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Warhammer Chronicles
Ulrika the Vampire
A Warhammer Chronicles omnibus
Forced into the halflife of a vampire, the Kislevite noblewoman Ulrika seeks her own kind in the dark places of the Empire – but danger lurks at every turn.
READ IT BECAUSE
For the first time, the entire trilogy of Gotrek & Felix spinoffs starring fan favourite character Ulrika are collected together!
THE STORY
Forced to join the ranks of the undead against her will after being kidnapped by the vampire Adolphus Krieger, fierce Kislevite noblewoman Ulrika Magdova can no longer return to her mortal life, and is forced to seek new allies and purpose. Crossing into the Empire, she is given sanctuary in the city of Nuln by a coven of vampires and taught how to control her powers. However, her headstrong nature soon drives her into fresh danger... Read the tale of Ulrika’s adventures as she travels the darkest corners of the Old World fighting enemies old and new, all while struggling with the demons of her own vampiric existence. This omnibus edition contains the complete Ulrika the Vampire trilogy.
CONTENTS
Bloodborn
Bloodforged
Bloodsworn
Forced into the halflife of a vampire, the Kislevite noblewoman Ulrika seeks her own kind in the dark places of the Empire – but danger lurks at every turn.
READ IT BECAUSE
For the first time, the entire trilogy of Gotrek & Felix spinoffs starring fan favourite character Ulrika are collected together!
THE STORY
Forced to join the ranks of the undead against her will after being kidnapped by the vampire Adolphus Krieger, fierce Kislevite noblewoman Ulrika Magdova can no longer return to her mortal life, and is forced to seek new allies and purpose. Crossing into the Empire, she is given sanctuary in the city of Nuln by a coven of vampires and taught how to control her powers. However, her headstrong nature soon drives her into fresh danger... Read the tale of Ulrika’s adventures as she travels the darkest corners of the Old World fighting enemies old and new, all while struggling with the demons of her own vampiric existence. This omnibus edition contains the complete Ulrika the Vampire trilogy.
CONTENTS
Bloodborn
Bloodforged
Bloodsworn
816 pages, Paperback
Published July 10, 2018
39 people are currently reading
320 people want to read
About the author
Nathan Long
81 books164 followersNathan Long is a screen and prose writer, with two movies, one Saturday-morning adventure series, and a handful of live-action and animated TV episodes to his name, as well as eleven fantasy novels and several award-winning short stories.
He hails from Pennsylvania, where he grew up, went to school, and played in various punk and rock-a-billy bands, before following his writing dreams to Hollywood - where he now writes novels full time - and still occasionally plays in bands.
His latest novel is Jane Carver of Waar, available March 6th from Night Shade Books. Visit his blog at www.sabrepunk.com.
He hails from Pennsylvania, where he grew up, went to school, and played in various punk and rock-a-billy bands, before following his writing dreams to Hollywood - where he now writes novels full time - and still occasionally plays in bands.
His latest novel is Jane Carver of Waar, available March 6th from Night Shade Books. Visit his blog at www.sabrepunk.com.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 1, 2019
It was good!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
December 19, 2020
This was not what I expected and I can understand why so many love it but why it has quite a few haters as well. I will talk about every book in itself and as a bundle afterwards.
Bloodborn; Ulrika has been a vampire a mere weeks and can not or barely control her urges to feed but has to follow her mistriss the countess Gabriella to Nuln and deal with a mysterious killer out to get the members the female vampire faction of Lahmia operating in the city. I liked this book for various reasons. Nathan Long does a great job showing the trauma a transformation to vampire state must be, the hunger, the isolation, the fear of discovery mixed with the temptation of power. At times Ulrika came across as a junkie with how she pleads and tries to discipline herself and fails so many times. Thankfully Ulrika is more then that one aspect, she brings with her a resentment of her new identity and unwillingness to accept the reality of her being and her membership in the Lahmian Sisterhood that is only tempered with the promise of action and independence that she is not able to handle. The side characters like the countess, her rival Hermione and the witchhunter Holhmann are all interesting and have well rounded personalities and conflicting emotions. The minor characters like Mathilda for whom I have a special fondness, also were a pleasure to read. The mystery works, the plot is complicated but not convoluted. Good book that even non warhammer fans can appreciate.
