmar setting. However my opinion of it ranged from feeling annoyed to outright uninvested. The prime culprit of this was the liberal use of footnotes to explain words and concepts used throughout the book. The problem being that a lot of these terms are just unnecessary stand-ins for perfectly usable words that already exist in the English language, and the constant need to glare down at the bottom of the page to have it explained makes for an incredibly disjointed reading experience. Worse still, these footnotes will explain in detail a fantasy unit of measurement, while leaving huge lore events (e.g. Necroquake) without explanation, meaning that if you’re not already familiar with the wider Age of Sigmar story, you’ll likely fail to understand references that would have been much better served by the footnotes that this book seems to love.
It’s not all bad exactly. The bar can get very low with Black Library publications, and this is still a notch above that, thanks mainly to how well visualized the core cast of characters are. They’re written with personality and a lived camaraderie, which goes a long way to giving them staying power. Character dialogue is just solid, and always comes in at the right moments. If anything was to make me come back for another adventure with Drekki Flynt, it would be this, providing that more is done to tell a story that earns the time investment.
Ultimately, I think this book is a prime example of how much Black Library releases are held back by the publication itself. Because the authors are rarely terrible writers, and the setting itself is simply fantastic, yet I keep reading books that fail to capitalise on either on these strengths. Which leaves The Arkanauts Oath as an average (but worse than should be) book. That might still be enough for some readers, but for me, I know I'll forget all about Drekki Flynt - which is strange for a book that wants him to seem larger than life.
December 1, 2024
This read a bit more like a 'young adult high fantasy adventure' novel than many other of the more darker Warhammer books, but I enjoyed it. It was fun to learn more about the different realm of metal - Chamon, and the aether-gold-burning steampunk dwarves known as the Khahadron Overlords; especially the opportunistic sky pirate protagonist Drekkie Flynt.
June 12, 2023
Phooey, what a ride. The story has elements of adventure,action and... murder mystery. Because, of course, the influence of Chaos is involved. It wouldn't be a Warhammer novel without it.
Guy Haley refrains from describing the events from the chaos point of view (unlike the Overlords of the Iron Dragon series) which makes for better suspense.
Almost each chapter is rife with either suspense or action, and those that aren't are kept pretty short. There's even some space for emotional attachment to the characters and character growth.
Next to all of this, the story is light-hearted enough to show that in a grimdark fantasy setting not everything has to be serious. I often chuckled at some parts.
All in all, past the halfway point, the book is incredibly difficult to put down.
Guy Haley refrains from describing the events from the chaos point of view (unlike the Overlords of the Iron Dragon series) which makes for better suspense.
Almost each chapter is rife with either suspense or action, and those that aren't are kept pretty short. There's even some space for emotional attachment to the characters and character growth.
Next to all of this, the story is light-hearted enough to show that in a grimdark fantasy setting not everything has to be serious. I often chuckled at some parts.
All in all, past the halfway point, the book is incredibly difficult to put down.
January 21, 2023
Gooday Ladies and Gentlemen, I just read Arkanaut’s Oath by Guy Haley by Grungi’s Beard it is awesome!
As always here is a video link for those who want it: https://youtu.be/kyPfxUzhOuM
The premise is as follows: Drekky Flynt, a hypercompetent Kharadron pirate with more bravado than Cato Sicarius, is ambushed by one of his many enemies in a skylord pub. Here he is given a simple offer, either sign a contract to help Lerarus, a human wizard, retrieve an artefact or they get executed right there and then.
Needless to say Drekki accepts and Lerarus joins the Drekki pirate band for an epic adventure to retrieve an anti-chaos McGuffin from a failing stormvault. A quest during which they have to fight Tzeentchy cultists, massive sky-monsters, greenskins and it turns out there might even be enemies among the crew.
Can the crew of Aesling survive this suicidal mission? Who can be trusted? And more importantly, at the end of the day how much are we getting paid?
If you want to know this then you’ll have to read the novel :D
—
One of my favourite things about this book is the characterization of the crew. Drekki’s pirate crew is quite expansive; and outside of other kharadron also includes a runesmith and an ogor. At the start of the book this might be a bit overwhelming, but Haley does a great job at introducing you to them more and more as the book goes on. In Abnett like fashion, each character is given some quirks, mannerisms and screentime, which makes you fall in love with this crew in no time.
