Gotrek and Felix: The Anthology by Christian Z. Dunn

Gotrek and Felix: The Anthology Reviews

• 
  Milo

  Some really enjoyable stories, some not-so enjoyable ones. I might get around to writing a full review on this anthology. It's a nice mix of stories though, and worth picking up despite the fact I've only read the three Ulrika books and the first Gotrek and Felix Omnibus. Which reminds me, I need to pick up the second and the third soon.
• 
  Jason M Waltz

  Richard Salter closes this bloody fun anthology with the almost-death of our Great Slayer Hero Gotrek in a fun-filled tale.
  
  Overall enjoyable, containing a variety of storytelling styles, POVs, and thrills. Going adventuring with Gotrek is often quite entertaining, and this book delivers entertainment galore.
• 
  Abhinav

  You can read the full review over at my blog:
  
  
  https://shadowhawksshade.wordpress.co...
  
  Shadowhawk reviews the first ever Gotrek and Felix anthology, containing stories from current series writer Nathan Long as well as some new blood.
  
  “A good mix-up of stories spanning the entirety of the duo’s career, the anthology has something for everybody.” ~Shadowhawk, The Founding Fields
  
  Gotrek and Felix: The Anthology is the first such compilation that features the most famous slayer-remember duo in the Old World, Gotrek Gurnisson and Felix Jaeger. And truth be told, it has been a long time in coming because there are only so many full-length novels that either William King or Nathan Long could have put out in an in-universe career that spans nearly two decades and a bit extra. Not to mention that there are just so many fantastic stories to be told. And that’s where the anthology fits right in.
  
  The first story is the novella length Slayer’s Honour by my favourite Warhammer fantasy writer, Nathan Long. Nathan is one of those few Black Library freelancers whose work oozes perfection. At least for me. Like I mentioned in my Jane Carver of Waar review, I have yet to read any of his work that I did not like (in fact, the aforementioned novel forced me to redefine what I thought of as being the perfect novel!). So I had extremely high expectations of this novella and I was certainly not disappointed.
  
  Slayer’s Honour is far more than just a regular Gotrek and Felix novel because Nathan uses a pair of new characters to shine a much-needed introspective light on the career of the two titular heroes. Agnar Arvastsson and Henrik Daschke are another slayer-rememberer duo, although they are far less famous and are comparatively young in terms of experience. Where the story is concerned, they provide Felix with an outside yet personal perspective on the years he has spent with Gotrek, fighting one monster after another, one army after another. It is a technique that resonated very well with me and even though we have had another slayer join the two on their journeys before, Snorri Nosebiter, Nathan has managed to set Slayer’s Honour well apart from that.
  
  The pacing of the novella is, as is usual from Nathan, excellent and punchy with not a boring moment in sight. I was basically racing to finish the novella because I was totally hooked into the narrative and wanted to find out what was about to happen next throughout. A real page-turner. The twists and mysteries are well done, as is the action, which is extremely varied and has just the right dose of danger and humour mixed in. Two thumbs up to Nathan and Slayer’s Honour!
  
  Rating: 10/10
  
  Next up we have Josh Reynolds’ A Cask of Wynters. This short story is quite a departure from the previous one as it focuses on Snorri Nosebiter and some new (temporary) comrades of his as this addled slayer continues to seek his doom. The always lovable (as only a slayer can be) Snorri is joined by another slayer, brand-new to the job of seeking a glorious death in battle, Grudi Halfhand. What’s unusual about the novel is that it is an equal tale about both Snorri and Grudi rather than the former being the chief protagonist as one would initially expect, like I myself did. However, that did not take away from the purpose and intent of the anthology for me and neither was I bored because of that omission.
  
  A Cask of Wynters is fast, and it is punchy. Josh sets a real quick pace and what he has really succeeded here is in making this as much of a humour piece as it is an action piece. Going up against the most common menace in the Old World, the Orcs, the two slayers and their knightly companions are a curious mix of comrades on their quest to redeem Grudi’s deceased family. I certainly quite enjoyed their banter and Josh’s own take on Snorri and slayers in general, because it was rather fresh. It is certainly amongst the best of the bunch although it does suffer from not showing enough of Snorri. Perhaps Josh can fix that in his next piece!
  
