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Blood Bowl #1
Blood Bowl
In a fantasy kingdom where violence is a way of life the number one sport is Blood Bowl - Gridiron where anything goes. Dirk 'Dunk' Hoffnung, once a barbarian swordsman, is now a rookie quarterback in the toughest football league you've ever seen. Follow his career as he goes from Most Promising Newcomer to MVP!
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
8 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Matt Forbeck
210 books314 followersI'm an award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author and game designer and happily married father of five, including a set of quadruplets. For more on my work, see Forbeck.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 30, 2016
Matt Forbeck has done something here that I wouldn't have thought possible; he's written an entertaining novel based on a boardgame.
Now, it should be said that Blood Bowl is not your standard boardgame. I still don't think you could write an entertaining novel based on, say, Ludo. For those who aren't familiar with it, Blood Bowl is basically American Football as played in a fantasy universe populated by Tolkienesque creatures. If that doesn't sound awesome to you, don't play the game and don't read this book! :-D
If however, the thought of Bilbo Baggins grabbing a football (a football with metal spikes jutting out of it in all directions, naturally) and then being grabbed in turn by Treebeard and hurled half the length of a football pitch to hopefully land on his feet and scurry into the end zone, dodging slavering orcs and trolls along the way, ultimately scoring a touchdown, sounds like a Hell of a lot of fun to you... Well, quite frankly, you're probably already a fan!
What of the novel, though? Well, there are inevitably going to be fans of the game... 'purists' if you like... who take objection to aspects of this novel because it does trample all over the previously established continuity (or 'fluff' as we players call it) of the game. Not happy with everything Forbeck has got right, these folks will be spitting feathers because he mixes up the commentators, puts a vampire on an undead team and generally creates scenarios on the Blood Bowl pitch that couldn't possibly happen in the game.
I suggest these folks lighten up a bit, to be honest. I've been playing Blood Bowl since the second edition came out, back in 1988, and have seen the game go through more changes than anybody not familiar with the game could possibly imagine. I've read ALL the available fluff and, guess what? It already contradicts itself in a number of places and depicts scenarios in the little 'Did you know?' sections inside the rule books that couldn't possibly happen in the game. In this sense, Matt Forbeck is actually carrying on a grand tradition of not respecting what came before and, far more importantly, written an entire 400 page novel about the game!
That's pretty bloody impressive as far as I'm concerned. The book is fast-paced, exciting and funny... just like the game. While not quite up to his standard, there is an air of Terry Pratchett about it. I'd already ordered all three sequels before I was two-thirds of the way through.
The acid test, though? Does it make me want to play Blood Bowl?
HELL, YES! Now, I've blathered on for long enough... I've got a match between the Erengrad Undertakers and the Skavenblight Scramblers to play...
Now, it should be said that Blood Bowl is not your standard boardgame. I still don't think you could write an entertaining novel based on, say, Ludo. For those who aren't familiar with it, Blood Bowl is basically American Football as played in a fantasy universe populated by Tolkienesque creatures. If that doesn't sound awesome to you, don't play the game and don't read this book! :-D
If however, the thought of Bilbo Baggins grabbing a football (a football with metal spikes jutting out of it in all directions, naturally) and then being grabbed in turn by Treebeard and hurled half the length of a football pitch to hopefully land on his feet and scurry into the end zone, dodging slavering orcs and trolls along the way, ultimately scoring a touchdown, sounds like a Hell of a lot of fun to you... Well, quite frankly, you're probably already a fan!
What of the novel, though? Well, there are inevitably going to be fans of the game... 'purists' if you like... who take objection to aspects of this novel because it does trample all over the previously established continuity (or 'fluff' as we players call it) of the game. Not happy with everything Forbeck has got right, these folks will be spitting feathers because he mixes up the commentators, puts a vampire on an undead team and generally creates scenarios on the Blood Bowl pitch that couldn't possibly happen in the game.