bloodforged. picking up right after the events of bloodborn, the chapter of Lahmia in Nuln needs more sisters to survive thus the countess and Ulrika her protege have to stay. The plot is that the countess does not yet trust Ulrika enough to let her a bit more freedom and this sets off a chain of events that causes Ulrika to abandon her mistress and make it back to her home country of Kislev which she wants to fight for as it is rumored to be under attack. However when she gets to the city of Praag, the invasion is not happening. So what is she going to do now? I won't go to deep in the details but if you have read warhammer 40k you know perhaps about the noise marines. Space marines dedicated to the god(ess) of pleasure and vice who use sonic weapons and twisted music to kill and demoralize or twist and control their enemies/victims. There is some amazing analogy between the moment the first noise marine were made and the plot of this book. So while I liked the plot and the cultist plan, I do feel that the side characters are a bit of a letdown compared to book 1. The Lahmians of Praag we never really get to know and frankly I don't feel like they would have been worth knowing. Honestly, a blind girl Ulrika sees singing in a tavern is more interesting and for whom I cared more then the Lahmians. The cultists are fine in themselves but nothing special, it is however Stevan von Kohl who steals the show. If I talk to much about him I will reveal crucial plot points but he is a crucial component of the character development Ulrika goes through in this series for more then one reason. So overall I would say if you liked book one this will please you too.
bloodsworn; on itself I don't like this book. Ulrika returns to her mistress in Nuln after the events in bloodforged as she has uncovered a empire spanning plot to reveal the hidden sisterhood of Lahmia by the rival vampire faction of Sylvania. What follows is a bit of a mess. A few things that made me scratch my head: a conclave of vampire sisters has gathered in Nuln and it includes dozens if not a hundred sisters from all over including bizarre types that can't blend in human society anymore. Ok but a few pages before Nuln is in the grip of vampire fear and witchunters are everywhere. So why would you have that meeting in the city? Surely there must be a remote castle or ruin better suited? Perhaps a few yes but this big gathering? Now the only thing it does, is give us way to many figures that fill up the page and the odd entities become slave to their gimmicks. Second, the conclave is at each others throat because of a possible traitor among them and Ulrika who had abandoned here mistress is deemed a possible traitor as well. But then a senior member of the sisterhood arrives and declares only she will determine who is traitor or not on pain of death if disobeyed. Then literally a second later, Ulrika is dragged by Hermione to her house and accused of treason and she demands they kill her......ehm like what did that senior sister just say? Have we forgotten that already?
But that is nothing to what follows and is the most bizarre plot twist in the series; Ulrika decides that she know hates all of mankind and wants to kill every human on earth or turn them into slaves. This coming right after two books where she sees herself as guardian of the night and shadows. Why? Famke. Who the hell is Famke? Famke is the protege of Hermione introduced in the first book and in book three her maiming and burning by the hands of humans is the reason she turns her back on mankind and the Lahmians who want to live among humans( albeit influencing from the shadows) The thing is, I don't by it. Famke barely gets any attention in the whole series, it is heavily implied she is a love interest for Ulrika ( even if she would deny it and claim she is a "dear friend") but I don't believe it. I don't see why Ulrika has any interest in Famke, why she cares about her and would because of her turn into a vengeful spirit against mankind. The rest of the book we see her switching alliances to the Sylvanians and I have to say; even if the motivations were inadequate, this section is a lot of fun. The Sylvanian section is full of combat and backstabbing and has perhaps my favorite character; the human mercenary Stahleker. But I won't go into details here but if you know anything of warhammer, you know the Sylvanian plot is impossible, the fun is to be had in how Ulrika handles herself in the madness. If it were not for Stahleker though, I would not have had as much fun as I did, his and his mercenaries bond with Ulrika drives this section and his fate is way way more convincing a motive for Ulrika's final decision even though once again the "Famke" issue is presented as the real motivation. No, to damnation with Famke, who the hell cares about Famke, I don't even believe it when Ulrika says she cares about Famke. On it's own, I would not recommend this book, but and here is the but; taken as whole there is something more to it.