  Rating: 8.5/10
• 
  Barry

  This is a thoroughly enjoyable collection of short stories featuring everyone’s favourite Trollslayer and his long suffering Rememberer. As with many short stories this is a bit of a mixed bag – some are very good and some are only so-so but the book works as a collection. Where the collection struggles a little is that Gotrek and Felix are peripheral characters in many of the stories. Whilst there are some welcome cameos from many characters from other stories it doesn’t always work.
  
  Slayer’s Honour – Nathan Long – This is the stand out tale in the book. Nathan Long’s novella here is excellent. Gotrek and Felix meet another Slayer and Rememberer as they descend into an abandoned Dwarf hold. I did see the plot coming from a far way off but the story was pretty exciting with lots of action and tension with the body count ramping up to the usual ridiculous levels. Thoroughly enjoyable and to be honest I think only Nathan Long has ‘got’ Gotrek and Felix like William King did.
  
  A Cask of Wynters – Josh Reynolds – I really enjoyed ‘Road of Skulls’ by Reynolds but this is a so-so. Gotrek and Felix are not in this one but never fear, this story features Snorri Nosebiter as the hero. Everyone loves Snorri and it’s great to see him get his own tale but it falls a little flat towards the end.
  
  A Place of Quiet Assembly – John Brunner – This story doesn’t really feature Gotrek and Felix that much, it’s not really about them. It is interesting in that it explores a Solkan monastery. I really like the concept here and there is a good story in here somewhere but towards the end it tails off. I kind of feel the story didn’t need the Slayer and felt tacked on to perk interest in the story.
  
  Kineater – Jordan Ellinger – Good fun! The story is about saving a woman from a tribe of Ogres. I find in the Warhammer world Ogres are portrayed in numerous ways which I think works. Again, the story has a fair amount of ultraviolence which is over the top. I really liked the resolution of the story too.
  
  Prophecy – Ben McCallum – I enjoyed this one although again Gotrek and Felix are just in the background. If you’ve not read Dragonslayer or Manslayer then there are definitely some spoilers in here. This story is from the perspective of Kelmain and Lhoigor, two Tzzeentch sorcerors whose paths have crossed Gotrek and Felix before. The story is really a synopsis of the two aforementioned novels from the Chaotic wizards perspective.
  
  The Tilean’s Talisman – David Guymer – I just can’t get into David Guymer at all. This story has skaven in a bar pinching a magical item before coming into contact with our heroes. Gotrek and Felix are in the background again and I don’t think the story passes the sense check. Just not a fan of David Guymer.
  
  Last Orders – David Smillie – Another bar room brawl following on from the last story and yet once again our pair are really on the periphery and not needed. That said, there is a good story in here with a nice ending.
  
  Mind-Stealer – C.L. Werner – Okay, yet again no Gotrek and Felix in this one but never mind, this is a story about everyone’s favourite Grey Seer – Thanquol. I really want to read the Thanquol series as I think the author really captures the skaven personality – cowardly, cunning, boastful, deceitful, clever yet fearful. Thanquol comes into contact with another magic force which causes him problems. Lots of fun this one which pushed all the right buttons for me.
  
  The Two Crowns of Ras Karim – Nathan Long – Another story from Nathan Long set in Araby. I do like Warhammer stories written outside of The Empire – it helps to bring the world to life. There is a real Arab Spring element to this and perhaps a nod to Sinbad. Long’s two stories in the book are both great with action from start to finish.
  
  The Funeral of Gotrek Gurnisson – Richard Salter – This was the story I didn’t want to read and I won’t review the book. That said, the story is good and has a very welcome cameo.
  
