Gotrek & Felix: The First Omnibus [Paperback]

This collection of the first three books in the series of Gotrek and Felix covers Trollslayer, Skavenslayer and Daemonslayer. From the very first short-story this book had me hooked and didn't let me go until the very end of the book. I devoured the 763 pages in record time (for me at least, which was under one week). If you love fantasy adventures with great characters that you can identify with, I heartily recomment this book. I found it to be a great value over purchasing the books separately (though this does make it less portable if you enjoy reading while on-the-go).

I am not a player of the Warhammer games, so I did not quite know what to expect going into this book. I had originally picked it up to gain some background on the Warhammer universe for a job interview with the Warhammer Online development team. And even though I didn't get the game programming job, I was happy to have found this treasure.

The first two books are in a short story format which made me eager to read several in a single sitting. Looking at the table of contents I was leery that the final book, Daemonslayer, was not in the short story format as I had come to enjoy it so much. But the chapters flow so well in Daemonslayer that I didn't want the excitement to end. I'm eagerly looking forward to the second and third omnibi (omnibuses?) of Gotrek and Felix.

One is on a quest to die, the other is on a quest to help.

Story:
This omnibus contains 13 short stories ranging from 20-60 pages and a full length novel at the end. This Omnibus chronicles the adventures of a pair of warriors as they battle their way through the Warhammer Universe. The stories are in chronological order and the characters gain new gear, experiences, and scars as they battle their way across the World of Warhammer. Gotrek has committed a crime against his people and has been sentenced to die in glorious battle against overwhelming odds. Felix is a fencer and a scholar who accompanies Gotrek and wants to write an epic saga of his death. Together, they rush headlong into danger as they make enemies and allies in a world at war.

World:
All of the stories take place in the Warhammer Universe. The world is a blend between Lord of the Rings and Germany when it was under the rule of the Holy Roman Empire. It's Gritty High Fantasy in a state of perpetual war and turmoil. This book focuses on the Hearty Dwarves, Bloodlusted Orcs, Chaos Spawned Beastmen, and Treacherous Skaven.

Characters:
Despite the fact that Gotrek has committed a serious crime, he is noble and lusts for the battle that will give him a glorious death. Felix owes Gotrek his life and accompanies him on his quest to die. Because Felix has spent so much of his life behind books, the travels across the world are new and exciting to him. The reader experiences Nuln, Kislev, and the Chaos Wastes through the eyes of Felix. In addition to the deadly duo, this omnibus features an array of other heroes and villains. The characters are interesting, funny, entertaining, and you find yourself cheering for them.

Writing Style:
The writing style is fast paced heroic fantasy. But it's not just swords swinging and axes chopping, there's a great deal of humanity in the characters. Settings are majestic, battles are bloody, characters are memorable, and dialogue is entertaining. It's the complete package. If you're looking for some background material on the Warhammer universe, the descriptions of the cities, dungeons, wastes, ruins, and battlefields are inspirational.

Action:
As you may have guessed, this book is loaded with cover to cover action. There are massive battles, skirmishes, assassinations, brawls, duels, more battles, deadly magic, beastmen, armies, ratmen, and even more battles. In the battles, it's not just about who won, you actually feel adrenaline rushes as you read them. Limbs fall, heads roll, blood splatters... Daemonslayer does a fantastic job at describing the horrors of war. Feelings of anxiety, dread, relief, victory, and loss are expertly portrayed through the book.

Maturity: Teens
There are loads of fantasy violence and gore and non-descript sexual situations. (Basically the lights go out and a couple wakes up happy the next morning.)

Overall: 9.5
For $10 you get 13 short stories and a full novel. All of the stories are good and the book gets better as it progresses. This is a GREAT read for Warhammer enthusiasts and fans of high adventure. You'll laugh, cringe, cheer, and learn a great deal about the World of Warhammer.

If you enjoyed this, definitely pick up Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian Stories or the Savage Sword of Conan Comics. You will probably also like the Drizzt books by R.A. Salvatore. And if you like Epic Heroes, definitely pick up Legend by David Gemmell. If you like Fun and Entertaining fantasy, you should read Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber.

Hero looking to find a doom fitting for himself along with a companion
that comes along to chronicle the adventures. That about sums it up - you
get exactly what you expect here. Bodies pile up at great speed. A few
minor boss encounters culminate in a great showdown. It's an undemanding,
quick read that will be fun for most that will not be turned off by the cover.