I suggest these folks lighten up a bit, to be honest. I've been playing Blood Bowl since the second edition came out, back in 1988, and have seen the game go through more changes than anybody not familiar with the game could possibly imagine. I've read ALL the available fluff and, guess what? It already contradicts itself in a number of places and depicts scenarios in the little 'Did you know?' sections inside the rule books that couldn't possibly happen in the game. In this sense, Matt Forbeck is actually carrying on a grand tradition of not respecting what came before and, far more importantly, written an entire 400 page novel about the game!
That's pretty bloody impressive as far as I'm concerned. The book is fast-paced, exciting and funny... just like the game. While not quite up to his standard, there is an air of Terry Pratchett about it. I'd already ordered all three sequels before I was two-thirds of the way through.
The acid test, though? Does it make me want to play Blood Bowl?
HELL, YES! Now, I've blathered on for long enough... I've got a match between the Erengrad Undertakers and the Skavenblight Scramblers to play...
July 9, 2018
Only read this if you play or have played the game.
May 7, 2016
I was positively surprised by the quality of the book in almost every way. I bought the book as a part of a bundle so I got it really cheap and it was definitely worth the price.
On paper the book is about the tabletop game Blood Bowl but in reality it is half thriller and half growth story of the protagonist trying to find himself. There are only small sections of games in the book and most of them are there to tell something about the characters not the game.
All in all the book felt like a Terry Pratchet version of Warhammer. So more humour less grimness. The writing in general was very decent quality, the story telling interesting and the plot exiting.
On paper the book is about the tabletop game Blood Bowl but in reality it is half thriller and half growth story of the protagonist trying to find himself. There are only small sections of games in the book and most of them are there to tell something about the characters not the game.
All in all the book felt like a Terry Pratchet version of Warhammer. So more humour less grimness. The writing in general was very decent quality, the story telling interesting and the plot exiting.
May 23, 2013
quite disappointing,i was expecting far more violence
September 27, 2023
I picked this book up because I also bought the PS4 Blood Bowl 2 game and wanted to do some research after I was more puzzled by the game's tutorial than I was with Quantum physics. I knew nothing abot Blood Bowl, American Football, and had a skint knowledge of Warhammer fantasy, before picking up this novel.
Do I want to play BB after it? Yes, a lot. Both in tabletop and in the PS4 (more likely as it is the far cheaper option). The novel does an excellent job introducing the world, the mayhem, and the game (not the mechanics, which works as a plus for me) to new enthusiasts.
Does it work as a brandless novel? Yes but less effectively. Were this a pure American Football fiction novel, a lot of the allure, of the humour, wouldn't make it so funny and fun.
It has the WH over-the-top-ness, written in a classic performance story structure, with some murder mystery sprinkles on top of it. It's fast paced, simple but not simplistic, delivers interesting twists, and doesn't have much in the form of plot holes or contrivances.
Stellar work from Matt Forbeck, the other reason for me to get this book. Clearly understands the source material and how to use it to pen a delicious story.
8/10
Do I want to play BB after it? Yes, a lot. Both in tabletop and in the PS4 (more likely as it is the far cheaper option). The novel does an excellent job introducing the world, the mayhem, and the game (not the mechanics, which works as a plus for me) to new enthusiasts.
Does it work as a brandless novel? Yes but less effectively. Were this a pure American Football fiction novel, a lot of the allure, of the humour, wouldn't make it so funny and fun.
It has the WH over-the-top-ness, written in a classic performance story structure, with some murder mystery sprinkles on top of it. It's fast paced, simple but not simplistic, delivers interesting twists, and doesn't have much in the form of plot holes or contrivances.
Stellar work from Matt Forbeck, the other reason for me to get this book. Clearly understands the source material and how to use it to pen a delicious story.
8/10
February 18, 2019
So, the first Blood Bowl book. I've played the miniatures game but have never before read these books.
What we have here is a nice book. Not great but nice. It could have been great but has some problems. The story or plot is actually decent but the style in which it progresses is somehow lacking. Some of the twists seem like they happen just to get the story in a new direction even if it goes against the nature of the characters acting in the scene. Still this does not spoil the whole story it's just what keeps the story from being great.
On the other hand I loved to read the book as it gives you so much information about Blood Bowl and what goes on around the games. It's really like a fluff book about Blood Bowl, which I suppose it's also meant to be.
Anyway, a fun book to read, especially if you've played the board or video game.
What we have here is a nice book. Not great but nice. It could have been great but has some problems. The story or plot is actually decent but the style in which it progresses is somehow lacking. Some of the twists seem like they happen just to get the story in a new direction even if it goes against the nature of the characters acting in the scene. Still this does not spoil the whole story it's just what keeps the story from being great.
On the other hand I loved to read the book as it gives you so much information about Blood Bowl and what goes on around the games. It's really like a fluff book about Blood Bowl, which I suppose it's also meant to be.
Anyway, a fun book to read, especially if you've played the board or video game.
May 10, 2025
This book could have been quite funny. I don't think the author is untalented and st times it actually did make me smile, but most if was drivel - the book could easily have packed the exact same story into half the length.
Then there's the German language jokes.
Like the main character's teacher is called Lehrer - which just literally means teacher. The scoop-hungry tabloid press journalist is called "annoying woman".
They possibly work excellent on anyone who doesn't know German. If, on the other hand, you do know German, they're incredibly unfunny and pretty damn stupid.
Lästiges isn't a good name, even if you don't get the "joke".
I'll probably end up reading the next one too though, because Dunk somehow did grow on me.
Then there's the German language jokes.
Like the main character's teacher is called Lehrer - which just literally means teacher. The scoop-hungry tabloid press journalist is called "annoying woman".
They possibly work excellent on anyone who doesn't know German. If, on the other hand, you do know German, they're incredibly unfunny and pretty damn stupid.
Lästiges isn't a good name, even if you don't get the "joke".
I'll probably end up reading the next one too though, because Dunk somehow did grow on me.
October 14, 2022
I love Matt Forbeck's writing style and knew it was just what I needed during my break from the 'grimdark' book I was reading. To me Forbeck's writing has a sorta light and airy flow to it -- I described it as feeling like urban fantasy elsewhere, which I love; just an easy to read page-turning experience.
Even though this is set in the Warhammer universe it doesn't feel like any other Warhammer fiction I've read. Yes there's a lot of blood and death and grimness, but in a lighter and more fun way…if that makes any sense whatsoever.
If you ever watched the Mutant Football League cartoon from the '90s this is sorta like that but in book form, with a lot of off-the-field events and storytelling so you don't feel like you're just reading about a football game. It works.
And along with Forbeck's writing style that reminds me of urban fantasy, the story itself also feels that way in regards to a lot of wordplay with correlation to real-world names/places/things. For instance there's Bloodweiser and Killer Lite beer, and different meanings for the acronyms DVD and DVR -- things like that that make it feel more like an urban fantasy world and not this massive property that's been built up over so many years...though this is an older book, so maybe it wasn't an issue back then.
But for me I can totally separate it from all other Warhammer (and the story makes it easy to do so) and say that I absolutely loved this book.
The only thing I felt a little meh about was a pretty anticlimactic ending to one of the big bads (a same issue I had with another series I read from Forbeck, but hopefully that villain isn't completely gone since this was just the first book).
Even though this is set in the Warhammer universe it doesn't feel like any other Warhammer fiction I've read. Yes there's a lot of blood and death and grimness, but in a lighter and more fun way…if that makes any sense whatsoever.
If you ever watched the Mutant Football League cartoon from the '90s this is sorta like that but in book form, with a lot of off-the-field events and storytelling so you don't feel like you're just reading about a football game. It works.
And along with Forbeck's writing style that reminds me of urban fantasy, the story itself also feels that way in regards to a lot of wordplay with correlation to real-world names/places/things. For instance there's Bloodweiser and Killer Lite beer, and different meanings for the acronyms DVD and DVR -- things like that that make it feel more like an urban fantasy world and not this massive property that's been built up over so many years...though this is an older book, so maybe it wasn't an issue back then.
But for me I can totally separate it from all other Warhammer (and the story makes it easy to do so) and say that I absolutely loved this book.
The only thing I felt a little meh about was a pretty anticlimactic ending to one of the big bads (a same issue I had with another series I read from Forbeck, but hopefully that villain isn't completely gone since this was just the first book).
December 13, 2017
All in all I enjoyed reading this.
The plot was a little thin (what did you expect!?) and most of the names of characters and places could have done with a bit more originality, as most were just the german word for the person or place.
But having said that, the pace was good and it reminded me of all the times I played Blood Bowl (the board game).
The plot was a little thin (what did you expect!?) and most of the names of characters and places could have done with a bit more originality, as most were just the german word for the person or place.
But having said that, the pace was good and it reminded me of all the times I played Blood Bowl (the board game).
August 23, 2017
Easy, light reading.
February 5, 2018
Sólo te interesará si eres conocedor del universo que rodea al Blood Bowl. Yo lo soy, pero no me ha parecido más que una novelilla de aventuras con ese trasfondo.
February 20, 2021
A humorous jaunt through the world of Fantasy football - a laugh out loud spoof on both Warhammer and Sports
May 16, 2021
It would have been nice for the book to have more blood bowl in it.
July 15, 2021
The most entertaining novelisation of a board game I have ever read.
May 15, 2022
Loved this book as a kid, still love it now. Just pure fun
May 3, 2023
It's good
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2024
It is an easy read for anyone who likes the tabletop game Blood Bowl or for anyone who wants a fun read of a fantasy based American football game!
July 13, 2025
A very silly, fluffy novelization of the tabletop game. If there had been fewer typos, this might've gotten three stars from me.
September 9, 2025
About what I expected.
September 20, 2025
As a new blood bowl player I was pleasantly surprised to see a lore novel set within the game and even more so to enjoy it!
December 28, 2013
Blood Bowl, how football should be.
Forbeck did a good job writing a book about a sport that only exists in the form of a board game, and I have to give him full credit there. He did a good job managing not to bog the entire thing down in a long explanation of rules and such, which meant that this book had a good flow to it and a nice energy.
'Blood Bowl' overall was a good, fun read. The action is steady, the plot moves easily from one point to another, and the underlying intrigue is interesting enough to keep the reader engaged. The games are done well, with not a lot of detail spent explaining rules and things that had no bearing on the main character and his role in each match. This kept the 'newbie' feel of Dunk, and also helped the reader to get slowly introduced to how things are run within the Blood Bowl leagues.
That said, one thing I felt the novel lacked was more depth to the characters. Now, I know that this is primarily a novel to showcase Blood Bowl and to spark interest in the game. Forbeck does a good job getting Dunk from his everyday life to one of a Blood Bowl player. (though I found it really odd that the manticore spoke. Really, really odd.) However, once the actual plot goes onwards and Dunk becomes a player, his character doesn't seem to develop any further, barring a few moral decisions and inner turmoil, which all seem to be centered around him either leaving or staying in the game and nothing more.
Other characters within the story seem to get the flat treatment as well, which surprisingly doesn't hurt the story as much as it should have. Rather, despite being rather flat, it keeps things in the realm of what you'd almost expect in a Blood Bowl novel. This alone surprised me, and though I didn't feel any true character tension, romantic/rivalry/etc, each character was true to what their expected roles were.
In the end, 'Blood Bowl' is a good book to read when you haven an afternoon or two off and want to read something football related that isn't actually football. (confusing, I know) It's an enjoyable story that doesn't stress the mind too much and has a nice level of camp to it. I have been trying to track down the rest of the books in the series since finishing this one, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever played Blood Bowl.
Forbeck did a good job writing a book about a sport that only exists in the form of a board game, and I have to give him full credit there. He did a good job managing not to bog the entire thing down in a long explanation of rules and such, which meant that this book had a good flow to it and a nice energy.
'Blood Bowl' overall was a good, fun read. The action is steady, the plot moves easily from one point to another, and the underlying intrigue is interesting enough to keep the reader engaged. The games are done well, with not a lot of detail spent explaining rules and things that had no bearing on the main character and his role in each match. This kept the 'newbie' feel of Dunk, and also helped the reader to get slowly introduced to how things are run within the Blood Bowl leagues.