The final two chapters of the book has us Ulrika who is struggling to get to grips whit what she has done and as reader it was hard to swallow for us as it is for her. She has betrayed literally everyone. Not a single person she met she did not in some way betray. Perhaps sometimes she was forced through circumstances but betrayed them she has. At the end of it all she doesn't even know who she is anymore; is she a monster? A villain? Or can she be that hero she always wanted be? Or is that an illusion she sticks too? At this point one character was redeemed in my eyes; the countess Gabriella, at various times you hate her or dislike her at the very least. She literally restrains and cages Ulrika and as you as a reader are swept up in Ulrika's manic desires for action, you take over her dislike for the countess. but in the end after everything Ulrika has done, you come to understand that she was right all along. Is Ulrika a hero or a villain? She is neither, she still is that junkie from book one; but her fix is not blood as were made to believe, but the illusion of freedom that she can't handle.
That made the series,that moment there is what redeemed it. Having said that I do still have issues especially with book three. The Famke thing is bad, too many side characters especially the senior Lahmian is wasted potential, you get the impression she is going to be a big thing, but she isn't, why even have her? But what put me off the most, was that Ulrika's importance was overblown. Why do so many vampires, many hundreds years old, care so much about her? In Book one and two that was resolved by scarcity; few vampires thus every single one is important to either side. But in book three I fail to see why she actually grows in importance as she did. Yes she matters to us the reader and I can get why she matters to the countess but why to everyone else? As a reader I guess that is an unresolved question you have to ignore.
In the end is this a good read? Yes and it is accessible to non warhammer fans whom despite the flaws will find it entertaining to read.
Bloodborn; Ulrika has been a vampire a mere weeks and can not or barely control her urges to feed but has to follow her mistriss the countess Gabriella to Nuln and deal with a mysterious killer out to get the members the female vampire faction of Lahmia operating in the city. I liked this book for various reasons. Nathan Long does a great job showing the trauma a transformation to vampire state must be, the hunger, the isolation, the fear of discovery mixed with the temptation of power. At times Ulrika came across as a junkie with how she pleads and tries to discipline herself and fails so many times. Thankfully Ulrika is more then that one aspect, she brings with her a resentment of her new identity and unwillingness to accept the reality of her being and her membership in the Lahmian Sisterhood that is only tempered with the promise of action and independence that she is not able to handle. The side characters like the countess, her rival Hermione and the witchhunter Holhmann are all interesting and have well rounded personalities and conflicting emotions. The minor characters like Mathilda for whom I have a special fondness, also were a pleasure to read. The mystery works, the plot is complicated but not convoluted. Good book that even non warhammer fans can appreciate.
bloodforged. picking up right after the events of bloodborn, the chapter of Lahmia in Nuln needs more sisters to survive thus the countess and Ulrika her protege have to stay. The plot is that the countess does not yet trust Ulrika enough to let her a bit more freedom and this sets off a chain of events that causes Ulrika to abandon her mistress and make it back to her home country of Kislev which she wants to fight for as it is rumored to be under attack. However when she gets to the city of Praag, the invasion is not happening. So what is she going to do now? I won't go to deep in the details but if you have read warhammer 40k you know perhaps about the noise marines. Space marines dedicated to the god(ess) of pleasure and vice who use sonic weapons and twisted music to kill and demoralize or twist and control their enemies/victims. There is some amazing analogy between the moment the first noise marine were made and the plot of this book. So while I liked the plot and the cultist plan, I do feel that the side characters are a bit of a letdown compared to book 1. The Lahmians of Praag we never really get to know and frankly I don't feel like they would have been worth knowing. Honestly, a blind girl Ulrika sees singing in a tavern is more interesting and for whom I cared more then the Lahmians. The cultists are fine in themselves but nothing special, it is however Stevan von Kohl who steals the show. If I talk to much about him I will reveal crucial plot points but he is a crucial component of the character development Ulrika goes through in this series for more then one reason. So overall I would say if you liked book one this will please you too.
