(Warhammer)

Black Library, 2004

When I saw this Warhammer anthology on the shelf at the store, I knew I needed to give it a try. I've enjoyed my Warhammer reads so far to date, and a chance to sample various tales and authors was too good to pass up.

The Vampire Hunters by Robert Earl

This story didn't really move me that much. It was functional and predictable. The vampire hunters' nature was easily spotted and not as much a surprise as the author seemed to intend. It also seemed an odd tale to start a collection named Swords of the Empire, being more horror than combat focused.

The Meat Wagon by C. L. