Orcslayer

When I first saw this new title in the Gotrek and Felix series, I was a little apprehensive with a new author taking over from Mr. King. Despite that feeling, I had to get this book because it was continuing the story of some of my favorite characters in fantasy. It did not disappoint, in fact, I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book has elements of humor and lots of dwarfs with Felix being the only human around so he, and you as the reader, get to learn a bit more of dwarf society. Poor Felix's interactions consequently are both amusing and annoying for him. I really liked how we got to learn more of Gotrek's past...and yet here is one nitpick...the timeline is changed from what is learned in King's books. [Small spoiler alert ahead but nothing crucial to plot] In this book Gotrek mentions that he's been a Slayer for eighty years!! I thought he got his axe a little over forty years ago, which can be gleaned from the books of Daemonslayer and Beastslayer. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I am one of those avid readers who tends to remember details even years after the first reading, so even though things like this stick out to me, it doesn't always ruin my overall reading experience. This is one such book. I just felt that I had to point out that there can and will be discrepancies between the new and old, it's probably very hard to keep facts straight or consistent. Mr. Long did a great job and I'd recommend this for any fan of Gotrek and Felix. Mr. Long also managed to keep me wondering who the baddie was going to be almost to the end of the book! That was cool. And yes, I did buy this soon after it was released, I am just super late in reviewing.

Gotrek and Felix arrive back to the southern coast of the Old World to discover that the orcs are running rampant. The Empire's armies, including their dwarf allies, are far north fighting off a major Chaos invasion. Gotrek wants nothing more than to quickly journey to the north and find a worthy doom. However, his one-time friend, Prince Hamnir, insists Gotrek help him reclaim his hold from the greenskins who have overrun it. Gotrek refuses to help the hateful dwarf prince until Hamnir blackmails him into it by calling upon an ancient pledge. Gotrek and Felix travel to the Diamondsmith Clan's hold expecting the task to be simple. After all, it is only orcs. But these orcs are different. These orcs are organized, well disciplined, and clever. Magic must be involved somehow, because the rune upon Gotrek's axe glows faintly. Finding a way into the hold is all but impossible, but once accomplished, our heroic duo find a more horrific situation before them. ***** Author Nathan Long has done a very good job keeping the characters by fellow-author William King towing their normal line. Other than a slight difference in writing style, and you have to be looking for it or you may miss it, the characters seem the same as always. (Outstanding job there, Mr. Long!) By the end of this adventure, Gotrek's soul carries an even greater weight. So does Felix's, for that matter. It actually makes Gotrek seem more mortal. I have an even deeper respect for both our heroes since I have finished the novel too. This mean the author made the two main characters even more believable to me; that takes a lot of talent for an author to accomplish. Superb! ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Man it has been a long time since I have read a Felix & Gotrek book. And I was pretty apprehensive when I saw that for this, the 8th entry in the "Slayer" series, a new writer has taken over for William King. But after reading the book I have to say that in my opinion the series is in great hands with author Nathan Long. In fact, I will even go as far as to say that for me this book TIES with my favourite Gotrek & Felix of all time, "Daemonslayer". Just to give you a quick idea of the plot, author Long wisely chooses to begin his narrative some 20 years after the end of the action in the previous book in the series "Giantslayer" (--to allow William King the freedom to fill us in on the adventures in the intervening years at some later date?) We now find our two heroes returning from years away battling Chaos in the farthest reaches of the Warhammer world. Soon they become embroiled in the struggle to take back a Dwarf hold from the hands of Orcs who have overrun it. They are under pressure, as time is running out for any possible Dwarf survivors trapped inside without much food. But soon they find out that these are no ordinary Orcs..... So why did I enjoy this book so much, and what makes me rate it so highly? Well for one thing, for what I think is the first time in the ENTIRE history of the series, I felt that the writing was not overly rushed. Although the actual number of pages is about the same, when reading this book it somehow felt like it was about 100 pages longer than the previous Gotrek & Felix books, and I believe that this was due to very satisfying plot development and characterization. And in all of King's books I always felt that the ending was very, very rushed and almost tacked on as an afterthought. Not so here. When this book finally came to an end, I felt very satisfied. With respect to character development, Long does a great job here too. He makes good use of his previous experience writing multiple characters in his "Blackhearts" series, and really fleshes out the characters of each of the Dwarves who join Gotrek & Felix on their urgent rescue mission to free the hold. Also, under King's helm, I think about the only time we really got a chance to get some deeper characterization for either of our main heroes was way back in "Skavenslayer", the 2nd book in the series, when King seemed to take more time to give the character of Felix some psychological depth. This time out, Nathan Long gives us some intriguing glimpses into the character of Gotrek, and the dwarf he was before he took the Slayer's crest and met up with Felix. I did miss some of the supporting characters from the previous books like Snorri and Malakai and Ulrike and even the crafty Skaven Thanquol. But Long takes care to weave mention of these characters and previous adventures into his narrative at the appropriate moments, letting me know that he is aware of and respects the story that has gone before, and giving me hope that we m