bloodsworn; on itself I don't like this book. Ulrika returns to her mistress in Nuln after the events in bloodforged as she has uncovered a empire spanning plot to reveal the hidden sisterhood of Lahmia by the rival vampire faction of Sylvania. What follows is a bit of a mess. A few things that made me scratch my head: a conclave of vampire sisters has gathered in Nuln and it includes dozens if not a hundred sisters from all over including bizarre types that can't blend in human society anymore. Ok but a few pages before Nuln is in the grip of vampire fear and witchunters are everywhere. So why would you have that meeting in the city? Surely there must be a remote castle or ruin better suited? Perhaps a few yes but this big gathering? Now the only thing it does, is give us way to many figures that fill up the page and the odd entities become slave to their gimmicks. Second, the conclave is at each others throat because of a possible traitor among them and Ulrika who had abandoned here mistress is deemed a possible traitor as well. But then a senior member of the sisterhood arrives and declares only she will determine who is traitor or not on pain of death if disobeyed. Then literally a second later, Ulrika is dragged by Hermione to her house and accused of treason and she demands they kill her......ehm like what did that senior sister just say? Have we forgotten that already?
But that is nothing to what follows and is the most bizarre plot twist in the series; Ulrika decides that she know hates all of mankind and wants to kill every human on earth or turn them into slaves. This coming right after two books where she sees herself as guardian of the night and shadows. Why? Famke. Who the hell is Famke? Famke is the protege of Hermione introduced in the first book and in book three her maiming and burning by the hands of humans is the reason she turns her back on mankind and the Lahmians who want to live among humans( albeit influencing from the shadows) The thing is, I don't by it. Famke barely gets any attention in the whole series, it is heavily implied she is a love interest for Ulrika ( even if she would deny it and claim she is a "dear friend") but I don't believe it. I don't see why Ulrika has any interest in Famke, why she cares about her and would because of her turn into a vengeful spirit against mankind. The rest of the book we see her switching alliances to the Sylvanians and I have to say; even if the motivations were inadequate, this section is a lot of fun. The Sylvanian section is full of combat and backstabbing and has perhaps my favorite character; the human mercenary Stahleker. But I won't go into details here but if you know anything of warhammer, you know the Sylvanian plot is impossible, the fun is to be had in how Ulrika handles herself in the madness. If it were not for Stahleker though, I would not have had as much fun as I did, his and his mercenaries bond with Ulrika drives this section and his fate is way way more convincing a motive for Ulrika's final decision even though once again the "Famke" issue is presented as the real motivation. No, to damnation with Famke, who the hell cares about Famke, I don't even believe it when Ulrika says she cares about Famke. On it's own, I would not recommend this book, but and here is the but; taken as whole there is something more to it.
The final two chapters of the book has us Ulrika who is struggling to get to grips whit what she has done and as reader it was hard to swallow for us as it is for her. She has betrayed literally everyone. Not a single person she met she did not in some way betray. Perhaps sometimes she was forced through circumstances but betrayed them she has. At the end of it all she doesn't even know who she is anymore; is she a monster? A villain? Or can she be that hero she always wanted be? Or is that an illusion she sticks too? At this point one character was redeemed in my eyes; the countess Gabriella, at various times you hate her or dislike her at the very least. She literally restrains and cages Ulrika and as you as a reader are swept up in Ulrika's manic desires for action, you take over her dislike for the countess. but in the end after everything Ulrika has done, you come to understand that she was right all along. Is Ulrika a hero or a villain? She is neither, she still is that junkie from book one; but her fix is not blood as were made to believe, but the illusion of freedom that she can't handle.
That made the series,that moment there is what redeemed it. Having said that I do still have issues especially with book three. The Famke thing is bad, too many side characters especially the senior Lahmian is wasted potential, you get the impression she is going to be a big thing, but she isn't, why even have her? But what put me off the most, was that Ulrika's importance was overblown. Why do so many vampires, many hundreds years old, care so much about her? In Book one and two that was resolved by scarcity; few vampires thus every single one is important to either side. But in book three I fail to see why she actually grows in importance as she did. Yes she matters to us the reader and I can get why she matters to the countess but why to everyone else? As a reader I guess that is an unresolved question you have to ignore.