Another highlight of the novel is the interspecies politics. Kharadon, dispossessed, humans, stormcast and more feature in this novel and they don’t exactly get along. Their opinions vary a lot and the history of their races doesn’t do much to relieve tension either. This book contains quite some conversations between different factions on the matter, which were not just entertaining and well written, but also rather interesting from a lore point of view.
Two big talking points here are the hostility between the Kharadron and the remaining free cities as well as the increasingly violent and collonialistic nature of the Stormcast Eternals. I think Haley did a great job at portraying these conflicts and it’s nice to see the History of Age of Sigmar reflected in the actual novels.
In a similar vein the worldbuilding in this book was sublime and reminded me of the Malus Darkblade series with its level of detail. The book shows us so much, ranging from the inner workings of Kharadron technology to the magical floating island-scape of Chamon. From mystical cities to shady sky-ports. The magical over-the-topness of Age of Sigmar is utilized to great effect, to create a world that is wild without feeling too random and the level of detail makes the book very immersive.
And then I’m not even talking about the Kharadrid language and proverbs used throughout the book. Yes, once more similar to the Darkblade books as well as the Night Lord trilogy, this book features a lot of instances in which the Kharadron use their native language. This adds a lot to the immersion and footnotes have been added to explain their meaning.
Some of these footnotes are also just outright hilarious, let me give you an example from page 186. The proverb “Playing Teclis” is “a common duardin expression meaning to employ pointlessly subtle, gratuitously contrary arguments that defy good common sense just to show how clever one is”. Good to see that even after the end of the world, dwarfs and high elves still don’t get along ;)
But to add a footnote to the footnotes, I initially got this as an e-book because I hate reading hardbacks and on my e-reader these footnotes were not visible. So keep that in mind if you want to buy this, you might miss the notes if you don’t get it in paper. Also if someone else had a different experience with the e-book please let me know, might be cus mine is rather old+cheap.
Furthermore I liked the plot quite a lot, sure it is a bit of a typical tale of “get this McGuffin or we all die”. But there are a lot of twists and turns throughout the book together with some “Among Us mystery” that keep it from being too predictable. And while the tone of the book definitely is comedic and light-hearted, there are also some more serious and tragic parts that keep it from feeling too frivolous.
—
So all together I think this mastercrafted Age of Sigmar adventure is definitely deserving of 5 out of 5 mechanome space pirates. Arkanaut’s Oath is an extremely engaging adventure story with excellent world-building that utilizes the wild nature and history of the realms to its fullest. On top of that it features great characters and dialogue that will soon make you fall in love with these crazy misfits.
In fact this book has probably managed to replace Gloomspite as my new favourite Age of Sigmar novel and thus I’m very much of the opinion this is a must read for all fans of the setting.
Overview of previous reviews: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z...
As always here is a video link for those who want it: https://youtu.be/kyPfxUzhOuM
The premise is as follows: Drekky Flynt, a hypercompetent Kharadron pirate with more bravado than Cato Sicarius, is ambushed by one of his many enemies in a skylord pub. Here he is given a simple offer, either sign a contract to help Lerarus, a human wizard, retrieve an artefact or they get executed right there and then.
Needless to say Drekki accepts and Lerarus joins the Drekki pirate band for an epic adventure to retrieve an anti-chaos McGuffin from a failing stormvault. A quest during which they have to fight Tzeentchy cultists, massive sky-monsters, greenskins and it turns out there might even be enemies among the crew.
Can the crew of Aesling survive this suicidal mission? Who can be trusted? And more importantly, at the end of the day how much are we getting paid?
If you want to know this then you’ll have to read the novel :D
—
One of my favourite things about this book is the characterization of the crew. Drekki’s pirate crew is quite expansive; and outside of other kharadron also includes a runesmith and an ogor. At the start of the book this might be a bit overwhelming, but Haley does a great job at introducing you to them more and more as the book goes on. In Abnett like fashion, each character is given some quirks, mannerisms and screentime, which makes you fall in love with this crew in no time.