When I first learned that Bill King would not be writing the next Gotrek & Felix novel, I was annoyed and worried. I really didn't want to see two of my favourite heroes revised or "reimagined". I am happy to say that those concerns have been more than laid to rest; they've been split from head to groin like one of the many hapless greenskins in 'Orcslayer'. Nathan Long takes the reins of the Black Library's longest running series with both hands and lashes it into gritty overdrive. This story starts with a literal bang and does not let up until the very end. Along the way, we learn more than ever before about Gotrek's pre-Slayer past, and even get to see him happy (if only briefly). The novel also addresses some things I have wondered about more than once: what do Gotrek and Felix talk about when they're not in danger? What do they truly think of each other? Are they really even friends? 'Orcslayer' is populated with a fine supporting cast that is mostly dwarfs, but they are all given enough personality to be distinct characters. I particularly liked Kagrin the master goldsmith, and Leatherbeard the Slayer (one of the most unconventional Slayers yet). We get more insight into the ways of dwarfs, the first such look since 'Dragonslayer'. The main plot is somewhat predictable, but the set pieces of the story are not. My only qualm was setting the story twenty years since the events of 'Giantslayer'; that is nothing to Gotrek, but Felix is not a young man anymore. I enjoyed 'Orcslayer' thoroughly, and all the more so for having such tentative expectations. I strongly recommend this to all fans of Gotrek & Felix. It is easily the strongest entry in the series since 'Beastslayer', and in my opinion one of the best books in the series. Even if Bill King does not return to chronicle their adventures, I feel confident in saying the fates of our two heroes are in good hands with Mr. Long.

Wow. How many of us have been waiting for another Gotrek & Felix novel? It seems like it has been years. The two stars of the Black Library are finally back....and it was worth waiting for this. Big time kudos to the Black Library, because they actually did this book right. Nathan Long has written a fantastic story. The opening of the book tells how it has been 20 years since Gotrek and Felix left the Empire. As I stated, Nathan Long did a great job with the story. The two heroes arrive in the Old World after a lenghty journey. He avoided cramming those 20 years of adventures into Orcslayer, so they do not take away from the action. And there is plenty of action. Those of you who buy this and have not read another Slayer book before will not feel left out of the loop, because Nathan Long does not draw on any previous books to add to the plot. I will not give anything away about what happens, but I for one am very pleased with the approach Nathan Long has taken. Gotrek and Felix do not rush off to confront the Everchosen, they do not meet any old characters from the previous books, what happened in Araby is not even mentioned, and we see a softer, deeply hidden side of Gotrek in the novel. They do encounter an old evil that they alone are capable of taking care of, and this creature is a new addition to the Warhammer world; there has never been a baddy like this one before. I suspect that not everyone will like this, but I am happy that Nathan Long has made these two characters and their story his. Welcome back guys. Those of us who have been reading novels from the Black Library for a long time have missed you.