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Warhammer Fantasy
Palace of the Plague Lord
The last warrior of a fierce Norse tribe sets out on a perilous quest deep into the Chaos Wastes, a land of magic and madness that lies far to the north of the world. Hideous monsters, ravenous daemons, even the landscape itself threaten him every step of the journey. What price must a mortal pay to steal the treasure of a god?
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 24, 2023
Death and destruction, Warhammer style.
The story of Einarr Sigdansson, a fierce ruthless warrior of the Norsca tribe, in the desolated lands of Chaos. In a desperate attempt to save his wife and people, our "hero" is forced to risk his life and try to recover an ancient relic from the Palace of the Plague Lord, in some remote place over the pestilent territories of the god Nurgle. A place so inhospitable, cursed and putrid that the lands are plain toxic, the air poisonous, and home to some of the most corrupted monsters ever imagined. Einarr Sigdansson and a small band of "allies", set to succeed on an impossible quest that will cost them much more than they bargained for.
Even though this was nothing exceptional my hunger for blood was satisfied; I came looking for death and destruction and I certainly got it, Warhammer never fails at that. This was overall a reasonably entertaining reading, although must say a bit average. The story mostly generic, but with an exquisitely dark ending; truly wicked, disturbing, and still memorable after many many years. Very far from that perfect Drachenfels or the unforgettable Malus Darkblade series, but still good enough to pass the time. I don't regret reading it, and I'll certainly keep delving into the massive never-ending Warhammer universe whenever the thirst for blood calls again.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2007] [416p] [Fantasy] [2.5] [Not Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★☆☆ Palace of the Plague Lord [2.5]
★★★☆☆ Blood for the Blood God [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
Muerte y destrucción, al estilo Warhammer.
La historia de Einarr Sigdansson, un despiadado y feroz guerrero de una tribu Norsca, en las desoladas tierras del Caos. En un desesperado intento por salvar a su esposa y pueblo, nuestro "héroe" se ve forzado a arriesgar su vida y recuperar una reliquia sagrada del Palacio del Señor de la Plaga, en algún lugar perdido en los pestilentes territorios del dios Nurgle. Un lugar tan inhóspito, maldito y putrefacto que las tierras son tóxicas, el aire veneno, y donde habitan algunos de los monstruos más corrompidos posiblemente imaginables. Einarr Sigdansson y un pequeño grupo de "aliados" embarcados en cumplir una misión imposible que les costará mucho más de lo que podrían pensar.
Aunque esto no fue nada excepcional mi sed de sangre fue satisfecha; vine buscando muerte y destrucción y ciertamente lo conseguí, Warhammer nunca falla en eso. Esta fue dentro de todo una lectura razonablemente entretenida, aunque debo decir un poco promedio. La historia algo genérica, aunque con un final exquisitamente sombrío; verdaderamente maquiavélico, perturbador y memorable incluso después de muchos muchos años. Muy lejos de ese perfecto Drachenfels o de la inolvidable saga de Malus Darkblade, pero aun así suficientemente buena para pasar el rato. No me arrepiento de leerlo, y ciertamente seguiré incursionando en ese masivo e interminable universo de Warhammer cuando sea que la sed de sangre vuelva a llamar.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2007] [416p] [Fantasía] [2.5] [No Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
The story of Einarr Sigdansson, a fierce ruthless warrior of the Norsca tribe, in the desolated lands of Chaos. In a desperate attempt to save his wife and people, our "hero" is forced to risk his life and try to recover an ancient relic from the Palace of the Plague Lord, in some remote place over the pestilent territories of the god Nurgle. A place so inhospitable, cursed and putrid that the lands are plain toxic, the air poisonous, and home to some of the most corrupted monsters ever imagined. Einarr Sigdansson and a small band of "allies", set to succeed on an impossible quest that will cost them much more than they bargained for.
Even though this was nothing exceptional my hunger for blood was satisfied; I came looking for death and destruction and I certainly got it, Warhammer never fails at that. This was overall a reasonably entertaining reading, although must say a bit average. The story mostly generic, but with an exquisitely dark ending; truly wicked, disturbing, and still memorable after many many years. Very far from that perfect Drachenfels or the unforgettable Malus Darkblade series, but still good enough to pass the time. I don't regret reading it, and I'll certainly keep delving into the massive never-ending Warhammer universe whenever the thirst for blood calls again.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2007] [416p] [Fantasy] [2.5] [Not Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★☆☆ Palace of the Plague Lord [2.5]
★★★☆☆ Blood for the Blood God [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
Muerte y destrucción, al estilo Warhammer.
La historia de Einarr Sigdansson, un despiadado y feroz guerrero de una tribu Norsca, en las desoladas tierras del Caos. En un desesperado intento por salvar a su esposa y pueblo, nuestro "héroe" se ve forzado a arriesgar su vida y recuperar una reliquia sagrada del Palacio del Señor de la Plaga, en algún lugar perdido en los pestilentes territorios del dios Nurgle. Un lugar tan inhóspito, maldito y putrefacto que las tierras son tóxicas, el aire veneno, y donde habitan algunos de los monstruos más corrompidos posiblemente imaginables. Einarr Sigdansson y un pequeño grupo de "aliados" embarcados en cumplir una misión imposible que les costará mucho más de lo que podrían pensar.
Aunque esto no fue nada excepcional mi sed de sangre fue satisfecha; vine buscando muerte y destrucción y ciertamente lo conseguí, Warhammer nunca falla en eso. Esta fue dentro de todo una lectura razonablemente entretenida, aunque debo decir un poco promedio. La historia algo genérica, aunque con un final exquisitamente sombrío; verdaderamente maquiavélico, perturbador y memorable incluso después de muchos muchos años. Muy lejos de ese perfecto Drachenfels o de la inolvidable saga de Malus Darkblade, pero aun así suficientemente buena para pasar el rato. No me arrepiento de leerlo, y ciertamente seguiré incursionando en ese masivo e interminable universo de Warhammer cuando sea que la sed de sangre vuelva a llamar.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2007] [416p] [Fantasía] [2.5] [No Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
February 6, 2017
From the extremely talented pen of C. L. Werner, Palace of the Plague Lord takes us on a brutal journey through one of Warhammer Fantasy's most dangerous realms and into the very home of the Gods themselves!
An epic story about an epic quest, PotPL follows Einarr, the last of his tribe on a bloody quest for revenge and hope for divine intervention. While the scale of the novel starts off very small, and with a small cast of characters, Mr. Werner deftly adds layers and depth to the story and setting. Einarr quickly gathers a following of equally awesome characters and their quest is an absolute thrill ride. The twists and turns and character development was probably some of the best I have seen to date, and the novel actually had me near tears at a few points.
This epic tale of adventure is definitely a hidden gem from Black Library, and any Warhammer fan would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn't read it.
An epic story about an epic quest, PotPL follows Einarr, the last of his tribe on a bloody quest for revenge and hope for divine intervention. While the scale of the novel starts off very small, and with a small cast of characters, Mr. Werner deftly adds layers and depth to the story and setting. Einarr quickly gathers a following of equally awesome characters and their quest is an absolute thrill ride. The twists and turns and character development was probably some of the best I have seen to date, and the novel actually had me near tears at a few points.
This epic tale of adventure is definitely a hidden gem from Black Library, and any Warhammer fan would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn't read it.
September 30, 2022
This is a gonzo Warhammer Fantasy novel that features a unique hero-villain "fellowship" lead by the Norscan warrior, Einarr. Einarr, a chosen champion of Tzeentch, has been manipulated into going into the chaos wastes to infiltrate a Plague Lord's putrid flesh palace. The characters are so vivid and memorable: there is Orgrim, a beserker werewolf; Birna, a spitfire huntress with the ability to speak with birds; Thognathog, the loyal ogre, and many more (a fire dwarf, a Kurgan warrior, a chaos warrior). There are mutated krakens, zombified minotaurs, betrayals, triumphs, foul sorcery, and bloody battle. One setting that will stick with me was the Plague Lord Skoroth's gross palace. What an unbelievably disgusting place. Werner's writing is over-the-top, literally gushing with bizarre imagery. This is decadent adventure fantasy (the metaphor is very apt), in the spirit of Clark Ashton Smith.
September 8, 2017
"Going into reading this; I had not heard a lot about the story itself – all of the hype seemed to be centered around how disturbing the book is; with all of its vivid descriptions of the putrescence of the titular location. That was a huge selling point for me – I would imagine that it must be a lot of fun as an author to roll around in the rot associated with Grandfather Nurgle (for a great example of descriptions of rot, etc., please read Beneath the Black Thumb; a great tale, that is, until the space lizards show up).