Another highlight of the novel is the interspecies politics. Kharadon, dispossessed, humans, stormcast and more feature in this novel and they don’t exactly get along. Their opinions vary a lot and the history of their races doesn’t do much to relieve tension either. This book contains quite some conversations between different factions on the matter, which were not just entertaining and well written, but also rather interesting from a lore point of view.
Two big talking points here are the hostility between the Kharadron and the remaining free cities as well as the increasingly violent and collonialistic nature of the Stormcast Eternals. I think Haley did a great job at portraying these conflicts and it’s nice to see the History of Age of Sigmar reflected in the actual novels.
In a similar vein the worldbuilding in this book was sublime and reminded me of the Malus Darkblade series with its level of detail. The book shows us so much, ranging from the inner workings of Kharadron technology to the magical floating island-scape of Chamon. From mystical cities to shady sky-ports. The magical over-the-topness of Age of Sigmar is utilized to great effect, to create a world that is wild without feeling too random and the level of detail makes the book very immersive.
And then I’m not even talking about the Kharadrid language and proverbs used throughout the book. Yes, once more similar to the Darkblade books as well as the Night Lord trilogy, this book features a lot of instances in which the Kharadron use their native language. This adds a lot to the immersion and footnotes have been added to explain their meaning.
Some of these footnotes are also just outright hilarious, let me give you an example from page 186. The proverb “Playing Teclis” is “a common duardin expression meaning to employ pointlessly subtle, gratuitously contrary arguments that defy good common sense just to show how clever one is”. Good to see that even after the end of the world, dwarfs and high elves still don’t get along ;)
But to add a footnote to the footnotes, I initially got this as an e-book because I hate reading hardbacks and on my e-reader these footnotes were not visible. So keep that in mind if you want to buy this, you might miss the notes if you don’t get it in paper. Also if someone else had a different experience with the e-book please let me know, might be cus mine is rather old+cheap.
Furthermore I liked the plot quite a lot, sure it is a bit of a typical tale of “get this McGuffin or we all die”. But there are a lot of twists and turns throughout the book together with some “Among Us mystery” that keep it from being too predictable. And while the tone of the book definitely is comedic and light-hearted, there are also some more serious and tragic parts that keep it from feeling too frivolous.
—
So all together I think this mastercrafted Age of Sigmar adventure is definitely deserving of 5 out of 5 mechanome space pirates. Arkanaut’s Oath is an extremely engaging adventure story with excellent world-building that utilizes the wild nature and history of the realms to its fullest. On top of that it features great characters and dialogue that will soon make you fall in love with these crazy misfits.
In fact this book has probably managed to replace Gloomspite as my new favourite Age of Sigmar novel and thus I’m very much of the opinion this is a must read for all fans of the setting.
Overview of previous reviews: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z...
February 5, 2024
Really enjoyed this book, if you like adventure novels set on the high seas, imagine that, but with dwarves as the crew and instead of the high seas, the ships are flying through the sky. That pitch was enough to get me to pick the book up, and the story and characters kept me invested.
March 29, 2024
Proper fantasy adventure, really fun. Drew me in to the characters and life with the sky dwarfs.
September 2, 2022
Not since I listened to the tale of Kal Jericho has Black Library given us a tale of misfits and mischief that is exciting, funny, sad and engaging, the Andrew James Spooner is an awesome narrator and gives these characters a life and makes the listener actually care what happens to them 😳
April 14, 2023
Great book. I loved reading it. The characters were well-fleshed out and seemed alive to me. I can't wait to see if there are any more books about these characters.
July 23, 2024
Drekki Flynt, swashbuckler extraordinaire. A Kharadron privateer, he captains Aelsling, the fastest sky-cutter in the Skyshoals and named for his wife . . . er ex-wife, whom he hopes will return to him soon. He and his fellow skyfarers have come to the filthy, lawless Bavardia to meet with his former father-in-law who has a long tally of grudges against Drekki. (Not least of which are that Drekki stole his daughter and his ship.) But if Drekki accepts this venture, Throkki will wipe the slate clean and stop sending assassins to kill Drekki.
