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Ulrika the Vampire #1
Bloodborn
Ulrika, recently turned as a vampire, attempts to adjust to her new way of life. But when a fellow vampire is killed in Nuln, Ulrika and her mentor, Gabriella, are sent to investigate. Soon they find themselves facing danger from all sides as they attempt to solve a mystery that threatens the very existence of the Lahmian bloodline. How can they hope to destroy something with the power to kill a vampire?
416 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 2010
14 people are currently reading
500 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 - 30 of 47 reviews
October 26, 2018
Well, it’s that spooky season where I try to do only horror reads for a bit… but I’m in the mood for a fantasy novel. Wherever shall I turn? Answer: Warhammer.
Better answer: Warhammer with vampires.
The Warhammer series is in many ways your standard “based on an RPG” style fantasy world, much like Dragonlance or the Forgotten Realms books. What separates it from the more classic D&D series is the more grimdark nature of the world and the elements of borderline cosmic horror that comes across with it (seriously, if you want a disturbing read, go to their wiki and read up on some of the Chaos gods of Warhammer). The series is probably better known for the 40K line which is essentially military sci-fi with fantasy tropes, but the original old world still stands with some entertaining reads.
This is one of those books that I read at the exact right time. I recognize that it is not a great read; it has some laughable lines and some of the character interactions had me snickering. With all its problems though, this is an extremely fun read, which is all I ask from such books. The action was good, the main character was fairly likeable (and while she did a self examination of the moral quandaries of becoming a vampire and feeding on humans, she fortunately did not become a brooding depressed character who tries to make themselves a constant bummer). The side characters were a bit on the mixed side, but the main witchhunter was a well-developed character who played nicely with the expected tropes of such a character (playing them mostly straight but never being lawful stupid about it). The pacing is excellent and the plot is actually… fairly clever, though it does fall into one or two eye rolling moments. All around this was just a blast, and easy to forgive its flaws as it is just an entertaining read.
I was informed that I really should have read the Gotrek and Felix series before reading this one as it’s something of a spin-off. It is true that how Ulrika turned into a vampire is covered very quickly in the first few pages, and just explained in a paragraph or two instead of a detailed scene (most likely as a recap for those who already read it but may have forgotten some details), that said I found it works fairly well as a standalone as it does at least recap anything important and isn’t full of constant references to prior works. While I suppose it does spoil the fact that in at least one book it isn’t going to go so well for Ulrika, that seems like even seeing the omnibus book’s title (Ulrika the Vampire) would pretty much be a giveaway. So… *shrugs* on with the review!
It is always a challenge for me to say if I would recommended these RPG style fantasy novels to other readers, as those who like them pretty much already know of them. They are rarely every great (though there are some exceptions in the Dragonlance series that do achieve greatness in my opinion) but they are almost always consistently entertaining. A solid 3.5/5 rounding down as I don’t quite feel its appropriate to give it a 4.
Better answer: Warhammer with vampires.
The Warhammer series is in many ways your standard “based on an RPG” style fantasy world, much like Dragonlance or the Forgotten Realms books. What separates it from the more classic D&D series is the more grimdark nature of the world and the elements of borderline cosmic horror that comes across with it (seriously, if you want a disturbing read, go to their wiki and read up on some of the Chaos gods of Warhammer). The series is probably better known for the 40K line which is essentially military sci-fi with fantasy tropes, but the original old world still stands with some entertaining reads.
This is one of those books that I read at the exact right time. I recognize that it is not a great read; it has some laughable lines and some of the character interactions had me snickering. With all its problems though, this is an extremely fun read, which is all I ask from such books. The action was good, the main character was fairly likeable (and while she did a self examination of the moral quandaries of becoming a vampire and feeding on humans, she fortunately did not become a brooding depressed character who tries to make themselves a constant bummer). The side characters were a bit on the mixed side, but the main witchhunter was a well-developed character who played nicely with the expected tropes of such a character (playing them mostly straight but never being lawful stupid about it). The pacing is excellent and the plot is actually… fairly clever, though it does fall into one or two eye rolling moments. All around this was just a blast, and easy to forgive its flaws as it is just an entertaining read.
I was informed that I really should have read the Gotrek and Felix series before reading this one as it’s something of a spin-off. It is true that how Ulrika turned into a vampire is covered very quickly in the first few pages, and just explained in a paragraph or two instead of a detailed scene (most likely as a recap for those who already read it but may have forgotten some details), that said I found it works fairly well as a standalone as it does at least recap anything important and isn’t full of constant references to prior works. While I suppose it does spoil the fact that in at least one book it isn’t going to go so well for Ulrika, that seems like even seeing the omnibus book’s title (Ulrika the Vampire) would pretty much be a giveaway. So… *shrugs* on with the review!
It is always a challenge for me to say if I would recommended these RPG style fantasy novels to other readers, as those who like them pretty much already know of them. They are rarely every great (though there are some exceptions in the Dragonlance series that do achieve greatness in my opinion) but they are almost always consistently entertaining. A solid 3.5/5 rounding down as I don’t quite feel its appropriate to give it a 4.
April 24, 2013
**** ½
This book was SO much better than I thought it would be. I’m actually quite impressed. Maybe I’ve read too many crap vampire novels. And let’s face it, fantasy can get pretty tedious with all its excessive descriptions and clichéd characters. Bloodborn avoided all those pitfalls though, and, was well written, pulling me right into the vivid Warhammer world.
I’ve never read any Warhammer books. (Hell, I’ve never even played the game). But that didn’t matter. You don’t need to be familiar with Warhammer to read this. The world is rich and lush, and so well established that it feels like a tangible place. Different authors have been adding to it for years, so it has a complexity that I don’t think one author could have achieved. I’ve always been the kind of person who felt like you have to start with the 1st book to appreciate a series, but with Warhammer you don’t have to do that. It’s just a place. So while the characters may refer to people or places from other books, it doesn’t happen often, and it’s not excessive. More importantly, it doesn’t feel like an info dump. So even though Ulrika is a character that was first introduced in the Gotrek & Felix series, you don’t have to read those books to get into this. It just adds color to an already colorful world.
As for the vampires, they’re wonderfully gritty. Most of them are female -- the sisterhood of Lahmian. Ulrika is newly born, changed against will, so she’s not completely comfortable in her new life. Nor is she comfortable with her undead powers yet. Her teacher is Gabriella, her mistress.
While, Ulrika admires, respects, and loves Gabriella, I don’t think she much cares for the sisterhood. She’s too independent and has a love of humanity, which goes against her new life. It’s funny, Anne Rice has always made her vampire men a bit androgynous and slashy, and I think Long does the same thing here, only it’s women characters he’s playing with, making them fem-slashy, especially Ulrika. Ulrika is described as being boyish looking, dressing in men’s clothes and sporting a short haircut, yet she’s feminine too. I thought she was a cool character. I could easily imagine her and Gabrielle becoming lovers. Gabrielle even calls her ‘beloved’. They both have different strengths that complement each other. Unfortunately, Ulrika is attracted to human men too, which is something she learns is a big mistake. There is certain tragedy about becoming a vampire, and I like how Long touches on that. What I really liked though, is that Long’s vampires are true monsters. He never lets you forget that either. They can rip a human into shreds and they actually do that too, but that didn’t stop me from sympathizing with them.
As for the story, it’s an exciting thriller (maybe a little pulpy, but I like that.) I had a hard time setting this book down during the last half. Long doesn’t seem to have a problem killing characters off, so I really didn’t know who was going to make it. Not to mention, he writes excellent action scenes. There was one scene I actually found myself holding my breath. LOL
So all in all, I enjoyed Bloodborn a lot. I recommend it if you like fantasy books. I will definitely be reading book 2.
This book was SO much better than I thought it would be. I’m actually quite impressed. Maybe I’ve read too many crap vampire novels. And let’s face it, fantasy can get pretty tedious with all its excessive descriptions and clichéd characters. Bloodborn avoided all those pitfalls though, and, was well written, pulling me right into the vivid Warhammer world.
I’ve never read any Warhammer books. (Hell, I’ve never even played the game). But that didn’t matter. You don’t need to be familiar with Warhammer to read this. The world is rich and lush, and so well established that it feels like a tangible place. Different authors have been adding to it for years, so it has a complexity that I don’t think one author could have achieved. I’ve always been the kind of person who felt like you have to start with the 1st book to appreciate a series, but with Warhammer you don’t have to do that. It’s just a place. So while the characters may refer to people or places from other books, it doesn’t happen often, and it’s not excessive. More importantly, it doesn’t feel like an info dump. So even though Ulrika is a character that was first introduced in the Gotrek & Felix series, you don’t have to read those books to get into this. It just adds color to an already colorful world.
As for the vampires, they’re wonderfully gritty. Most of them are female -- the sisterhood of Lahmian. Ulrika is newly born, changed against will, so she’s not completely comfortable in her new life. Nor is she comfortable with her undead powers yet. Her teacher is Gabriella, her mistress.
While, Ulrika admires, respects, and loves Gabriella, I don’t think she much cares for the sisterhood. She’s too independent and has a love of humanity, which goes against her new life. It’s funny, Anne Rice has always made her vampire men a bit androgynous and slashy, and I think Long does the same thing here, only it’s women characters he’s playing with, making them fem-slashy, especially Ulrika. Ulrika is described as being boyish looking, dressing in men’s clothes and sporting a short haircut, yet she’s feminine too. I thought she was a cool character. I could easily imagine her and Gabrielle becoming lovers. Gabrielle even calls her ‘beloved’. They both have different strengths that complement each other. Unfortunately, Ulrika is attracted to human men too, which is something she learns is a big mistake. There is certain tragedy about becoming a vampire, and I like how Long touches on that. What I really liked though, is that Long’s vampires are true monsters. He never lets you forget that either. They can rip a human into shreds and they actually do that too, but that didn’t stop me from sympathizing with them.
As for the story, it’s an exciting thriller (maybe a little pulpy, but I like that.) I had a hard time setting this book down during the last half. Long doesn’t seem to have a problem killing characters off, so I really didn’t know who was going to make it. Not to mention, he writes excellent action scenes. There was one scene I actually found myself holding my breath. LOL
So all in all, I enjoyed Bloodborn a lot. I recommend it if you like fantasy books. I will definitely be reading book 2.
May 20, 2019
-Más de lo mismo, excepto al final.-
Género. Narrativa fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. En el libro Hija de la sangre (publicación original: Bloodborn, 2010) conocemos a Ulrika Magdova, una vampira recién creada que otra vampira mucho más antigua, Gabriella von Nachthafen, intenta educar para que maneje sus impulsos y sepa controlar sus nuevas habilidades, pero no es una tarea sencilla. Cuando en la ciudad de Nuln empiezan a morir vampiros de una forma que expone su existencia al mundo, Gabriella debe atender el asunto por orden de su reina y lleva con ella a Ulrika. Primer libro de la serie Ulrika Magdova.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
Género. Narrativa fantástica.
Lo que nos cuenta. En el libro Hija de la sangre (publicación original: Bloodborn, 2010) conocemos a Ulrika Magdova, una vampira recién creada que otra vampira mucho más antigua, Gabriella von Nachthafen, intenta educar para que maneje sus impulsos y sepa controlar sus nuevas habilidades, pero no es una tarea sencilla. Cuando en la ciudad de Nuln empiezan a morir vampiros de una forma que expone su existencia al mundo, Gabriella debe atender el asunto por orden de su reina y lleva con ella a Ulrika. Primer libro de la serie Ulrika Magdova.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
https://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com...
May 1, 2019
” I’m afraid of real human beings, not vampires”
Some of you who read Black Library books, especially the older Warhammer fantasy stuff, will know that Bloodborn is about one of Gotrek & Felix’s side characters Ulkria Magdova – a former Kislevite noble, daughter of Ivan Straghov. There’s good reason why she got her own trilogy, being a badass and all. For me, most interestingly, this explores a darker angle to Warhammer – just what it’s like to be a vampire and how NOT to be one. It’s almost comical, but it works so well to become a firm favourite of mine. If you’re interested in Ulrika’s upon how she became a vampire try reading Manslayer
Essentially the story boils down to a continuation of Ulrika’s’ story from the Gotrek & Felix stories. A bit of background upon Ulrika; she was a daughter of a Kislevite noble as I mentioned. The Kislev’s are interesting in the sense they are akin to Mongols and defends the northern most borders to beastmen, Chaos and Norscian raiders. Ulkria pops up in many of Gortek’s stories and becomes a paramount character in her own right. She becomes involved with Felix, later on complicating matters – more so for Gotrek who just wants to slay her and be done with it. Just doing what a slayer does after all! Anyway, their relationship is both very passionate and fiery, almost dysfunctional to the point where they just don’t like each other.
The story takes place between Vampireslayer and her return in Manslayer whereupon Countess Gabriella is trying to help her control the vampiric blood lust – before her training is completed, Ulrika is ordered to Nuln and that is where the story truly begins. Vampireslayer is where she gets turned into a vampire by Krieger. At the end of this novel, with both the slayer and young noble are conflicted, both for very different reasons, one wants to help her, the other wants to kill her as I’ve mentioned. At the end, Countess Gabriella promises the duo she will teach Ulrika how to embrace her Lahmian ways. I laughed as well!
Right, actually talking about Bloodborn now – what did I like? A lot. Firstly, as I’ve mentioned previously, the story really steers clear of the usual Warhammer archetype of battles, death, redemption and someone important[ish] dying in some heroic way. It’s refreshing to read how someone can exist, though a vampire (whom are generally nasty buggers), but flip that around and do some good. Ulrika is taught such things as; moderation, discretion, how one acts and behaves with humans as a lady of society and upbringing. This is basically the first half of the novel, it sounds kind of dull, but it is far from it. There’s genuine storytelling here. Soon afterwards she sets off to Nuln (a city brought to life in the Gotrek & Felix novels) with Countess Gabriella and quickly finds herself falling into old habits of solving dilemmas she finds herself in, whereupon she is thrust into a situation where vampires are being murdered and she needs to discover whom and what is doing this.
That’s the basic track of the novel and it does it very well indeed, as the writing is first class. The characters varied and engaging. One of my personal favourites being the Witch Hunter Friedrich Holmann who has no clue Ulrika is a vampire. Doing his job well… for the Empire. He is rather dour and dull in a ‘anything isn’t human needs to die’ kind of way. Mash that all together with everything mentioned, with some genuine intrigue and suspense, it really makes for a gripping read. There are some hidden gems from the early days of Warhammer and this is one of them.
Speaking of characters, the troupe of vampires aren’t just sinister world conquering Von Carstein’s. We’ve Mathilda, part vampire, part wolf. Rough around the edges, a bit of a slummer. She helps to bring some levity to the coven of vampires of Nuln. A little gripe is Lady Hermione who for me, comes across like a spoiled brat – which is meant to be the case, she is a 1000-year-old vampire, but still, a little over-the-top for me. I kind of felt like she had listened to much Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails. The definition of the mean of paranoid. She is rather to quick to judge. She really is a fumble as characters go – there were times when I thought I might stick a fork in my eye to pass the time, but I soldiered on. There are a few others who deserve mention, poor old swain, Rodrik, a vampire’s pawn and, well poor fella.
There are a few points of contention, for me anyway. When it comes to the timeline of the novel, I’ve said it continues the story from Vampireslayer and Manslayer when Gotrek & Felix left Ulrika in Countess Gabriella care. This is all accurate, however it appears some one hundred years have passed according to Bloodborn. I only bring this up as it could be a mistake on my part, however it doesn’t fit in with the End Times which did come some years later. Timeline-wise, it doesn’t fit. I mean, best read Shamanslayer to get an idea on this little gaffe.
I think Nathan Long has done a great job of writing a strong, female character as a tragic heroine. Will all the slashing, biting and ghoul attacks, Bloodborn vampires were far from the vampire tales I’ve read previously and even move away from some of the lore. There’s some genuine horror here also. I do think the ending was a little abrupt, but many Warhammer novels I’ve read seem to rush from point A-B and endings aren’t always brilliant, but do a serviceable job. So, what we get here is the opening of a trilogy. Refreshing and unique characters and non-direct lore. It’s part detective, part horror novel. It’s a good variety in an Old World which is dour and bleak. I really enjoyed Bloodborn. Sadly, Black Library novels tend to stay towards the tried and tested formula these days (or something to introduce a new table top series). It’s rare they release novels based off characters, that get their own series of novels. Something they have been addressing more recently, but more often than not, really great characters (like Ulrika) are abandoned for a new expansion or game. All a little sad really.
Some of you who read Black Library books, especially the older Warhammer fantasy stuff, will know that Bloodborn is about one of Gotrek & Felix’s side characters Ulkria Magdova – a former Kislevite noble, daughter of Ivan Straghov. There’s good reason why she got her own trilogy, being a badass and all. For me, most interestingly, this explores a darker angle to Warhammer – just what it’s like to be a vampire and how NOT to be one. It’s almost comical, but it works so well to become a firm favourite of mine. If you’re interested in Ulrika’s upon how she became a vampire try reading Manslayer
Essentially the story boils down to a continuation of Ulrika’s’ story from the Gotrek & Felix stories. A bit of background upon Ulrika; she was a daughter of a Kislevite noble as I mentioned. The Kislev’s are interesting in the sense they are akin to Mongols and defends the northern most borders to beastmen, Chaos and Norscian raiders. Ulkria pops up in many of Gortek’s stories and becomes a paramount character in her own right. She becomes involved with Felix, later on complicating matters – more so for Gotrek who just wants to slay her and be done with it. Just doing what a slayer does after all! Anyway, their relationship is both very passionate and fiery, almost dysfunctional to the point where they just don’t like each other.
The story takes place between Vampireslayer and her return in Manslayer whereupon Countess Gabriella is trying to help her control the vampiric blood lust – before her training is completed, Ulrika is ordered to Nuln and that is where the story truly begins. Vampireslayer is where she gets turned into a vampire by Krieger. At the end of this novel, with both the slayer and young noble are conflicted, both for very different reasons, one wants to help her, the other wants to kill her as I’ve mentioned. At the end, Countess Gabriella promises the duo she will teach Ulrika how to embrace her Lahmian ways. I laughed as well!
Right, actually talking about Bloodborn now – what did I like? A lot. Firstly, as I’ve mentioned previously, the story really steers clear of the usual Warhammer archetype of battles, death, redemption and someone important[ish] dying in some heroic way. It’s refreshing to read how someone can exist, though a vampire (whom are generally nasty buggers), but flip that around and do some good. Ulrika is taught such things as; moderation, discretion, how one acts and behaves with humans as a lady of society and upbringing. This is basically the first half of the novel, it sounds kind of dull, but it is far from it. There’s genuine storytelling here. Soon afterwards she sets off to Nuln (a city brought to life in the Gotrek & Felix novels) with Countess Gabriella and quickly finds herself falling into old habits of solving dilemmas she finds herself in, whereupon she is thrust into a situation where vampires are being murdered and she needs to discover whom and what is doing this.
That’s the basic track of the novel and it does it very well indeed, as the writing is first class. The characters varied and engaging. One of my personal favourites being the Witch Hunter Friedrich Holmann who has no clue Ulrika is a vampire. Doing his job well… for the Empire. He is rather dour and dull in a ‘anything isn’t human needs to die’ kind of way. Mash that all together with everything mentioned, with some genuine intrigue and suspense, it really makes for a gripping read. There are some hidden gems from the early days of Warhammer and this is one of them.
Speaking of characters, the troupe of vampires aren’t just sinister world conquering Von Carstein’s. We’ve Mathilda, part vampire, part wolf. Rough around the edges, a bit of a slummer. She helps to bring some levity to the coven of vampires of Nuln. A little gripe is Lady Hermione who for me, comes across like a spoiled brat – which is meant to be the case, she is a 1000-year-old vampire, but still, a little over-the-top for me. I kind of felt like she had listened to much Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails. The definition of the mean of paranoid. She is rather to quick to judge. She really is a fumble as characters go – there were times when I thought I might stick a fork in my eye to pass the time, but I soldiered on. There are a few others who deserve mention, poor old swain, Rodrik, a vampire’s pawn and, well poor fella.
There are a few points of contention, for me anyway. When it comes to the timeline of the novel, I’ve said it continues the story from Vampireslayer and Manslayer when Gotrek & Felix left Ulrika in Countess Gabriella care. This is all accurate, however it appears some one hundred years have passed according to Bloodborn. I only bring this up as it could be a mistake on my part, however it doesn’t fit in with the End Times which did come some years later. Timeline-wise, it doesn’t fit. I mean, best read Shamanslayer to get an idea on this little gaffe.
I think Nathan Long has done a great job of writing a strong, female character as a tragic heroine. Will all the slashing, biting and ghoul attacks, Bloodborn vampires were far from the vampire tales I’ve read previously and even move away from some of the lore. There’s some genuine horror here also. I do think the ending was a little abrupt, but many Warhammer novels I’ve read seem to rush from point A-B and endings aren’t always brilliant, but do a serviceable job. So, what we get here is the opening of a trilogy. Refreshing and unique characters and non-direct lore. It’s part detective, part horror novel. It’s a good variety in an Old World which is dour and bleak. I really enjoyed Bloodborn. Sadly, Black Library novels tend to stay towards the tried and tested formula these days (or something to introduce a new table top series). It’s rare they release novels based off characters, that get their own series of novels. Something they have been addressing more recently, but more often than not, really great characters (like Ulrika) are abandoned for a new expansion or game. All a little sad really.
August 8, 2025
Potrzebowałem powrotu do starego świata, a tak książka zapewnia to w stu procentach. wampirzyce i łowcy czarownic czego chcieć więcej do szczęścia 😊🤔
October 27, 2012
I was thoroughly impressed with this book from start to finish.
Being newly introduced to the Warhammer universe I did not know what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised.
This is a true vampire novel with some meat. If you like your vampires tame and non violent, you are in the wrong place!
The story revolves around Ulrika as she begins to adjust to her new life as a vampire. She has been removed from the home of the man who turned her, an event that happens before the book begins, and is taken in and mentored by the dynamic Countess Gabriella, a vampire after my own heart. When others of their kind, the Lahmian bloodline, are being murdered the two are sent to Nuln to help investigate.
I won't get too much into spoilers, but what I will say is that this is a vampire tale with some serious teeth! The vampires are violent and conflicted about their nature, ruthless and viscous predators that are genuinely scared of what big and nasty has decided to come and murder them. If a vampire is scared then you know it's something pretty serious, and it was!
The characters are well crafted, the world is interesting and captivating, and has many elements that one would come to expect from a fantasy novel. It took a little while for the story to really get rolling but it was by no means boring up until that point. Nathan Long has done a truly remarkable job in creating a group of dynamic female vampires, blending the upper class society persona's that they have had to keep with the vampire politics of the Warhammer world, which leads to some interesting reading. I'm curious to see where Long goes from here, the Ulrika the Vampire series being a trilogy.
Serious vampire fans will not be disappointed!
Being newly introduced to the Warhammer universe I did not know what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised.
This is a true vampire novel with some meat. If you like your vampires tame and non violent, you are in the wrong place!
The story revolves around Ulrika as she begins to adjust to her new life as a vampire. She has been removed from the home of the man who turned her, an event that happens before the book begins, and is taken in and mentored by the dynamic Countess Gabriella, a vampire after my own heart. When others of their kind, the Lahmian bloodline, are being murdered the two are sent to Nuln to help investigate.
I won't get too much into spoilers, but what I will say is that this is a vampire tale with some serious teeth! The vampires are violent and conflicted about their nature, ruthless and viscous predators that are genuinely scared of what big and nasty has decided to come and murder them. If a vampire is scared then you know it's something pretty serious, and it was!
The characters are well crafted, the world is interesting and captivating, and has many elements that one would come to expect from a fantasy novel. It took a little while for the story to really get rolling but it was by no means boring up until that point. Nathan Long has done a truly remarkable job in creating a group of dynamic female vampires, blending the upper class society persona's that they have had to keep with the vampire politics of the Warhammer world, which leads to some interesting reading. I'm curious to see where Long goes from here, the Ulrika the Vampire series being a trilogy.
Serious vampire fans will not be disappointed!
April 30, 2014
This is the first book of a trilogy that spins off from the Gotrek & Felix series of novels. Those novels are not required reading as I haven't yet read them and my enjoyment wasn't diminished at all.
Bloodborn is the tale of Ulrika Magdova, a newly turned vampire settling into here undead existence. Her guide in this Gabriella, who is teaching her the ways of the Lahmian sisterhood and how she can survive in a world full of zealots and hunters with no other objective but to cleanse them.
Ulrika settles into her new place fairly quickly, just in time to learn that someone has been exposing and murdering other members of her sisterhood.
Ulrika is a fun character even though the "good" vampire is a bit tired at this point. At least in the Warhammer universe it isn't always happy endings for everyone. The book is violent and not everyone makes it out.
The ending was a tad on the convenient side for me. The vampires are confronted by a group of Witch Hunters and manage to talk their way out of the predicament. It seems to me if you suspect someone of being a vampire you splash them with your holy water. Then you either have a dead vampire or a wet person, not that big of a gamble.
Bloodborn is the tale of Ulrika Magdova, a newly turned vampire settling into here undead existence. Her guide in this Gabriella, who is teaching her the ways of the Lahmian sisterhood and how she can survive in a world full of zealots and hunters with no other objective but to cleanse them.
Ulrika settles into her new place fairly quickly, just in time to learn that someone has been exposing and murdering other members of her sisterhood.
Ulrika is a fun character even though the "good" vampire is a bit tired at this point. At least in the Warhammer universe it isn't always happy endings for everyone. The book is violent and not everyone makes it out.
The ending was a tad on the convenient side for me. The vampires are confronted by a group of Witch Hunters and manage to talk their way out of the predicament. It seems to me if you suspect someone of being a vampire you splash them with your holy water. Then you either have a dead vampire or a wet person, not that big of a gamble.
February 16, 2012
Shadowhawk reviews the first Ulrika the Vampire novel, a spin-off series inspired by and featuring a character from the popular and on-going Gotrek & Felix series.
“An intense, action-packed novel that delves into the life of a recently-turned vampire struggling to find her place in the world.” ~ The Founding Fields
My previous run-in with Nathan’s work was the excellent Blackhearts Omnibus, featuring the adventures of Reiner Hetzau, a former Empire pistolier, and his companions as they are sent on one dangerous mission after another to atone for their crimes. The omnibus was a great read for me, considering it was my first ever Warhammer Fantasy novel and therefore served as an excellent introduction to the setting at large, given the wide variety of situations and enemies that Reiner and his friends go up against.
The next was Orcslayer, part of the on-going Gotrek & Felix series and while not as good as the Blackhearts Omnibus, it was still a good enough read, particularly with its various twists and turns that keep you on your toes.
And that is why I picked up the Ulrika novels in a heartbeat at Games Day this year. I really wanted to get back into the Warhammer world and knowing that Nathan’s work has always entertained me, Bloodborn and its sequel Bloodforged were one of my first buys. The Warhammer setting is different to most other fantasy settings precisely because it is so much darker than these other settings and is very unique in almost everything. It is also one of the richest settings I have ever read about and as sort of a rough counterpart to the grim-dark of Warhammer 40,000 it is one I have always enjoyed reading about in the past.
Bloodborn is the first novel I read after a near two month hiatus and I was immediately hooked onto it. I finished it in roughly two sittings and it is one of those very, very few novels I have ever read that I finished so fast. In fact, the only novel I finished faster than this would be Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which I finished in a record 5 hours.
Nathan’s writing just flows so well from page to page that it is hard to resist putting this novel down at all. Having read the Gotrek & Felix novels featuring her ages ago, her history was something I didn’t remember at all unfortunately, but that was not a problem at all. Past events from the original series are referred to throughout the novel, particularly since Ulrika still has rather deep feelings for Felix, and so it was hardly much of an effort to keep track of all these events.
One of my first reactions to the novel as I was reading through was that how simple Nathan’s writing is. There is no unnecessary, flowery language. The action scenes, of which there are quite a few, are all short and well-packed and each is unique. Ulrika, even though she is somewhat angsty and quick to temper at times, doesn’t mince words. Which suits her character fine as she is a Boyarina of Kislev and was a soldier in her father’s army before she was turned. The dialogue from the other characters, a few of whom have quite “wordy personalities”, is also short and to the point.
Simplicity is always a big plus for me. I have read some overly wordy works in the past and while my experience with them overall has been rather hit and miss, it has been more of the latter and less the former. So I enjoy novels which tend not to be grandiose and verbose. Because they are easy to get lost into for all the wrong reasons.
In terms of his characterization, I think Nathan is right on the money here. Being a new Vampire, especially one who was tricked and seduced into it, Ulrika’s motivations and her actions are all believable. Which is all well and good since Ulrika the Vampire now moves in a very different society and is part of a very different culture than Ulrika the Kislevite. Her new “friends”, if we can call them that, are particularly antagonistic to her without even realizing it since they are all Lahmians, a Vampire bloodline which almost exclusively relies on trickery and subterfuge to achieve its ends. Ulrika the Kislevite finds such scheming and plotting rather distasteful of course, but Ulrika the Vampire has to learn to live with it, for her own good.
The strong characterization is not something that is monopolized by Ulrika. Her mentor Countess Gabriella von Nachthafen, the various Lahmians in Nuln, young and old, and Templar Friedrich Holmann, a Witch Hunter of Sigmar, are also all portrayed rather superbly and consistently. The Lahmian nature is emphasized throughout the novel and never gets tiring because the situation that the characters find themselves in is so intricate and fragile that a misstep can bring it all crashing down on them.
The same goes for Holmann, whose zealous nature is apparent from the get go, as is his single-minded, focused dedication to his work. He is also the dashing, young hero of sorts in the novel and Ulrika, given her longing for Felix and Max, is irresistibly drawn to him and their romantic entanglement is nearly heart-breaking to watch because their natures are completely inimical to each other. Suffice to say that things don’t end well for either of them, even after all of Ulrika’s attempts to assert her humanity over her own alien, Vampiric nature.
Vampires generally are never the good guys, or girls as it were in some cases, and therefore finding myself cheering the Lahmians to find who is killing them one by one was rather exciting and surprising. The plot almost moves sideways at times but it is always progressing as well so that is not one of my complaints at all because Nathan plays the guessing game with his readers. Whenever it looks like things are looking up for Ulrika and her new sisters, their world once again turns upside down. And that is the beauty of the novel really because Nathan doesn’t make these constant upheavals in his characters’s lives over-bearing or a chore to read. They are all fresh and to the point.
It is almost like reading a fantasy murder thriller, and who doesn’t love a good thriller?
One of the best tidbits in the novel is a discussion between Ulrika and Gabriella as the two of them travel from Sylvania to Nuln to assist the Lahmians there. The discussion revolves around the different Vampire bloodlines and gives very tantalizing hints as to what really makes them all tick. Ulrika’s confusion at all the intricacies is something that the reader can well relate to and I found it to be a nice touch by Nathan.
The issue of different bloodlines among Vampires is not something that I have really come across in the larger Vampiric literature/media out there so this was one of the most unique things about the novel. You definitely get the feel that you aren’t reading about your stereotypical Vampires but something different that stands on its own. That all of this connects very well to the larger Warhammer setting is of course a plus point.
My only real, serious gripe with the novel is its ending. Nathan does a good job of building up this possible ending, giving it a near inevitable feel but when it all rolls around, you are still hoping that the inevitable doesn’t come to pass. This ending is all the more poignant and powerful because Nathan doesn’t beat around the bush with it. It is a shocking ending for sure and almost callous in its execution. I mentioned how much I liked the simplicity of the rest of the novel and this is that one moment in the entire narrative that I wanted Nathan to elaborate and really draw out.
That he didn’t speaks well of his style. He keeps you guessing until the end of the novel and that is not something that many authors can do well. Nathan makes it look too easy in fact, so kudos to him.
If you are a fan of Warhammer Fantasy in general, or a Black Library fan even more generally, or if you have always wanted to partake of more Vampire Counts literature after Jack Yeovil’s Genevieve novels and Steven Savile’s Von Carstein novels, then Bloodborn is for you. Even if you are a new entrant to the setting, you will find that the book is very easy to get into it and it eases you into the larger Warhammer world with a nice pace and lots of references to events that happen in other novels. So yes, I will most definitely recommend the novel to anyone and everyone.
As for its score, there are slight editing problems in the novel, mostly just a couple name swaps and the odd word here and there that are misspelled and therefore I find it difficult to give the novel more than an 8.5. But, that ending, just that ending, pushes it over the mark and because the whole experience in general is so good, particularly for a returning reader like me.
Therefore, I give Bloodborn a 9/10.
“An intense, action-packed novel that delves into the life of a recently-turned vampire struggling to find her place in the world.” ~ The Founding Fields
My previous run-in with Nathan’s work was the excellent Blackhearts Omnibus, featuring the adventures of Reiner Hetzau, a former Empire pistolier, and his companions as they are sent on one dangerous mission after another to atone for their crimes. The omnibus was a great read for me, considering it was my first ever Warhammer Fantasy novel and therefore served as an excellent introduction to the setting at large, given the wide variety of situations and enemies that Reiner and his friends go up against.
The next was Orcslayer, part of the on-going Gotrek & Felix series and while not as good as the Blackhearts Omnibus, it was still a good enough read, particularly with its various twists and turns that keep you on your toes.
And that is why I picked up the Ulrika novels in a heartbeat at Games Day this year. I really wanted to get back into the Warhammer world and knowing that Nathan’s work has always entertained me, Bloodborn and its sequel Bloodforged were one of my first buys. The Warhammer setting is different to most other fantasy settings precisely because it is so much darker than these other settings and is very unique in almost everything. It is also one of the richest settings I have ever read about and as sort of a rough counterpart to the grim-dark of Warhammer 40,000 it is one I have always enjoyed reading about in the past.
Bloodborn is the first novel I read after a near two month hiatus and I was immediately hooked onto it. I finished it in roughly two sittings and it is one of those very, very few novels I have ever read that I finished so fast. In fact, the only novel I finished faster than this would be Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which I finished in a record 5 hours.
Nathan’s writing just flows so well from page to page that it is hard to resist putting this novel down at all. Having read the Gotrek & Felix novels featuring her ages ago, her history was something I didn’t remember at all unfortunately, but that was not a problem at all. Past events from the original series are referred to throughout the novel, particularly since Ulrika still has rather deep feelings for Felix, and so it was hardly much of an effort to keep track of all these events.