In the end is this a good read? Yes and it is accessible to non warhammer fans whom despite the flaws will find it entertaining to read.
February 1, 2020
This book is the trilogy of the Ulrika the Vampire books and it's a very big book with lots of small writing so it took me a while to plough through, not that I didnt like it and dragged my feet. I had previously read the first two books years ago but hadn't had chance to get to the third especially how the individual books are quite difficult to buy as a set so imagine my delight to find this version out. The only thing I can say though was I loved the first two so much that when I eventually read number three i didnt enjoy it as much and after waiting so long it was very disappointing. For me I dont enjoy fight after fight and most of book three was like that. I do still really like them all though and this will be one book that stays on my shelves for future reading. I did also enjoy the ending as it was left open but finalised in another way!
April 14, 2019
So I found this book going through bookshelves and I’m surprised how underrated it is. I get a lot of books out of recommendations of course, but just to give possible gems a chance, I try looking for books without checking the ratings. I choose books based on gut sometimes. Who knows what they might be like?
This is a review for the first book in the trilogy. Bloodsworn.
Ulrika is a warrior vampire taken in by noble vampire Gabriela. In a world like this, we often imagine vampires to have happier lives. With immortal lives and superhuman abilities, they seem almost like gods, but truly, they’re not. Seen by humanity as a monster, there does not seem any hope that she can find true friendship. What is more important? Being special and above others, or true connection. And can she find both?
The contrast between these two main characters are stunning. Gabriela can be downright manipulative sometimes, but she comes off likeable because she has some kind of compassion, albeit distant, liking for human beings. If she had the choice, she wouldn’t have to feed. While Ulrika is a lot more sympathetic to humans, but while being newly turned, she doesn’t have the restraint not to feed mercilessly. It’s the cynical one that moves to diplomacy first, and the idealistic one that often charges head on.
It makes you really wonder. If you wanted to live forever, would you?
This is a review for the first book in the trilogy. Bloodsworn.
Ulrika is a warrior vampire taken in by noble vampire Gabriela. In a world like this, we often imagine vampires to have happier lives. With immortal lives and superhuman abilities, they seem almost like gods, but truly, they’re not. Seen by humanity as a monster, there does not seem any hope that she can find true friendship. What is more important? Being special and above others, or true connection. And can she find both?
The contrast between these two main characters are stunning. Gabriela can be downright manipulative sometimes, but she comes off likeable because she has some kind of compassion, albeit distant, liking for human beings. If she had the choice, she wouldn’t have to feed. While Ulrika is a lot more sympathetic to humans, but while being newly turned, she doesn’t have the restraint not to feed mercilessly. It’s the cynical one that moves to diplomacy first, and the idealistic one that often charges head on.
It makes you really wonder. If you wanted to live forever, would you?
January 1, 2023
Bloodborn
I put of reading the End Times novels because after following Ulrika's story from the early Gortek and felix novels all the way to the first Doom of Gotrek Gurnison novel Kinsayer, I had to know what happened to her. How did this hard as f@ck girl from the north get turned into a heartless bitch with no care for humanity and even less for Felix after being turned into a vampire?
Well this book the first of three does a really good job of laying the ground work. For a start these Lahmian vampiresess seem to be the complete opposite of what I'm used to in reading about vampires in Warhammer. Where as all male vampires are all about killing people and asking questions...well never.
These ladies are all about working from behind the scenes and pulling the strings from the shadows, why do it yourself when you have a bunch of blood swains to do it for you? And that is part of the problem for Ulrika. She's used to being on the front line and dealing with her own problems. Not this pomp and faffery that her mistress insists upon. And that's what is the Lahmians weakness.
They've spent so many years powdering their noses and playing the part of high society women that they've all but forgotten their vampire nature, to the point that when it looks like a fight between them is inevitable one of them literally says "I havmt had to fight in over a century". They have spent so long pretending to be something they're not they've forgotten what they actually are.
No wonder Ulrika hates it there, she's being cooped up and treated as she's says like a doll. To be dressed up and paraded around.
The Good Stiff
- This is the first book I've read where it really goes into depth about how the Lahmian society works, and its brilliantly written.