Such an offer tempts Drekki as much as treasure for the taking. Of course, there has to be a catch. Nothing comes easily for him and his fellow skyfarers. This time around, he is chosen for this venture because he is the best and he is expendable should things go awry (which is a given when Drekki is involved). Lady Sanahsa Lerarus, a human mage, must retrieve the last Talisman of Achromia before the current one protecting the old empire’s surviving city against daemons and other dark magic fails.
Naturally, they will not be the only ones searching for the Talisman and some will try to stop them. Oh, did I mention that the hidden vault that holds the Talisman is located somewhere in a derelict city infested with grots, the ancestral enemies of duardins, which is what Drekki and many of his skyfarers are? Nor is the vault simply a vault; it has special powers such as turning intruders into stone. Not only can’t Drekki refuse this job; there also is no aether-gold for him and his fellow skyfarers. But fear not, Drekki has ways and means of finding treasure in the least likely of places.
He also has a knack for finding trouble, and this time around trouble abounds. There are gargantuan squigs, snotlings, daemons, witch hunters, screamers, disc riders, unnatural storms, harkraken, a shipwreck, and Kaptain Blackheart who dares to fly the Jolly Orruk! Not to mention a spy aboard Drekki’s vessel, or the immense vortex that is slowly pulling them inside.
In the true fashion of swashbuckling novels of yore, The Arkanaut’s Oath takes readers on a breathtaking, daring adventure reminiscent of the largest, twistiest, and most exhilarating roller coaster imaginable. The imagery of Drekki’s world is masterfully drawn with words that are far better than the poetic verses crafted by Drekki’s ship’s poet. Interwoven with serious topics of war and strip-mining are humorous episodes, such as the security guard who also collects autographs. This may be Drekki Flynt’s first full-length novel, but I certainly hope it will not be his last. He may be used to being unpopular, but he’s also one of a kind and he and his fellow skyfarers are just the right sort to have with you when things get dicey.
This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Haley.html
Such an offer tempts Drekki as much as treasure for the taking. Of course, there has to be a catch. Nothing comes easily for him and his fellow skyfarers. This time around, he is chosen for this venture because he is the best and he is expendable should things go awry (which is a given when Drekki is involved). Lady Sanahsa Lerarus, a human mage, must retrieve the last Talisman of Achromia before the current one protecting the old empire’s surviving city against daemons and other dark magic fails.
Naturally, they will not be the only ones searching for the Talisman and some will try to stop them. Oh, did I mention that the hidden vault that holds the Talisman is located somewhere in a derelict city infested with grots, the ancestral enemies of duardins, which is what Drekki and many of his skyfarers are? Nor is the vault simply a vault; it has special powers such as turning intruders into stone. Not only can’t Drekki refuse this job; there also is no aether-gold for him and his fellow skyfarers. But fear not, Drekki has ways and means of finding treasure in the least likely of places.
He also has a knack for finding trouble, and this time around trouble abounds. There are gargantuan squigs, snotlings, daemons, witch hunters, screamers, disc riders, unnatural storms, harkraken, a shipwreck, and Kaptain Blackheart who dares to fly the Jolly Orruk! Not to mention a spy aboard Drekki’s vessel, or the immense vortex that is slowly pulling them inside.
In the true fashion of swashbuckling novels of yore, The Arkanaut’s Oath takes readers on a breathtaking, daring adventure reminiscent of the largest, twistiest, and most exhilarating roller coaster imaginable. The imagery of Drekki’s world is masterfully drawn with words that are far better than the poetic verses crafted by Drekki’s ship’s poet. Interwoven with serious topics of war and strip-mining are humorous episodes, such as the security guard who also collects autographs. This may be Drekki Flynt’s first full-length novel, but I certainly hope it will not be his last. He may be used to being unpopular, but he’s also one of a kind and he and his fellow skyfarers are just the right sort to have with you when things get dicey.
This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Haley.html
June 5, 2024
This was a very fun little novel and what I hope is the start of a series featuring Drekki Flynt and his crew of mercenaries. There’s just something alluring to me about nautical novels which apparently translates equally alluringly when it comes to sky-fairing novels as well.