One of my first reactions to the novel as I was reading through was that how simple Nathan’s writing is. There is no unnecessary, flowery language. The action scenes, of which there are quite a few, are all short and well-packed and each is unique. Ulrika, even though she is somewhat angsty and quick to temper at times, doesn’t mince words. Which suits her character fine as she is a Boyarina of Kislev and was a soldier in her father’s army before she was turned. The dialogue from the other characters, a few of whom have quite “wordy personalities”, is also short and to the point.
Simplicity is always a big plus for me. I have read some overly wordy works in the past and while my experience with them overall has been rather hit and miss, it has been more of the latter and less the former. So I enjoy novels which tend not to be grandiose and verbose. Because they are easy to get lost into for all the wrong reasons.
In terms of his characterization, I think Nathan is right on the money here. Being a new Vampire, especially one who was tricked and seduced into it, Ulrika’s motivations and her actions are all believable. Which is all well and good since Ulrika the Vampire now moves in a very different society and is part of a very different culture than Ulrika the Kislevite. Her new “friends”, if we can call them that, are particularly antagonistic to her without even realizing it since they are all Lahmians, a Vampire bloodline which almost exclusively relies on trickery and subterfuge to achieve its ends. Ulrika the Kislevite finds such scheming and plotting rather distasteful of course, but Ulrika the Vampire has to learn to live with it, for her own good.
The strong characterization is not something that is monopolized by Ulrika. Her mentor Countess Gabriella von Nachthafen, the various Lahmians in Nuln, young and old, and Templar Friedrich Holmann, a Witch Hunter of Sigmar, are also all portrayed rather superbly and consistently. The Lahmian nature is emphasized throughout the novel and never gets tiring because the situation that the characters find themselves in is so intricate and fragile that a misstep can bring it all crashing down on them.
The same goes for Holmann, whose zealous nature is apparent from the get go, as is his single-minded, focused dedication to his work. He is also the dashing, young hero of sorts in the novel and Ulrika, given her longing for Felix and Max, is irresistibly drawn to him and their romantic entanglement is nearly heart-breaking to watch because their natures are completely inimical to each other. Suffice to say that things don’t end well for either of them, even after all of Ulrika’s attempts to assert her humanity over her own alien, Vampiric nature.
Vampires generally are never the good guys, or girls as it were in some cases, and therefore finding myself cheering the Lahmians to find who is killing them one by one was rather exciting and surprising. The plot almost moves sideways at times but it is always progressing as well so that is not one of my complaints at all because Nathan plays the guessing game with his readers. Whenever it looks like things are looking up for Ulrika and her new sisters, their world once again turns upside down. And that is the beauty of the novel really because Nathan doesn’t make these constant upheavals in his characters’s lives over-bearing or a chore to read. They are all fresh and to the point.
It is almost like reading a fantasy murder thriller, and who doesn’t love a good thriller?
One of the best tidbits in the novel is a discussion between Ulrika and Gabriella as the two of them travel from Sylvania to Nuln to assist the Lahmians there. The discussion revolves around the different Vampire bloodlines and gives very tantalizing hints as to what really makes them all tick. Ulrika’s confusion at all the intricacies is something that the reader can well relate to and I found it to be a nice touch by Nathan.
The issue of different bloodlines among Vampires is not something that I have really come across in the larger Vampiric literature/media out there so this was one of the most unique things about the novel. You definitely get the feel that you aren’t reading about your stereotypical Vampires but something different that stands on its own. That all of this connects very well to the larger Warhammer setting is of course a plus point.
My only real, serious gripe with the novel is its ending. Nathan does a good job of building up this possible ending, giving it a near inevitable feel but when it all rolls around, you are still hoping that the inevitable doesn’t come to pass. This ending is all the more poignant and powerful because Nathan doesn’t beat around the bush with it. It is a shocking ending for sure and almost callous in its execution. I mentioned how much I liked the simplicity of the rest of the novel and this is that one moment in the entire narrative that I wanted Nathan to elaborate and really draw out.
That he didn’t speaks well of his style. He keeps you guessing until the end of the novel and that is not something that many authors can do well. Nathan makes it look too easy in fact, so kudos to him.
If you are a fan of Warhammer Fantasy in general, or a Black Library fan even more generally, or if you have always wanted to partake of more Vampire Counts literature after Jack Yeovil’s Genevieve novels and Steven Savile’s Von Carstein novels, then Bloodborn is for you. Even if you are a new entrant to the setting, you will find that the book is very easy to get into it and it eases you into the larger Warhammer world with a nice pace and lots of references to events that happen in other novels. So yes, I will most definitely recommend the novel to anyone and everyone.
As for its score, there are slight editing problems in the novel, mostly just a couple name swaps and the odd word here and there that are misspelled and therefore I find it difficult to give the novel more than an 8.5. But, that ending, just that ending, pushes it over the mark and because the whole experience in general is so good, particularly for a returning reader like me.
Therefore, I give Bloodborn a 9/10.
June 30, 2023
I was disappointed with Gotrek and Felix book 6 (Vampireslayer) because of the open ending after a long chase. This book continues right after that ending and makes up for it! You can read this without the Gotrek and Felix story, but I would still recommend to read it and the previous ones to get the full picture of who she was before.
One of the best Vampire books I've read so far, an excellent start to a trilogy and could even be read as a standalone (in my opinion). You learn together with Ulrika (who recently got turned) how the hierarchy works, how she should behave/learn to control herself and what she/others can do. All this combined with a decent murder mystery, the killing of a high society Vampire, in Nuln.
Yes some things were a bit predictable and there was an annoying character for the sake of being annoying...hence the reduction of a star.
Definitely worth a read for Fantasy/Vampire fans, even if you are not into Warhammer.
One of the best Vampire books I've read so far, an excellent start to a trilogy and could even be read as a standalone (in my opinion). You learn together with Ulrika (who recently got turned) how the hierarchy works, how she should behave/learn to control herself and what she/others can do. All this combined with a decent murder mystery, the killing of a high society Vampire, in Nuln.
Yes some things were a bit predictable and there was an annoying character for the sake of being annoying...hence the reduction of a star.
Definitely worth a read for Fantasy/Vampire fans, even if you are not into Warhammer.
April 26, 2012
With its franchise setting and vampire-heavy cast, the titled-with-a-trilogy-in-mind novel "Bloodborn" could have easily been a mess of overused fantasy tropes, forgettable characters, and stock action sequences set to a telegraphed plot. Instead, author Long produces an admirable fantasy-themed mystery with sympathetic characters who live beyond their roles. The cast follows a trail to its cinematically minded climax, for sure, but it's a finale paired with an ending whose impact few would expect from a genre novel. The emotional conflicts are engaging without being overwrought, and there is more than one character readers will be sad to leave behind. Recommended for fantasy fans who might otherwise feel sheepish for picking this one off the shelf.