- I liked how it picks up almost immediately after the events in Vampireslayer.
- The witch hunter was a nice touch, after reading Kinslayer and seeing her detachment from humanity it's great to see the circumstances as to how she got there, I guess the road to being cold hearted vampire is paved with broken relationships.
- I really liked the ending, how it makes her question where her loyalties lie and whether or not she wants to stay with her mistress.
The Bad Stuff
-This is starting to become a habit but I couldn't find anything I didn't like with this book, it was well written and worth putting of my read of the End Times novels for.
One thing I will say, I like how she thinks of her friends Gotrek, Felix and Max. I like that she knows that will be there for her (maybe) and hopefully not kill her? Well, for those of us who read Kinslayer I guess we know the answer to that 🙃.
If you haven't read any of the Gotrek and Felix novels I'd say now is a good a time as any. If only for the back story for Ulrika but also because they are some awe books and probably the best and longest running Warhammer book series to date. 🙌🏻🙏🏻
Bloodforged
A good book, a good sequel. I liked the storyline despite the the fact that she kind of acted like a whipped dog for some of it. And the idea of a killer violin just shows what a great author Nathan Long is, that guy make anything work
The Good Stuff
- it starts right after the first book, a small thing but I find it works best for books like this, i always find it annoying when the sequel is set months after and you spend the first few chapters playing catch up learning about things that happened during those few months because the author is to lazy to write it in. So yea, they was a good thing.
- I like how Ulrika decides to go all Batman like and try to be the haunted hero stalking the bad guys in the dead of night. Great character development and shows her inner turmoil about who she was and what she is now. Show best in her choice if her victims to feed on.
- loved how she up and left Gabriella upon realising that the pampered life isn't for her, and right at the dam beginning of the book! This is what I like! No dragging it out, no is she inst she? Just up and out.
The Bad Stuff
- One thing starts in this book and continues into the next one is this annoying habit she has of making pledges to follow someone or give them her loyalty and life then debate weather or not to act on it. I mean someone actually told her that if she doesn't submit they will kill her, so she does. Then she acts like she she owes them her life or something? If I was forced to give my word or I die, I'd say anything to get put of there alive and f@uck my word, i don't owe you nothing. This annoying sense of loyalty to people she just met is annoying and just drives me crazy.
Bloodsworn
A good end to a damn good trilogy, it had its ups and downs but on the whole I liked this book. For the most part.
It had the recurring theme of Ulrika promising to follow someone and give then her word only for her to question it and wonder if she should or could keep her word.
The first half of this book was its strongest part of this book, the second half where she leaves the city and joins a rag tag group of treacherous vampires all trying to out do one an other. Dont get me wrong if was still good but it just took a different turn.
The Good Stuff
- we see more of bow the Lahmian society works and its organisation, and how they work.
- Poor Fmake, enough said.
- well actually not enough said, if your familiar with the Gotrek and Felix novels then you'll know that in the novel Manslayer when they return to Nuln they meet up with Ulrika and meet Mistress Hermione and Mistress Withers, they give a little backstory into who Mistress Withers is and I actually had to find that chapter because I thought it would be Famke but only at the end does it all wrap up. A great piece little bow to tie up a loose ends.
- as I've said I wanted to read this book because in Kinslayer Ulrika is a cild blooded monster void of all humanity and feeling and I wanted to know what happened to make her that way and this book does it all, betrayed by the Vampire counts of Sylvania, cast out from Lahmian society, hunted by witch hunters and almost killed by a mob. Yea now I get it.
The Bad Stuff
- as I said, how many times must we sit through Ulrika promising herself to someones agenda and to follow them and be subservient to them and round and round we go. Its unnecessary and it doesn't need to keep happening in three books.
To be honest these books were great, despite the constant need for her to travel at people's feet, i loved the intrigues and I loved her fall from grace. And honestly who doesn't love a good vampire novel? 🙌🏻🙏🏻
I put of reading the End Times novels because after following Ulrika's story from the early Gortek and felix novels all the way to the first Doom of Gotrek Gurnison novel Kinsayer, I had to know what happened to her. How did this hard as f@ck girl from the north get turned into a heartless bitch with no care for humanity and even less for Felix after being turned into a vampire?