The Age of Sigmar setting usually struggles to suck my attention in. This one, however, did that masterfully. The only real complaint I have is that, if I had to hear ‘Because I’m Drekki Flynt!’ one more time, I may well have thrown the book at a wall hard enough to break the wall.
The writing, as ever with Guy Haley, is wonderful. He tells a story with enough meat on the bones that it keeps the reader interested beyond the typical lure of hack and slash goodness you’d expect from Warhammer novels. You actually (at least I did) find yourself caring about the characters and their lives more so than you might in other works from the franchise.
Overall, despite the fact that the character of Drekki can be insufferably annoying due to the fact he seems to think the sun shines to please him, this novel is incredibly enjoyable. The cast of characters crafted by the author are varied and eclectic, and the story they find themselves in is very engaging. I’ll certainly be checking out any future novels in this series.
The narration absolutely made this book. A stellar job from all involved. It even made the ‘I’m Drekki Flynt’ parts bearable compared to the kindle version.
The Age of Sigmar setting usually struggles to suck my attention in. This one, however, did that masterfully. The only real complaint I have is that, if I had to hear ‘Because I’m Drekki Flynt!’ one more time, I may well have thrown the book at a wall hard enough to break the wall.
The writing, as ever with Guy Haley, is wonderful. He tells a story with enough meat on the bones that it keeps the reader interested beyond the typical lure of hack and slash goodness you’d expect from Warhammer novels. You actually (at least I did) find yourself caring about the characters and their lives more so than you might in other works from the franchise.
Overall, despite the fact that the character of Drekki can be insufferably annoying due to the fact he seems to think the sun shines to please him, this novel is incredibly enjoyable. The cast of characters crafted by the author are varied and eclectic, and the story they find themselves in is very engaging. I’ll certainly be checking out any future novels in this series.
The narration absolutely made this book. A stellar job from all involved. It even made the ‘I’m Drekki Flynt’ parts bearable compared to the kindle version.
May 17, 2024
Received as an ARC from Netgalley:
DAMN do I love Guy Haley. His writing is always filled with such vibrant character and Arkanaut's Oath lived up to my admittedly high expectations going in.
This is the first full non-genre Age of Sigmar book I've read in full (read a Warhammer horror book last year) and I was a bit worried that maybe I'd be lost as I didn't really have a full understanding of the setting, luckily it is all laid out exceptionally well, and I wasn't lost at all.
Drekki Flynt is my favourite type of main character, a loveable scoundrel who when it comes down to it makes the right decisions, even though doing so it costs him.
This is yet another book I've read in a row that has a Dwarf proudly standing on a ship (just finished Pinquickle's Folly) but this time it's a ship that flies through the sky, not the ocean.
A really great adventure that gets five stars because it brings some really strong character work in the final act of the book.
Fantastic starting out point for Age of Sigmar as it deals with the more unsavoury elements of the world in a way that instantly made me want to know more.
DAMN do I love Guy Haley. His writing is always filled with such vibrant character and Arkanaut's Oath lived up to my admittedly high expectations going in.
This is the first full non-genre Age of Sigmar book I've read in full (read a Warhammer horror book last year) and I was a bit worried that maybe I'd be lost as I didn't really have a full understanding of the setting, luckily it is all laid out exceptionally well, and I wasn't lost at all.
Drekki Flynt is my favourite type of main character, a loveable scoundrel who when it comes down to it makes the right decisions, even though doing so it costs him.
This is yet another book I've read in a row that has a Dwarf proudly standing on a ship (just finished Pinquickle's Folly) but this time it's a ship that flies through the sky, not the ocean.
A really great adventure that gets five stars because it brings some really strong character work in the final act of the book.
Fantastic starting out point for Age of Sigmar as it deals with the more unsavoury elements of the world in a way that instantly made me want to know more.
June 28, 2023
It's Drekki Flynt. What more could you want or expect? This is one of the books that you immediately know if you'll enjoy or not. If the idea of dwarven pirates excites you, then it's a must read. If not, then Warhammer has hundreds of alternative books for you.