That said, one thing I felt the novel lacked was more depth to the characters. Now, I know that this is primarily a novel to showcase Blood Bowl and to spark interest in the game. Forbeck does a good job getting Dunk from his everyday life to one of a Blood Bowl player. (though I found it really odd that the manticore spoke. Really, really odd.) However, once the actual plot goes onwards and Dunk becomes a player, his character doesn't seem to develop any further, barring a few moral decisions and inner turmoil, which all seem to be centered around him either leaving or staying in the game and nothing more.
Other characters within the story seem to get the flat treatment as well, which surprisingly doesn't hurt the story as much as it should have. Rather, despite being rather flat, it keeps things in the realm of what you'd almost expect in a Blood Bowl novel. This alone surprised me, and though I didn't feel any true character tension, romantic/rivalry/etc, each character was true to what their expected roles were.
In the end, 'Blood Bowl' is a good book to read when you haven an afternoon or two off and want to read something football related that isn't actually football. (confusing, I know) It's an enjoyable story that doesn't stress the mind too much and has a nice level of camp to it. I have been trying to track down the rest of the books in the series since finishing this one, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever played Blood Bowl.
May 23, 2022
Aaaaaah Blood Bowl! The glorious, brutal sport about American Football x bloody murder!
For those of you who don't know about Blood Bowl's history: Blood Bowl was originaly a board/miniatures game in the Warhammer universe. Later in it's life it spawned this book series and 2 video game adaptations (with a third one coming later in 2022).
This book series follows Dunk Hoffnung: A human man who's family got disgraced and he is set out to get his family name back to glory! How exactly is he hoping on doing this exactly? By becoming a hero, slaying dragons, gold and glory... He soon finds out he saw the life of a hero through rose-tinted glasses and that there is as much glory and gold to be found in slaying dragons as chasing rainbows for their pot of gold.
Hero work doesn't work out and stuff happens, Dunk meets a Halfling called "Slick" and he offers him a potential spot on a Blood Bowl team. This sets of a grand adventure of backstabbing, murder, playing sports and so much more!
It's honestly a very fun story to read but don't expect the most advanced story. It's a book about Blood Bowl, it takes itself seriously for about 30% of the time while throwing references and puns at your face for the other 70% of the time.
This book does not only focus on the actual Blood Bowl game, so don't worry about getting confused about complex game rules or anything. The author did a great job of balancing storytelling, adventure, world-building and actual time on the pitch.
Characters are great, some you will love some... you'll want to murder on the spot (and knowing Blood Bowl, you'll get what your asking for!)
Now get up out of your seats, get yourself a nice pint of Bloodweiser cause another round of Blood Bowl is about to start!
For those of you who don't know about Blood Bowl's history: Blood Bowl was originaly a board/miniatures game in the Warhammer universe. Later in it's life it spawned this book series and 2 video game adaptations (with a third one coming later in 2022).
This book series follows Dunk Hoffnung: A human man who's family got disgraced and he is set out to get his family name back to glory! How exactly is he hoping on doing this exactly? By becoming a hero, slaying dragons, gold and glory... He soon finds out he saw the life of a hero through rose-tinted glasses and that there is as much glory and gold to be found in slaying dragons as chasing rainbows for their pot of gold.
Hero work doesn't work out and stuff happens, Dunk meets a Halfling called "Slick" and he offers him a potential spot on a Blood Bowl team. This sets of a grand adventure of backstabbing, murder, playing sports and so much more!
It's honestly a very fun story to read but don't expect the most advanced story. It's a book about Blood Bowl, it takes itself seriously for about 30% of the time while throwing references and puns at your face for the other 70% of the time.
This book does not only focus on the actual Blood Bowl game, so don't worry about getting confused about complex game rules or anything. The author did a great job of balancing storytelling, adventure, world-building and actual time on the pitch.
Characters are great, some you will love some... you'll want to murder on the spot (and knowing Blood Bowl, you'll get what your asking for!)
Now get up out of your seats, get yourself a nice pint of Bloodweiser cause another round of Blood Bowl is about to start!