March 3, 2014
I literally devoured this story. Four days to read 400 pages means that the story catches the reader. Nothing could be more true than that. I was expecting a lighthearted fantasy story but I was surprised by the ending. It's not bittersweet. It's utterly tragic. Not tragic as in 'the main character dies' (no spoiler here, we're talking about the first book of a trilogy), but tragic as in 'there is no catharsis for the main character'. The story itself starts as a 'find the killer' cliché but soon enough unfolds in unexpected ways. The author knows how to keep your attention through the whole story, and the language, albeit sometimes repetitive in its forms, is pleasant and uncomplicated to read, which is quite refreshing
July 29, 2012
I had very low expectations of this book. The only reason I picked it up out of the bargain bin in the bookstore was because i saw the "warhammer" logo on it, and for €5,99 I deceided that it was worth the risk.
With a title like "Ulrika the vampire" and the cover picture the way it is, I was expecting a "New moon" or maybe even a "Charmed" feel to the book. I was pleasantly suprised.
I found the main character very sympathetic even though she had to make some tough decisions troughout the story, and the ending was original enough to keep my reading at a eager pace untill the very last sentence.
All in all a very easy read and very much worth giving a try.
With a title like "Ulrika the vampire" and the cover picture the way it is, I was expecting a "New moon" or maybe even a "Charmed" feel to the book. I was pleasantly suprised.
I found the main character very sympathetic even though she had to make some tough decisions troughout the story, and the ending was original enough to keep my reading at a eager pace untill the very last sentence.
All in all a very easy read and very much worth giving a try.
October 3, 2011
Very fun and dark. I enjoyed this book very much. Excellent material! =)
July 13, 2022
Honestly, this book surprised me. I had read Nathan Long's first book in his Black Hearts series for Warhammer, and while I found it good, it really didn't blow me away. This is, without a doubt, one of the best Black Library books I've read so far.
The basic plot: Ulrika has been turned into a vampire and left in the care by another vampire named Gabriella. Under Gabriella's care Ulrika is learning to restrain herself while feeding, hiding her powers, and just overall existing in secret society of vampires. Gabriella and Ulrika are caught up in a murder mystery plot, and Ulrika befriends a witch hunter while training to keep a thread of her humanity in tact.
I think what really works about the book is Ulrika is, ironically enough, very vulnerable and human and not in an obnoxious and overly whiney way. She has trouble adjusting to the vampire world and letting go of the desire and weaknesses that keep her tethered to the human world. This is what makes her end up connecting with and ultimately having conflict with the witch hunter. They both have entered new worlds where there is not much room for black and white and they must make hard choices about their principles and allegiances. Ulrika doesn't end the story a "complete" character by most books standards, she still has a grip on her morality and lines she refuses to cross. It leaves room for her to grow and change in the following two books, which I'm personally excited to read.
The great thing about the Warhammer universe is there is room for the cartoonish and over the top of adventures of characters like Gotrek and Felix, and the smaller more personal stories of Ulrika the vampire. It works because all of the characters here are intriguing and don't behave 100% on script with their tropes. There are some really tough decisions made by the cast here, with equally tough outcomes. Some good, some bad, but it stays compelling til the end and the ending doesn't feel like a cop out.
Have to say, I am excited to see where this story goes, and it is shaping up to be one fo the best I've read so far in the Warhammer universe.
The basic plot: Ulrika has been turned into a vampire and left in the care by another vampire named Gabriella. Under Gabriella's care Ulrika is learning to restrain herself while feeding, hiding her powers, and just overall existing in secret society of vampires. Gabriella and Ulrika are caught up in a murder mystery plot, and Ulrika befriends a witch hunter while training to keep a thread of her humanity in tact.
I think what really works about the book is Ulrika is, ironically enough, very vulnerable and human and not in an obnoxious and overly whiney way. She has trouble adjusting to the vampire world and letting go of the desire and weaknesses that keep her tethered to the human world. This is what makes her end up connecting with and ultimately having conflict with the witch hunter. They both have entered new worlds where there is not much room for black and white and they must make hard choices about their principles and allegiances. Ulrika doesn't end the story a "complete" character by most books standards, she still has a grip on her morality and lines she refuses to cross. It leaves room for her to grow and change in the following two books, which I'm personally excited to read.
The great thing about the Warhammer universe is there is room for the cartoonish and over the top of adventures of characters like Gotrek and Felix, and the smaller more personal stories of Ulrika the vampire. It works because all of the characters here are intriguing and don't behave 100% on script with their tropes. There are some really tough decisions made by the cast here, with equally tough outcomes. Some good, some bad, but it stays compelling til the end and the ending doesn't feel like a cop out.
Have to say, I am excited to see where this story goes, and it is shaping up to be one fo the best I've read so far in the Warhammer universe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2018
Worthwhile read. There are some grammatical and other issues that could have been resolved with another round of editing--they did distract me from the read, but not enough to dissuade me from continuing on with the story (because the story is rather good). This book was suggested to me (who knows little to nothing about Warhammer) by a friend (who, it should be noted is a Warhammer fan) in terms of its vampire story and needing little insight into the Warhammer world. It definitely is refreshing to read a vampire story where the vampires are actually monsters, but also have their own "lives" and a society of their own all while dealing with humans and so forth. The protagonist is still likable while admitting to being a monster because she still clings to her human life since she is a new vampire (and it begs to question how she'll go from here--will she remain clinging to vestiges of her human life or will she embrace her vampirism?). The pacing is atrocious, mainly due to the author telling us everything in the beginning instead of showing us how events transpired before this book--which led to a sudden influx of non-stop action. Again, this could have been fixed with another round of editing/drafting. Despite the negatives, I look forward to reading the next two books in the Ulrika trilogy to find out what happens with this interesting story.
September 16, 2018
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book. It's part of the Warhammer universe and published with their brand on. I don't know an awful lot about Warhammer so thought I might be left behind. I was wrong!
Ulrika the Vampire follows our eponymous protagonist through her first month's as a young vampire. This is a difficult time for the vampires as something is hunting and killing them. As they try to hunt their killer they are also being tracked and interrogated by the vampire hunters. Trapped between these two foes Ulrika has to learn to control her urges and her powers.
You need 0 Warhammer knowledge to enjoy this book.
Well written and with a nod to Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned.
Ulrika the Vampire follows our eponymous protagonist through her first month's as a young vampire. This is a difficult time for the vampires as something is hunting and killing them. As they try to hunt their killer they are also being tracked and interrogated by the vampire hunters. Trapped between these two foes Ulrika has to learn to control her urges and her powers.
You need 0 Warhammer knowledge to enjoy this book.
Well written and with a nod to Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned.
May 24, 2020
Honestly I wasn’t expecting this book to be super interesting when I first picked it up. After all it sets in the Warhammer Fantasy world, which is a very complex background, and I’m always a bit skeptical about novels based off games or other settings, since the authors’ creativity might be confined.
However, I did enjoy this book a lot. Interesting characters with intriguing plot. Especially after roughly halfway through the whole book, it reached a climax, it was really hard for me to put the book down. I was about to read just one chapter before bed and then when I finally closed it i realized that it was already 4 AM.