The top of writers all have their strong suits, and for Guy Haley, it's in taking a character and making them as interesting and memorable as possible. Flynt is larger than life, with a crew that mostly manages to stand out from one another. The bad guys as well, while not a strong focus of the story, are interesting and standout from a lot of the other Warhammer books I've read recently.
There really isn't much to complain about in regards to the book. It's exactly what it says to be, and doesn't try to be anything more or less. It'll never be among my favorite Warhammer novels, but I enjoyed my time with it and it made an enjoyable night. If more books about Flynt were made, I'd gladly read them.
The top of writers all have their strong suits, and for Guy Haley, it's in taking a character and making them as interesting and memorable as possible. Flynt is larger than life, with a crew that mostly manages to stand out from one another. The bad guys as well, while not a strong focus of the story, are interesting and standout from a lot of the other Warhammer books I've read recently.
There really isn't much to complain about in regards to the book. It's exactly what it says to be, and doesn't try to be anything more or less. It'll never be among my favorite Warhammer novels, but I enjoyed my time with it and it made an enjoyable night. If more books about Flynt were made, I'd gladly read them.
March 4, 2024
This book reads like an edge of your seat adventure novel. The action starts early and doesn’t let up till the very end. The characters are fun, and the banter between them is enjoyable. The story, though basic , is still enjoyable. Guy Haley is one of my favorite black library authors and he does not disappoint in this novel.
Overall the book is like a cross between treasure planet, Atlantis, and around the world in 80 days. It borrows a lot of elements from classic adventure stories but they work well in the age of sigmas setting. I found the world the story is set in very unique as well and the descriptions made it come to life.
Honestly, even if you don’t like age of sigmar or Warhammer, this is just a good, enjoyable read all on its own.
Overall the book is like a cross between treasure planet, Atlantis, and around the world in 80 days. It borrows a lot of elements from classic adventure stories but they work well in the age of sigmas setting. I found the world the story is set in very unique as well and the descriptions made it come to life.
Honestly, even if you don’t like age of sigmar or Warhammer, this is just a good, enjoyable read all on its own.
March 12, 2024
Enjoyable tale of the profit driven dwarves that populate the Age of Sigmar in Games Workshop's game and many Black Library titles.
I was unfamiliar with Drekki previously but was very familiar with Guy Haley and enjoy his tales. Overall, this was a delightful book that kept the action moving forward, developed characters that you care about and keeps you asking for more. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment of Drekki Flynt's adventures and more on the Kharadon culture.
If you are interested in the Age of Sigmar, and not just Stormcast Eternals, this is a great way to be introduced to other factions in the universe.
I was unfamiliar with Drekki previously but was very familiar with Guy Haley and enjoy his tales. Overall, this was a delightful book that kept the action moving forward, developed characters that you care about and keeps you asking for more. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment of Drekki Flynt's adventures and more on the Kharadon culture.
If you are interested in the Age of Sigmar, and not just Stormcast Eternals, this is a great way to be introduced to other factions in the universe.
October 17, 2022
Drekki Flynt, a skyfaring swashbuckling duardin goes on a exhilarating adventure through the skies of Chamon. A misfit crew follow this eccentric and ever boastful captain, facing harkraken, pirates, grobi and chaos forces.
Guy Hayley has created a unique collection of misfits and brigands in one of the more original Age of Sigmar stories, delivering on the potential that the Mortal Realms provide. A fast pace, adventurous spirit and lighthearted tone deliver a fun and exciting story with loveable characters.
Guy Hayley has created a unique collection of misfits and brigands in one of the more original Age of Sigmar stories, delivering on the potential that the Mortal Realms provide. A fast pace, adventurous spirit and lighthearted tone deliver a fun and exciting story with loveable characters.
August 8, 2025
"Don't you know who I am? I'M DREKKI FLYNT!"
This was my return to Warhammer books and my first Age of Sigmar novel. I love the Kharadron Overlords so this was a must-read for me and I'd say it is for anyone who is interested in the faction.
Dwarves in flying ships battling squigs, harkraken, flying goblins and chaos sorcerers on the hunt for a hidden artifact, the key to saving the city of Bastion.
A fun adventure all the way through, well-paced and a joy to read. I ordered the second book straight after!