September 19, 2010
Book number three of 2005: Blood Bowl by Matt Forbeck.
Matt is a friend of mine; in fact, I hate him for having already written this book at just about the same time I had the idea to pitch a Blood Bowl novel to Games Workshop myself. Feh.
Anyway, it's a fun read. Matt does a great job of capturing the feel of Blood Bowl, which is a board game where you play a game very similar to football, using miniatures of trolls, dwarves, evlves and goblins as players. The novel is set in the Warhammer World of Games Workshop, where Blood Bowl is the fantasy world's equivalent of our world's NFL, with superstar players, slick agents, ridiculous salaries and a casual disregard for life that would make Al Davis proud. Matt achieves a very solid level of success at blending a fantasy novel with a sports novel. You care about the characters, though a frustrating trope of "the hero is framed and has to prove his innocence" crops up a few too many times in this one book.
I guess my summary would be this: I'm glad I started reading Blood Bowl after the second in the series (Dead Ball) had already hit store shelves; that way I won't have long to wait for the third one after I finish the second. I enjoyed it thoroughly and found it a satisfying read, and am well into Dead Ball with much the same result.
Anyway, thanks Matt for stealing my idea before I had even thought of it.
Matt is a friend of mine; in fact, I hate him for having already written this book at just about the same time I had the idea to pitch a Blood Bowl novel to Games Workshop myself. Feh.
Anyway, it's a fun read. Matt does a great job of capturing the feel of Blood Bowl, which is a board game where you play a game very similar to football, using miniatures of trolls, dwarves, evlves and goblins as players. The novel is set in the Warhammer World of Games Workshop, where Blood Bowl is the fantasy world's equivalent of our world's NFL, with superstar players, slick agents, ridiculous salaries and a casual disregard for life that would make Al Davis proud. Matt achieves a very solid level of success at blending a fantasy novel with a sports novel. You care about the characters, though a frustrating trope of "the hero is framed and has to prove his innocence" crops up a few too many times in this one book.
I guess my summary would be this: I'm glad I started reading Blood Bowl after the second in the series (Dead Ball) had already hit store shelves; that way I won't have long to wait for the third one after I finish the second. I enjoyed it thoroughly and found it a satisfying read, and am well into Dead Ball with much the same result.
Anyway, thanks Matt for stealing my idea before I had even thought of it.
November 24, 2014
I absolutely cannot believe I liked this book as much as I did. In general, I'm not a huge fan of the WH fantasy stuff, and I'm not a big sports fan, so I figured ... no way this is going to be something that really speaks to me. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that, in fact, this book is just damned entertaining from beginning to end. It's fast-paced, the characters jump out at you (even if they aren't incredibly likable), and it has the feeling of a screwball comedy. The only thing I really DISliked were a) the lead character's name. Took me probably 1/4 of the book before I stopped grimacing every time I had to read "Dunk" as a character name. and b) the goofy in-gags, like the quarterback Rhett Cavre (pronounce "Cahrve"), how stuff is watched on Cabalvision, and rebroadcast on DVD (demon something something). Everybody drinks Killer Genuine Draft, etc., etc. Each and every one of those jokes fell flat and alone in an empty room for me, dying a slow, terrible death. BUT they're throw-away for the most part, so who cares!
I'm actually oddly hoping for more actual playing-of-the-game in the sequel. I enjoyed what WAS here so much that I didn't feel it was lacking in this first book, but I do somewhat hope for more.
I'm actually oddly hoping for more actual playing-of-the-game in the sequel. I enjoyed what WAS here so much that I didn't feel it was lacking in this first book, but I do somewhat hope for more.
October 4, 2024
In an objective sense, this book clearly falls into the more middling category of Warhammer-related fiction. Subjectively, this is one of the most fun books I've ever read. As a fan of the game, it was really cool to see some of the interplay between the different races and organizations that are merely hinted at on the tabletop like Wolf Sports and the "shady underbelly" of the Blood Bowl world. The main characters are all thoroughly enjoyable. Dunk is a great protagonist and audience stand-in, he's learning about the sport at the same time we are. There's a (sort of weak) emotional subplot about his relationship with his estranged brother that I found serviceable for a fantasy sports novel.