In Palace, we meet Einarr, a member of the Norsca tribe known as the Baersonlings. With the Norscans firmly reflecting the Standard Viking Template, a lot of their time is spent raiding/skirmishing; which includes ‘turf wars’ with adjoining tribes. Their primary antagonists are the nearby Aeslings. However, just as there are lines of division between gangs based upon colors, or conflicts based on religions, the beef between these two tribes goes a step further.
Each of the tribes are affiliated with specific religions; and they happen to be the dreaded Chaos Gods. Where the Aeslings are worshipers of Khorne, the luckiest and mightiest of the Baersonlings are blessed by the God of Change, Tzeentch. And, it is because of these avenues of worship that a seemingly normal rumble sets off a major chain of events.
During the fight, Einarr; unquestionably the fighter with the most grit on his side; is marked by a shaman-seer as a worthy offering to Khorne. As his companions fall; he is dragged back to the Aesling village; to be prepared for the stake.
However, some dogs are not meant to be caged; and Einarr enacts an escape that sets a larger chain of events into motion. One does not deny the Chaos Gods their bloody tithe; and soon, Einarr’s joyous return home is replaced with a mission of bloody justice to avenge his slaughtered kinfolk.
However, his mindless vengeful wandering does not last long. It seems that Einarr’s mettle has not only caught the attention of the Blood God – the Lord of Change has plans for him as well.
Einarr soon finds that a change is upon him; namely, his fist has been touched by Tzeentch’s power. Soon, he finds himself surrounded by other warriors who have received the call of the Lord of Change. He also finds direction in the face of his unslaked anger – a geas of sorts, to retrieve a prized item of Tzeentch’s. The Dark Claw, a trophy of immense power. The only problem – it is currently held in a fortress dedicated to yet another Chaos God – the Lord of the Unclean, Nurgle.
In a way, we can break this book down into thirds. The first part is the introduction, and what sets Einarr on his quest. The second portion is the quest itself, and the goings-on in the Palace complete the third act (the first portion is shorter than the other two). Putting it all together, you have one amazing book. Seriously, Palace of the Plague Lord is Werner at his top-notch best.
Let’s look at some of the elements here:
Characters: At first, Einarr is a bit hard to sympathize with/like. He is a case study in unrepentant braggadocio. Luckily, Werner is too good an author to let his lead fall into the trap of being a one-trick pony. There is a subtle depth to this man who; by nature; most likely had an emotional culling imposed upon him. But we know he feels love, loss, and, of course anger and rage.
The party itself is wonderful, and very diverse. This is a tricky feat to pull off; remember, this group is not bound by friendship, or a quest to satisfy a prevailing good. They have all been chosen by a corrupt god; and, in order to curry favor from a trickster deity, it is mandatory to behave in a duplicitous, self-serving manner.
Since the part is predicated upon only the most tenuous amount of fraternal comaraderie, character development is illustrated via the revealing of ulterior motives, the acquiring of new skills, and the ‘gift’ of physical change, all courtesy of Tzeentch. Seriously, by the end of the book, it’s pretty mind-boggling just trying to imagine what this motley crew looks like.
Villains: Well, everyone is pretty much a villain here. Werner bestows the same level of meticulous detail on everyone involved, which is especially important when it comes to the denizens of the Palace. As I’ll go into below, the hype you may have heard about the great detail involved in all things “Nurglish” in this book are all on point. And so, the rotting, reeking warriors are masterfully done.
And yet, for all of that, perhaps the most stunning, memorable creature is a bloodbeast of Khorne that rampages towards the beginning. It is the most terrifyingly recognized and utilized creatures that I have seen in a Warhammer book, bar none.
Setting: Tops here as well. I mean, this is the focal point of the book. Remember, the eponymous Palace is not just a small fortress, it is a massive construct, as well as the lands around it. And Werner has brought this all to putrescent life. It does not get redundant, and each turn presents a new, stomach-curdling horror. I won’t say I had to put it down, but for most of the reading the sense of unclean is palpable; and you can almost imagine hearing the perennial sound of flies buzzing about.
Best of all, when all is said and done, it is a complete, well-structured story as well. The Dark Claw is not, thankfully, a random Macguffin tossed in to move the narrative along. There is a reason for it, and it all ties in to why events transpired in the manner in which they did.
And then, the whole shebang is topped off with a knockout ending. That is a lot rarer than it sounds."
You can read my full review of this book here:
https://voxcastsfromthevoid.wordpress...