Overall, it’s a great little story and a fun read. Definitely would recommend it to every fantasy fans.
However, I did enjoy this book a lot. Interesting characters with intriguing plot. Especially after roughly halfway through the whole book, it reached a climax, it was really hard for me to put the book down. I was about to read just one chapter before bed and then when I finally closed it i realized that it was already 4 AM.
Overall, it’s a great little story and a fun read. Definitely would recommend it to every fantasy fans.
May 1, 2022
I really expected this to be garbage.
I expected it to be fun.
But I expected it to be garbage.
Much of this type of fantasy is just so very poorly written, forgettable, superficial.
I expected that of this, but wanted to read something silly and fun with swords and wizards and vampires.
I was shocked to find that this book is actually good.
I mean, it's not Tolstoy or Dostoevsky good.
But it's actually quite good.
It's well written.
The characters have dimension, depth.
The story is interesting.
The suspense is, well, suspenseful.
For what it is, this is very good.
There are two more books in the series.
So far, can't find them for less than $150 or so online, so maybe not going to end up reading them. But I'll keep my eye out.
I expected it to be fun.
But I expected it to be garbage.
Much of this type of fantasy is just so very poorly written, forgettable, superficial.
I expected that of this, but wanted to read something silly and fun with swords and wizards and vampires.
I was shocked to find that this book is actually good.
I mean, it's not Tolstoy or Dostoevsky good.
But it's actually quite good.
It's well written.
The characters have dimension, depth.
The story is interesting.
The suspense is, well, suspenseful.
For what it is, this is very good.
There are two more books in the series.
So far, can't find them for less than $150 or so online, so maybe not going to end up reading them. But I'll keep my eye out.
November 18, 2018
So, normally Warhammer novels are just bloody gorge battle scene after battle scene, which is why I read them. A very serious guilty pleasure of mine, some people like stupid YA romances, I enjoy bloody Warhammer books 🤷♀️ HOWEVER THIS BOOK, was beautiful. It had an intriguing plot line and AN AMAZING female cast of characters and I just DIED. It is an amazing vampire novel, it had the gothic horror, badass vampires, adventure, a LOVE INTEREST, and ass-kicking female “sisters”. I just can’t. Ulrika is now a favorite character of mine, no doubt about it.
January 6, 2024
The Lahmian way
Following the events of Vampireslayer , Ulrika’s undeath takes her on an independent trail from the Gotrek and Felix saga. In this first act of her new existence, she will have to forget her old straightforward behavior and learn to joust not with blades, but with arguments, deception and cynicism. A solo debut that works, since the main character stays true to herself, the author keeps the struggle realistic and the ending will surprise a large majority of the readers!
Following the events of Vampireslayer , Ulrika’s undeath takes her on an independent trail from the Gotrek and Felix saga. In this first act of her new existence, she will have to forget her old straightforward behavior and learn to joust not with blades, but with arguments, deception and cynicism. A solo debut that works, since the main character stays true to herself, the author keeps the struggle realistic and the ending will surprise a large majority of the readers!
September 17, 2024
Was not expecting to get as into this book as I did. Vampire fiction is very hit or miss for me but this book was stellar. I loved the themes of balancing humanity and monstrous needs. The idea that our character wants to be human still but is forced to carry out the evil acts of an undead monster. It’s an interesting tightrope walk to follow. This book also has an ok murder mystery. The plot of the murder mystery is easy enough to follow and I would be interested to reread it one day to see if there were clues I missed. Overall a great read and something I would recommend for a fan of fantasy.
January 13, 2020
Ulrika si pomaly zvyká na nový (ne)život ako upírky. Je pod neustálym dohľadom svojej mentorky, grófky Obi-Wana...ehm Gabriely. No Gabriela je nútená prešetriť zahadné vraždy v grófstve ktoré patrí jej sesternici Hermione.. Nie TEJ Hermione.
Tento spin-off serie Zabíjač ma veľmi bavil. Prakticky každa postava má dačo do seba.
Nathan Long pojal silno ženský román ako lajdáctvá Jacka Rozparovača a dal to pána Celkom isto budem pokračovať v jej príbehoch.
Tento spin-off serie Zabíjač ma veľmi bavil. Prakticky každa postava má dačo do seba.
Nathan Long pojal silno ženský román ako lajdáctvá Jacka Rozparovača a dal to pána Celkom isto budem pokračovať v jej príbehoch.
June 13, 2020
Really enjoyed this book, loved the character in the Gotrek and felix novels this spin off starts 2 weeks after vampireslayer left off, with ulrika being turned in to a vampire by kreigar the main villain in vampireslayer.
It was a fun read entering in to this trilogy and see how ulrika is trying to come to terms with her vampirism, great characters, fun plot and good ending to the story can’t wait to see what comes next with this character
It was a fun read entering in to this trilogy and see how ulrika is trying to come to terms with her vampirism, great characters, fun plot and good ending to the story can’t wait to see what comes next with this character
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2021
Okay, okay, decent enough. I really liked the fight scenes and how suspense was built. It was a fun, fast-paced read. If I had to label it I would call it a coming of age mystery with a vampire twist - except a better ending that didn’t drip with cliches.
There were a few cliches and silly lines especially between the main character (Ulrika) and some of the side characters. But it was still entertaining which is really all I care about in a book like this.
There were a few cliches and silly lines especially between the main character (Ulrika) and some of the side characters. But it was still entertaining which is really all I care about in a book like this.
March 6, 2024
El universo en el que se desarrolla la historia resulta fascinante, y oscuro al mismo tiempo; la trama es interesante, y tiene un muy buen ritmo; lo mejor de este libro, son sus personajes; ya que, el autor se aleja de la idealización de la figura del vampiro, que es tan abundante en la literatura actual; pues, en Hija de la Sangre, los vampiros no son los seres trágicos, y de bondad absoluta, que aparecen en libros como los de la saga Crepúsculo, sino que son anti-héroes, mucho más realistas.
January 2, 2025
A really interesting book about how someone who just turned into a vampire would handle being thrown into a new world of politics, rules and allies. It also shows another side of vampires that most people aren’t used to, which is a good change of pace from either killing machines, or gloating counts
July 16, 2019
Finally got round to reading this book after being pestered for years by the OH.
It was definitely a lot better than I thought it would be.
Took a while to finish due to life commitments but looking forward to making a start on book 2 in the series.
It was definitely a lot better than I thought it would be.
Took a while to finish due to life commitments but looking forward to making a start on book 2 in the series.
September 7, 2020
It was a vampire story. Not the best, not the worst. It was reasonably entertaining, even if some characters felt rather flat. Specially Hermione and Gabriella's champion. I liked Ulrika, though.
I think.
I think.
April 10, 2019
Really enjoyed thus book and it kept me hooked throughout
July 27, 2019
Genuinely pretty decent. A tale of vampire skullduggery, and a really nice moral exploration of a fresh turned vampire and her woes and travails. I look forward to the second volume.
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