Well this book the first of three does a really good job of laying the ground work. For a start these Lahmian vampiresess seem to be the complete opposite of what I'm used to in reading about vampires in Warhammer. Where as all male vampires are all about killing people and asking questions...well never.
These ladies are all about working from behind the scenes and pulling the strings from the shadows, why do it yourself when you have a bunch of blood swains to do it for you? And that is part of the problem for Ulrika. She's used to being on the front line and dealing with her own problems. Not this pomp and faffery that her mistress insists upon. And that's what is the Lahmians weakness.
They've spent so many years powdering their noses and playing the part of high society women that they've all but forgotten their vampire nature, to the point that when it looks like a fight between them is inevitable one of them literally says "I havmt had to fight in over a century". They have spent so long pretending to be something they're not they've forgotten what they actually are.
No wonder Ulrika hates it there, she's being cooped up and treated as she's says like a doll. To be dressed up and paraded around.
The Good Stiff
- This is the first book I've read where it really goes into depth about how the Lahmian society works, and its brilliantly written.
- I liked how it picks up almost immediately after the events in Vampireslayer.
- The witch hunter was a nice touch, after reading Kinslayer and seeing her detachment from humanity it's great to see the circumstances as to how she got there, I guess the road to being cold hearted vampire is paved with broken relationships.
- I really liked the ending, how it makes her question where her loyalties lie and whether or not she wants to stay with her mistress.
The Bad Stuff
-This is starting to become a habit but I couldn't find anything I didn't like with this book, it was well written and worth putting of my read of the End Times novels for.
One thing I will say, I like how she thinks of her friends Gotrek, Felix and Max. I like that she knows that will be there for her (maybe) and hopefully not kill her? Well, for those of us who read Kinslayer I guess we know the answer to that 🙃.
If you haven't read any of the Gotrek and Felix novels I'd say now is a good a time as any. If only for the back story for Ulrika but also because they are some awe books and probably the best and longest running Warhammer book series to date. 🙌🏻🙏🏻
Bloodforged
A good book, a good sequel. I liked the storyline despite the the fact that she kind of acted like a whipped dog for some of it. And the idea of a killer violin just shows what a great author Nathan Long is, that guy make anything work
The Good Stuff
- it starts right after the first book, a small thing but I find it works best for books like this, i always find it annoying when the sequel is set months after and you spend the first few chapters playing catch up learning about things that happened during those few months because the author is to lazy to write it in. So yea, they was a good thing.
- I like how Ulrika decides to go all Batman like and try to be the haunted hero stalking the bad guys in the dead of night. Great character development and shows her inner turmoil about who she was and what she is now. Show best in her choice if her victims to feed on.
- loved how she up and left Gabriella upon realising that the pampered life isn't for her, and right at the dam beginning of the book! This is what I like! No dragging it out, no is she inst she? Just up and out.
The Bad Stuff
- One thing starts in this book and continues into the next one is this annoying habit she has of making pledges to follow someone or give them her loyalty and life then debate weather or not to act on it. I mean someone actually told her that if she doesn't submit they will kill her, so she does. Then she acts like she she owes them her life or something? If I was forced to give my word or I die, I'd say anything to get put of there alive and f@uck my word, i don't owe you nothing. This annoying sense of loyalty to people she just met is annoying and just drives me crazy.
Bloodsworn
A good end to a damn good trilogy, it had its ups and downs but on the whole I liked this book. For the most part.
It had the recurring theme of Ulrika promising to follow someone and give then her word only for her to question it and wonder if she should or could keep her word.
The first half of this book was its strongest part of this book, the second half where she leaves the city and joins a rag tag group of treacherous vampires all trying to out do one an other. Dont get me wrong if was still good but it just took a different turn.
The Good Stuff
- we see more of bow the Lahmian society works and its organisation, and how they work.
- Poor Fmake, enough said.
- well actually not enough said, if your familiar with the Gotrek and Felix novels then you'll know that in the novel Manslayer when they return to Nuln they meet up with Ulrika and meet Mistress Hermione and Mistress Withers, they give a little backstory into who Mistress Withers is and I actually had to find that chapter because I thought it would be Famke but only at the end does it all wrap up. A great piece little bow to tie up a loose ends.