In Palace, we meet Einarr, a member of the Norsca tribe known as the Baersonlings. With the Norscans firmly reflecting the Standard Viking Template, a lot of their time is spent raiding/skirmishing; which includes ‘turf wars’ with adjoining tribes. Their primary antagonists are the nearby Aeslings. However, just as there are lines of division between gangs based upon colors, or conflicts based on religions, the beef between these two tribes goes a step further.
Each of the tribes are affiliated with specific religions; and they happen to be the dreaded Chaos Gods. Where the Aeslings are worshipers of Khorne, the luckiest and mightiest of the Baersonlings are blessed by the God of Change, Tzeentch. And, it is because of these avenues of worship that a seemingly normal rumble sets off a major chain of events.
During the fight, Einarr; unquestionably the fighter with the most grit on his side; is marked by a shaman-seer as a worthy offering to Khorne. As his companions fall; he is dragged back to the Aesling village; to be prepared for the stake.
However, some dogs are not meant to be caged; and Einarr enacts an escape that sets a larger chain of events into motion. One does not deny the Chaos Gods their bloody tithe; and soon, Einarr’s joyous return home is replaced with a mission of bloody justice to avenge his slaughtered kinfolk.
However, his mindless vengeful wandering does not last long. It seems that Einarr’s mettle has not only caught the attention of the Blood God – the Lord of Change has plans for him as well.
Einarr soon finds that a change is upon him; namely, his fist has been touched by Tzeentch’s power. Soon, he finds himself surrounded by other warriors who have received the call of the Lord of Change. He also finds direction in the face of his unslaked anger – a geas of sorts, to retrieve a prized item of Tzeentch’s. The Dark Claw, a trophy of immense power. The only problem – it is currently held in a fortress dedicated to yet another Chaos God – the Lord of the Unclean, Nurgle.
In a way, we can break this book down into thirds. The first part is the introduction, and what sets Einarr on his quest. The second portion is the quest itself, and the goings-on in the Palace complete the third act (the first portion is shorter than the other two). Putting it all together, you have one amazing book. Seriously, Palace of the Plague Lord is Werner at his top-notch best.
Let’s look at some of the elements here:
Characters: At first, Einarr is a bit hard to sympathize with/like. He is a case study in unrepentant braggadocio. Luckily, Werner is too good an author to let his lead fall into the trap of being a one-trick pony. There is a subtle depth to this man who; by nature; most likely had an emotional culling imposed upon him. But we know he feels love, loss, and, of course anger and rage.
The party itself is wonderful, and very diverse. This is a tricky feat to pull off; remember, this group is not bound by friendship, or a quest to satisfy a prevailing good. They have all been chosen by a corrupt god; and, in order to curry favor from a trickster deity, it is mandatory to behave in a duplicitous, self-serving manner.
Since the part is predicated upon only the most tenuous amount of fraternal comaraderie, character development is illustrated via the revealing of ulterior motives, the acquiring of new skills, and the ‘gift’ of physical change, all courtesy of Tzeentch. Seriously, by the end of the book, it’s pretty mind-boggling just trying to imagine what this motley crew looks like.
Villains: Well, everyone is pretty much a villain here. Werner bestows the same level of meticulous detail on everyone involved, which is especially important when it comes to the denizens of the Palace. As I’ll go into below, the hype you may have heard about the great detail involved in all things “Nurglish” in this book are all on point. And so, the rotting, reeking warriors are masterfully done.
And yet, for all of that, perhaps the most stunning, memorable creature is a bloodbeast of Khorne that rampages towards the beginning. It is the most terrifyingly recognized and utilized creatures that I have seen in a Warhammer book, bar none.
Setting: Tops here as well. I mean, this is the focal point of the book. Remember, the eponymous Palace is not just a small fortress, it is a massive construct, as well as the lands around it. And Werner has brought this all to putrescent life. It does not get redundant, and each turn presents a new, stomach-curdling horror. I won’t say I had to put it down, but for most of the reading the sense of unclean is palpable; and you can almost imagine hearing the perennial sound of flies buzzing about.
Best of all, when all is said and done, it is a complete, well-structured story as well. The Dark Claw is not, thankfully, a random Macguffin tossed in to move the narrative along. There is a reason for it, and it all ties in to why events transpired in the manner in which they did.
And then, the whole shebang is topped off with a knockout ending. That is a lot rarer than it sounds."