My only complaint is that there are a couple moments where you get the sense that the author was just kind of including stuff to make people go "erm its just like in the game" but it wasn't severe enough to take me out of it and is to be expected in a Warhammer book.
My only complaint is that there are a couple moments where you get the sense that the author was just kind of including stuff to make people go "erm its just like in the game" but it wasn't severe enough to take me out of it and is to be expected in a Warhammer book.
October 8, 2011
The world of warhammer is one of the most ingenious and interesting out there. It got history and a different feeling from other shared worlds like forgotten realms or dragonlance. This world is grim/dark to the core. But not this one.
This is Blood Bowl. It's set in the warhammer world but in a paralel world (kind of) where divergences are set in a game of American Football but with brutality that would put to the shame some world wars.
Here there are no rules, you've got a pig bladder and must put it in the other side of the field. That's it. Unfortunally there are really hungry dudes in the other side that will do anything (and I mean anything) to stop you.
In this tale we follow Dirk 'Dunk' Hoffnung rise from a swordsman to the quarterback of a team. Quite interesting reading. I really must read the following three books.
This is Blood Bowl. It's set in the warhammer world but in a paralel world (kind of) where divergences are set in a game of American Football but with brutality that would put to the shame some world wars.
Here there are no rules, you've got a pig bladder and must put it in the other side of the field. That's it. Unfortunally there are really hungry dudes in the other side that will do anything (and I mean anything) to stop you.
In this tale we follow Dirk 'Dunk' Hoffnung rise from a swordsman to the quarterback of a team. Quite interesting reading. I really must read the following three books.
January 6, 2020
This book is utter trash in the best way possible. It's high fantasy meets American football and all the chaos that ensues. But more importantly, it's actually a really well written and fun high fantasy romp that doesn't take itself too seriously at any point.
The characters are genuinely interesting and fun, with clear motivations and a relative amount of character growth given the subject matter. It also has a great over arching plot and some really nice pacing.
Many would avoid a book like this due to the fact it's connected with a video game (or board game?) and a fear you need to know the background to enjoy it. But if you can overlook that and just approach this as a great slightly trashy fantasy then I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
The characters are genuinely interesting and fun, with clear motivations and a relative amount of character growth given the subject matter. It also has a great over arching plot and some really nice pacing.
Many would avoid a book like this due to the fact it's connected with a video game (or board game?) and a fear you need to know the background to enjoy it. But if you can overlook that and just approach this as a great slightly trashy fantasy then I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
December 11, 2016
This is a really good book. Surprisingly so, considering it is based on a rather silly board game. Forbeck managed to encapsulate the spirit of the game perfectly, even though there are some rookie mistakes in there, like confusing Bob Bifford and Jim Johnson and messing up Dunk's jersey number throughout the narrative. Still, it's really good. A fun read.
Also: If you speak German you get a whole different level of puns aside from the football and sports merchandise ones. The names of most of the characters are hilarious.
Also: If you speak German you get a whole different level of puns aside from the football and sports merchandise ones. The names of most of the characters are hilarious.
November 29, 2016
Fantasy
Join Dunk Hoffnung on his attempt to bring honor back to his family's name by playing the deadly fantasy version of football.
This novel had action, mystery, comedy, and heaps of death. The plot constantly moved and all the action beats were where they were needed. This is a pure pleasure read that was hard to put down.
Even if you don't care for football, and just want a fun fantasy read then this in a great choice.
Join Dunk Hoffnung on his attempt to bring honor back to his family's name by playing the deadly fantasy version of football.
This novel had action, mystery, comedy, and heaps of death. The plot constantly moved and all the action beats were where they were needed. This is a pure pleasure read that was hard to put down.
Even if you don't care for football, and just want a fun fantasy read then this in a great choice.
January 5, 2014
This series is set in the Blood Bowl world which is a bit like the Warhammer Word as imagined by the writers of Police Squad. Its laugh out loud funny through a series of gripping adventures full of amusing stereotypical characters that has something of Discworld mixed with Gotrex & Felix about it.
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