- as I've said I wanted to read this book because in Kinslayer Ulrika is a cild blooded monster void of all humanity and feeling and I wanted to know what happened to make her that way and this book does it all, betrayed by the Vampire counts of Sylvania, cast out from Lahmian society, hunted by witch hunters and almost killed by a mob. Yea now I get it.
The Bad Stuff
- as I said, how many times must we sit through Ulrika promising herself to someones agenda and to follow them and be subservient to them and round and round we go. Its unnecessary and it doesn't need to keep happening in three books.
To be honest these books were great, despite the constant need for her to travel at people's feet, i loved the intrigues and I loved her fall from grace. And honestly who doesn't love a good vampire novel? 🙌🏻🙏🏻
February 24, 2021
This was my first foray into Warhammer novels and I wasn't disappointed. I play Total War: Warhammer, and it was a buzz reading a story taking place in cities that I was besieging, and about races I was engaged in great battles with. The world is so familiar now that it's fun to dive deeper.
Ulrika is overall a decent character. She's frustrating at times, with her inability to make more sensible decisions, but you can't help but root for her when she brandishes her rapier.
One aspect I found particularly interesting was the whole notion of what it is to be a vampire. This bit of dialogue from Gabriella was excellent, I thought: "We must be selfish, beloved. The world wants us dead. Nature itself abhors us. We cannot allow anything to threaten the fragile thread that holds us to this world, not even kindness."
Humans are quite justified in wanting to destroy all the blood-suckers. But what is it like to actually be one? Not easy. Gabriella's character did make the first book the most thought-provoking, in my opinion. The second book involves a bit of sleuthing and some gruesome & gross altercations with followers of Slaanesh. And the third book brings the inevitable climactic battle. All three are entertaining, well-written and really took you into the cities of Nuln and Praag, and all the lands in between.
I'm now playing The Barrow Legion, so I guess the book gave me a thirst for the Undead!
If you like Warhammer, this is a must. If you like dark fantasy, this is recommended.
Ulrika is overall a decent character. She's frustrating at times, with her inability to make more sensible decisions, but you can't help but root for her when she brandishes her rapier.
One aspect I found particularly interesting was the whole notion of what it is to be a vampire. This bit of dialogue from Gabriella was excellent, I thought: "We must be selfish, beloved. The world wants us dead. Nature itself abhors us. We cannot allow anything to threaten the fragile thread that holds us to this world, not even kindness."
Humans are quite justified in wanting to destroy all the blood-suckers. But what is it like to actually be one? Not easy. Gabriella's character did make the first book the most thought-provoking, in my opinion. The second book involves a bit of sleuthing and some gruesome & gross altercations with followers of Slaanesh. And the third book brings the inevitable climactic battle. All three are entertaining, well-written and really took you into the cities of Nuln and Praag, and all the lands in between.
I'm now playing The Barrow Legion, so I guess the book gave me a thirst for the Undead!
If you like Warhammer, this is a must. If you like dark fantasy, this is recommended.
March 30, 2022
Ulrika’s thrilogy is simultaneously one of the most fun and one of the most frustrating books I’ve read in a while. It’s an entertaining romp through the life and mainly mistakes of a young willful vampire. And yet it all the books are the same. They change characters but they follow the same flow the same pattern, which means that if you read one of them you read all of them.
Personally I would recommend the second book bloodforged, as Ulrika gets to deal with the cult and participate in a romantic engagement. What else do the lovers of vampire fiction even need?
But if you are looking for some fresh or dark take on vampires in books, please looks elsewhere.
Personally I would recommend the second book bloodforged, as Ulrika gets to deal with the cult and participate in a romantic engagement. What else do the lovers of vampire fiction even need?
But if you are looking for some fresh or dark take on vampires in books, please looks elsewhere.
January 7, 2021
Quick and enjoyable read about a young hot-headed vampire's misadventures. Shines a light into the workings of the different vampire factions. Has lots of intrigue and plenty action, worth a look if you are into Warhammer...
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