You can read my full review of this book here:
https://voxcastsfromthevoid.wordpress...
October 27, 2022
The book is well written, I only found 2 small typos in the 492 page ebook. CL Werner I acknowledge as both being a very talented descriptive writer. For Nurgle fans you will have a very vivid look into the followers and the very putrid way of life in which they live in all its grossness, on this you can be well assured. This book was very true to the lore in its totality. I enjoyed reading the book thoroughly, while I felt the beginning was a bit slow. Having said that, I gave three stars for 3 reasons. #1 some of the really overly drawn out disgusting imagery was a definite overload to the imagination which will stick with readers well beyond the book, as it can be quite disturbing. #2 I felt there were some redundant points in the book that left an unresolved loop, such as the mark on Asta and the purpose behind Birna turning into her, or the reason for the necklace being given to Einar in the beginning of the book "For his protection" which seemed to have no actual application to the book. There are other such instances but I just named a few. #3 was the most upsetting, which was the ending. I understand the wanting to make an ending which surprises readers, but endings like this might be better for short stories where the reader is no so well invested in the characters and their feelings and in trying to understand the point behind the plot. I think that readers will be left feeling rather cheated and frustrated with the ending in this story, and for that alone a star was deducted.
July 26, 2021
Ok, this is a very well-crafted book, it has interesting characters, nice plot twists & great descriptions of Realm of Chaos twisted environment.
But... that's all, it's just a good book. There is nothing exceptional there, nothing that sticks in mind after reading. Anyway... good book for train or flight read. Nothing more.
But... that's all, it's just a good book. There is nothing exceptional there, nothing that sticks in mind after reading. Anyway... good book for train or flight read. Nothing more.
August 5, 2018
I couldn't put the book down, it was so good.
December 2, 2021
Enn ein neglan frá C.L. Werner. Algjör viðbjóður.
September 22, 2022
This book was fun if for no other reason than just how over the top it was. I mean, you got blood monsters, ogres, evil dwarves, sea monsters, plague dragons, plague sorcerors, werewolves palaces made out of flesh and so much violence it became a bit exhausting.
The story follows Einarr as he goes on a quest for the Chaos God Tzeench, under the promise he'd be reunited by his murdered wife. It's worth noting, of course, that Tzeench is the god of change and is known chiefly as a deceptive god, so that kind of sets the tone of the whole story and the likelihood of the main character getting his reward.
One thing I'll say, Einarr was much more likable than Wulfrik. He seems to care about his companions to some degree, at least trying to keep them alive and feeling remorseful when they die. He is also at least married to the woman he is trying to save, whereas Wulfrik just seemed horny for the princess.
Ultimately, I think i'd given this book 4 stars if I hadn't just recently read Lady of Sorrows, which had a very similar story structure. I realize CL Werner writes a lot of book for Games Workshop, but man they are verrry similar. I guess ultimately with a quest structure either the protagonist complete the quest or they don't, so maybe it is just limitations of that type of story.
The story follows Einarr as he goes on a quest for the Chaos God Tzeench, under the promise he'd be reunited by his murdered wife. It's worth noting, of course, that Tzeench is the god of change and is known chiefly as a deceptive god, so that kind of sets the tone of the whole story and the likelihood of the main character getting his reward.
One thing I'll say, Einarr was much more likable than Wulfrik. He seems to care about his companions to some degree, at least trying to keep them alive and feeling remorseful when they die. He is also at least married to the woman he is trying to save, whereas Wulfrik just seemed horny for the princess.
Ultimately, I think i'd given this book 4 stars if I hadn't just recently read Lady of Sorrows, which had a very similar story structure. I realize CL Werner writes a lot of book for Games Workshop, but man they are verrry similar. I guess ultimately with a quest structure either the protagonist complete the quest or they don't, so maybe it is just limitations of that type of story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2022
"Now he was ready to stand before the grotesque god-beast the Aeslings had called down from Kharnath. He knew it was impossible for one man to prevail where two entire villages had found only death and slaughter."
The hero then proceeds to slay the god-beast single-handedly, injured, with a broken sword. Gotta love it when the hero can do literally anything thanks to sheer plot armor.
P.S. Already six chapters in and not a single mention of the plague lord.
The hero then proceeds to slay the god-beast single-handedly, injured, with a broken sword. Gotta love it when the hero can do literally anything thanks to sheer plot armor.
P.S. Already six chapters in and not a single mention of the plague lord.
