Eric Anondson said:
I've been seriously enjoying the Warhammer line of novels. They have a much stronger "medieval" sensibility about them that anything WotC/TSR has ever published.
I'm not a connoisseur of the Warhammer novel line, but my first Warhammer novel was
Death's Messenger by Sandy Mitchell which I purchased the same time I grabbed the
WFRP2 ruleset. I felt it was an excellent introduction to the Warhammer world. I promptly picked up
Witch Hunter after that and have been grabbing more and more of the Warhammer novels...
Frankly I have not been impressed by the
Gotrek and Felix series... from what I hear that might make me something of an apostate among Warhammer novel fans.
I just want to reiterate that as a D&D fan I have been rather impressed by the Warhammer line's medieval (actually closer to early Renaissance) sensibility.
I agree- I got into the WH fiction about the same time as WHFRP2, and to be honest they are the only gaming fiction I can stomach. That said, some of the WH fiction is bad- not Drizzt bad, but pretty bad. Here is a list of WH stuff I'd recommend:
Witch Hunter and Witch Finder by C.L. Werner- tales about an Inquisitor and his morally destitute henchman who root out evil and chaos in the Empire.
Gilead's Blood by Dan Abnett- about the last line of an elven house and his friend/retainer who are trying to find the remains of their dying people. The first compelling and cool presentation of elves I've seen in a novel- although the elves are utterly alien to humans and are feared.
Wine of Dreams by Brian Stableford- Deep within the shadowy foothills of the Grey Mountains, a dark plot is uncovered by an innocent young merchant. A mysterious stranger leads Reinmar Weiland to stumble upon the secrets of a sinister underworld hidden beneath the very feet of the unsuspecting Empire - and learn of the legendary elixir, the mysterious and forbidden Wine of Dreams
Darkblade: Daemon's Curse, and Darkblade: Bloodstorm by Dan Abnett- a chilling take on dark elves that makes drow look tame and like kindergardeners by comparison. The "hero" of the stories is the worst of the lot. Interesting looks at demonic possession and political backstabbing and maneuvering.
Grudgebearer by Gav Thorpe- story about a dwarf named Baranduin Stoneheart, heir to the throne of Zhufbar who is honor bound to avenge his father's death, but must first set right previous grudges against the enemies of this clan. Interesting look at how dwarves think and act VERY differently than humans.
Ambassador Chronicles by Graham McNeill- Kaspar von Velten, a retired Imperial general, is sent to Kislev as an ambassador to the Tsarina and uncovers a devious plot by chaos cultists. Has a lot of interesting scenes involving political footwork in a court, as well as invesitgation.
Riders of the Dead by Dan Abnett- tale of the two surviving members of a squad of lancers- one is accepted into the Kislevite horse nomads, and the other becomes a champion of chaos. Interesting look at how war can affect a person's perceptions and the way their life takes.
Zaragoz by Brian Craig- A moment’s kindness plunges the wandering player Orfeo deep into a web of intrigue within the grim walls of Zaragoz, where his life is imperiled by tyrannical ministers, secret police, black magicians and wayward saints.
Hammers of Ulric by Dan Abnett and James Wallis- Dark powers gather around the ancient mountain-top city of Middenheim, the City of the White Wolf. Only the noble Templar Knights of Ulric and a few unlikely allies stand to defend her against the insidious servants of Death. Templar Knight Ganz and his brothers-in-arms must seek help from the most unlikely of allies if they are to save the city they are sworn to protect.
Those are the best of the WH novels I have read. If you're looking for stories that aren't as dark or gritty, go for the stuff D&D is based on- Howard, Lieber, Moorcock, Vance, and Glen Cook's Black Company series.