• 
  Arizona Spartan

  Though it had 2 great stories the other stories left a lot to be desired. They didn't have the same edge as many of the books had and 1 story didn't even have our intrepid heroes in it at all, merely mentions of them. Some old nemeses and allies turn up in a few stories. I'd recommend this for fans of the books only.
• 
  Gareth Pengelly

  The Gotrek and Felix books are a masterclass in ripsnorting, adrenaline fuelled brutality.
  
  Gotrek, a dwarf sworn to seek death in glorious battle yet seemingly cursed(?) with invincibility, forever dragging around his unwilling companion Felix Jaeger, sworn to record the dwarf's doom.
  
  A great duo; one sullen, menacing, eager for battle; the other smart, cautious, wishing for a quiet life yet knowing he'll never get it.
  
  Two great themes run through these stories; the first is the irony of Gotrek - he wishes to find an honourable death in battle, yet the fearsome magic axe he wields has blessed him, over the years, with such strength and power that he is now all but invincible. The second, the changing character of Felix Jaeger; once a scholar, a student of Nuln University, son of a wealthy trader; now a hardbitten warrior. Even should his adventures finally cease, will he still be the same Felix and be able to settle back into the same humdrum life?
  
  This pairing of Gotrek's brutal violence and Felix's cynical introspection are what, for me, make this series of stories a compelling read.
  
  If you enjoy epic battle, interesting characters and a roaming journey that takes the reader across a vast, well-developed fictional world, then this series of books is for you.
• 
  Richard Wright

  Short stories following doomed Slayer Gotrek Gurnisson's perilous adventures as he seeks a worthy doom, accompanied by the reluctant poet Felix Jaeger, who once drunkenly swore to record the dwarf's end in an epic poem. The anthology includes the best and worst of their stories. Gotrek suffers from a 'Hulk Smash' problem as a character. He seeks out the most dangerous things he can, and fights them to the death. He's very single-minded about it, and his obsession leaves little else of interest to write explore in the character. It's Felix who brings shade and story to what would otherwise be a series of scraps with little to recommend them. The best tales here remember this, including Nathan Long's two excellent entries and Richard Salter's romping final story. Many of the others replace Felix's point of view with other characters, and only John Brunner's journey into a cult gone wrong succeeded in holding my interest. A mixed bag, then. Some excellent adventuring, held back by some unsuccessful experimenting with what makes these characters work.
• 
  Paul

  Change of pace in terms of full length novel to short stories but in a way a good pace - content itself stayed true and it was good to revisit old friends
• 
  Leslie Williamson

  An utterly ridiculous yet fun collection of stories. Bad-ass dwarf with kick-ass axe makes monster chop suey. Token blond cultured barbarian type occasionally talks. Cool.
• 
  Iain

  A solid collection of stories about our favorite duo of heroes. As others have mentioned, some of the characterizations are rather weak and some of the stories barely involve Felix and Gotrek. At the end of the day, it's a pleasant read for fans of the series, but by no means an essential read nor one of their best outings.
• 
  Maximilian Surjadi

  At first (the first 2 page of Slayer's Honor) I felt an enormous amount of description and kinda put negative expectation on my head. But things just get better. It's my first book of Gotrek and Felix, so it kinda amaze me, how everything will end up with Gotrek killing everything in the end. But, there's still some interesting plot twist in the book.
  
  Not an amazing read. But still, fun to read. I enjoy it.
• 
  Gianfranco Mancini

  La citazione fumettistica dei 3 Guerrieri nel racconto di Snorri é stupenda!
  Oscilla tra il colpo di genio ed il plagio spudorato! :D
  
  
• 
  Kasper Vesth

  I think it was dissapointing. I read it thinking it was a bunch of stories featuring the adventuring duo, but instead it is a bunch of stories featuring the characters from their adventures, and it spoiled it a bit for me.
• 
  Simon Cressey

  It was ok but not the best by far
• 
  Dave

  Excellent collection of short stories about Gotrek and Felix, makes me angry that Games Workshop doesn't seem to have plans for any more of their individual novels.
• 
  Sean

  The degree to which this cover is rad matches the level of enjoyment from the stories.
• 
  Christian

  Yup. Nothing new here. Not bad but more of the same.