August 3, 2024
Not the best book ever but it definitely gives you that good old Papa Nurgle feel
June 2, 2012
Let us start with the cover... Isn't it great or what? It's a old cover that appear in a now quasi-mythic book called Realm of Chaos: Lost and the Damned. Published in 1988 made a great inpact... But this is not about it.
Well this book is the first depicting the forces of Chaos. There are four forces of Chaos (and Undivided but that's not a single god) who battle for supremacy. There's Khorne a God of Blood, There's Tzeentch the God of Change. There's Nurgle the God of Decay and Slaanesh the God of Hedonism. Each faction fights against themselves and against all living things human, elf, dwarf and everything else... Well why I am telling you this? Because each book tells us a story of a character than follows a faction and battle against others...
This book is one of best Black Library published and it has some elements that I've never seen on a Black Library book. On this book and the next (which I will review later) there is no "good" character. Don't expect values that you could considered to be good. The realms of Chaos are a harsh land that breeds harsh people. Either you are the hunter and a fighter or you will perish. There is evil everywhere. There is perilous situations every day. Do not expect honor or symphaty. The only rule is the rule of survival.
As you read this book you are drawn to a harsh and unforgiven battle. After the first line of the first chapter you begin to see changes in you. You begin to feel the cold weather that strikes the norcsan people. You begin to feel fear and disgust. And believe me in a good way. C L Werner can really make people grip the book until the end. He really can make you hate every character but at the same time connect to them. You hate them but you want them to succeeed.
If you are sick of reading about good characters than are perfect and almost godlike don't look here. You will not find it. And for you all that are into forgotten realms, dragonlance and warhammer... Why is Raistlin one (for me the best) character ever made? He was a true evil character and even there is was the most famous and people wanted more novels depicting his strugle. I think we are drawn to this characters that fight their way through fire and ice and still succeed. Most people who read this books will cheer for Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers but why? The Rebels are the good guys... Well it's just it. We like something different from everything that was made... (I think that's why stars wars is so special and Raistlin is the best character in the all realms).
Having said that read on...
The setting as I said is the realm of chaos.If you are a fan of Chaos then this is definetely your book. It's brings some good memories from what chaos was before the changes they made to the setting... (remember the book I told you before). Here we are presented with several characters and each are special on their own away. Werner can really make characters, there is no doubt about it.
This main character is a Tzeentch follower that fought for it against Grandfather Nurgle it return he would get another chance to get his woman back and the tribe... I will not spoil you by saying what happens but know that as I said if you want to see the Chaos on the first person read this book. It has some members from other tribes as well who help our adventurer... Well help is saying too much maybe.
Either way... I loved the book and I would advice it to anyone, being a Warhammer fan or not...
I must re-read it in a couple of years...
Well this book is the first depicting the forces of Chaos. There are four forces of Chaos (and Undivided but that's not a single god) who battle for supremacy. There's Khorne a God of Blood, There's Tzeentch the God of Change. There's Nurgle the God of Decay and Slaanesh the God of Hedonism. Each faction fights against themselves and against all living things human, elf, dwarf and everything else... Well why I am telling you this? Because each book tells us a story of a character than follows a faction and battle against others...
This book is one of best Black Library published and it has some elements that I've never seen on a Black Library book. On this book and the next (which I will review later) there is no "good" character. Don't expect values that you could considered to be good. The realms of Chaos are a harsh land that breeds harsh people. Either you are the hunter and a fighter or you will perish. There is evil everywhere. There is perilous situations every day. Do not expect honor or symphaty. The only rule is the rule of survival.
As you read this book you are drawn to a harsh and unforgiven battle. After the first line of the first chapter you begin to see changes in you. You begin to feel the cold weather that strikes the norcsan people. You begin to feel fear and disgust. And believe me in a good way. C L Werner can really make people grip the book until the end. He really can make you hate every character but at the same time connect to them. You hate them but you want them to succeeed.
If you are sick of reading about good characters than are perfect and almost godlike don't look here. You will not find it. And for you all that are into forgotten realms, dragonlance and warhammer... Why is Raistlin one (for me the best) character ever made? He was a true evil character and even there is was the most famous and people wanted more novels depicting his strugle. I think we are drawn to this characters that fight their way through fire and ice and still succeed. Most people who read this books will cheer for Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers but why? The Rebels are the good guys... Well it's just it. We like something different from everything that was made... (I think that's why stars wars is so special and Raistlin is the best character in the all realms).