This was my return to Warhammer books and my first Age of Sigmar novel. I love the Kharadron Overlords so this was a must-read for me and I'd say it is for anyone who is interested in the faction.
Dwarves in flying ships battling squigs, harkraken, flying goblins and chaos sorcerers on the hunt for a hidden artifact, the key to saving the city of Bastion.
A fun adventure all the way through, well-paced and a joy to read. I ordered the second book straight after!
June 3, 2023
This book was exciting, epic and adventurous from the first Page to the last. It might be my new favorite Age of Sigmar novel. Read it if you want an action packed journey like treasure planet / island set in Age of Sigmar. Really hope we get more books with Drekki Flynt and his crew!
May 23, 2024
4,5/5
Una auténtica novela de Warhammer. Rapida, divertida y muy entretenida.
Dan ganas de hacerte Kharadrons.
Si las novelas de Gotrek Gurnisson en Age of Sigmar fueran como las de Drekki Flynt volverían a enamorar a sus fans viejomundanos
Una auténtica novela de Warhammer. Rapida, divertida y muy entretenida.
Dan ganas de hacerte Kharadrons.
Si las novelas de Gotrek Gurnisson en Age of Sigmar fueran como las de Drekki Flynt volverían a enamorar a sus fans viejomundanos
November 3, 2025
Quite an interesting introduction into a mischievous character of Drekki Flynt. It was interesting from the beginning to the end, and gave insight into how duardin personalities can differ among one crew.
March 8, 2023
A well-written, albeit fairly boring novel.
December 9, 2023
I expected very little from a Games Workshop title but I was pleasantly surprised. This book had very little depth but it was a fun action adventure that I enjoyed.
January 13, 2024
Merely "ok"
April 8, 2024
WYSIWYG
What you see is what you get with Black Library Duardin novels, Drinking Ale, Smashing Skulls and the taking of oaths!
What you see is what you get with Black Library Duardin novels, Drinking Ale, Smashing Skulls and the taking of oaths!
August 17, 2025
I love Drekki Flynt and his ex wife so much
September 19, 2025
just a lot of fun. Nothing deep or profound, but fun start to finish. likeable Characters, engaging adventures.
fun.
fun.
November 30, 2025
Delightful adventure fantasy, easily one of the more charming Age of Sigmar books I've read.
February 8, 2023
I quite enjoyed this book. It was my first foray into the Kahadron overlords but iv found myself liking the steampunk dwarfs
May 16, 2025
Swashbuckling, high-flying fun! Just a really likable group of characters having an adventure. Good times!
October 8, 2025
My first proper foray into the fantastical side of Warhammer in the Age of Sigmar setting. Do you need to know anything about Warhammer or the setting going into this? No I don’t think so, someone completely new could enjoy this as a book.
Basic premise: steampunk pirate dwarves with flying ships! The thought of this had me hooked, and the book certainly delivered. It’s fast paced and action packed with a good amount of fun.
The Arkanaut’s Oath is the first in a series of books to follow Drekki Flynt. He is the captain of the Aelsling - a sky ship. He is your typical swashbuckling captain.
What we get here is a swashbuckling adventure of Drekki and his crew. The stakes get raised as the plot evolves. With a fun amount of intrigue thrown in.
It’s not a game changer book by any means, but I had a lot of fun reading it. Sometimes a fun page turner is what is needed.
Basic premise: steampunk pirate dwarves with flying ships! The thought of this had me hooked, and the book certainly delivered. It’s fast paced and action packed with a good amount of fun.
The Arkanaut’s Oath is the first in a series of books to follow Drekki Flynt. He is the captain of the Aelsling - a sky ship. He is your typical swashbuckling captain.
What we get here is a swashbuckling adventure of Drekki and his crew. The stakes get raised as the plot evolves. With a fun amount of intrigue thrown in.
It’s not a game changer book by any means, but I had a lot of fun reading it. Sometimes a fun page turner is what is needed.
January 13, 2024
A stellar swashbuckling adventure which focuses on the Kharadron overlords, with brief appearances by grobi and humans. Went into the book not caring about kharadron, left wanting to start an army of them! Hopeful for more books to come about Captain Drekki Flynt.
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