Having said that read on...
The setting as I said is the realm of chaos.If you are a fan of Chaos then this is definetely your book. It's brings some good memories from what chaos was before the changes they made to the setting... (remember the book I told you before). Here we are presented with several characters and each are special on their own away. Werner can really make characters, there is no doubt about it.
This main character is a Tzeentch follower that fought for it against Grandfather Nurgle it return he would get another chance to get his woman back and the tribe... I will not spoil you by saying what happens but know that as I said if you want to see the Chaos on the first person read this book. It has some members from other tribes as well who help our adventurer... Well help is saying too much maybe.
Either way... I loved the book and I would advice it to anyone, being a Warhammer fan or not...
I must re-read it in a couple of years...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2015
I was expecting loads more filth, considering the main cast of characters travel into a land of worshipers and creations of Nurgle, chaos god of disease, disgust and death. However, I have overwhelmingly heard from others that this book is utterly barf-inducing, so I may just be hard to gross out. The monsters are great though. Indeed, Nurgle's beasts are wonderfully and horrifically repugnant and the land is quite grotesque. As with much of C.L. Werner's writing that I've read, the story is unpredictable in a fun way and at the end, there's a huge climax that twists and turns and twists again.
I don't want to give away spoilers, but I will say that the way the main character Einarr's friends aid him in the end, could have been developed much better and to me. It was simply too simplistic and I dunno, was just a bit too basic and kinda like the plot of a cheesy movie. It just made things much too easy and convenient for Einarr. And Einarr himself seems like a pretty pathetic "hero" as he needs a lot of help and keeps making big mistakes. Though, that does add to the dark, sinister mood of the entire story (and kinda makes sense given the ending), as this is a Chaos novel. Yet, his many, many faults do make him a very interesting character. He's a much more realistic incarnation, which is a stark contrast in this land of high fantasy. I definitely recommend this book to Warhammer and dark fantasy fans alike. Or to anyone who is morbidly curious as to how disgusting this book really is.
I don't want to give away spoilers, but I will say that the way the main character Einarr's friends aid him in the end, could have been developed much better and to me. It was simply too simplistic and I dunno, was just a bit too basic and kinda like the plot of a cheesy movie. It just made things much too easy and convenient for Einarr. And Einarr himself seems like a pretty pathetic "hero" as he needs a lot of help and keeps making big mistakes. Though, that does add to the dark, sinister mood of the entire story (and kinda makes sense given the ending), as this is a Chaos novel. Yet, his many, many faults do make him a very interesting character. He's a much more realistic incarnation, which is a stark contrast in this land of high fantasy. I definitely recommend this book to Warhammer and dark fantasy fans alike. Or to anyone who is morbidly curious as to how disgusting this book really is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2014
I love the warhammer fantasy setting, especially anything to do with the chaos gods. It was interesting to see how the northern tribes actually live under the influcence of chaos (taken from Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion novels without so much as a by-your-leave), and how they are still individuals with their own hopes and motivations, even if they are not very nice people. The book went on for too long and the writing was very workmanlike, but I read Warhammer novels for the monsters, and I got more than my fair share of that.
January 13, 2014
The best thing about this book is definitely the twist at the end. I was definitely surprised by it.
The book is a bit too lengthy for the content inside and there are lots of times when I felt like scenes were stretched out to add more pages to the novel.
Good book, but nothing really too special about it.
The book is a bit too lengthy for the content inside and there are lots of times when I felt like scenes were stretched out to add more pages to the novel.
Good book, but nothing really too special about it.
December 29, 2018
I bought this book in Iraq in 2008 solely because an Amazon review stated “this is the most disgusting book I’ve ever read.” It did not disappoint. We spread it around different units just so more people could experience how awful it is. Good times
April 15, 2008
all in all it was a pretty solid pulp fantasy novel but the ending was a little bit of a letdown
November 11, 2012
Brilliant twist at the end. It scores 5/5 for the book-hangover it gives you.
March 14, 2013
Incredible story, insane plot, fast paced actions, memorable characters and an ending that leaves you frozen in surprise. truly a masterpiece.
4 stars because the end wasn't to my liking,though.
4 stars because the end wasn't to my liking,though.
March 6, 2016
Yech. Did not work for me. Great cover, though.
August 8, 2011
An interesting tale with a fitting, yet frustrating ending...
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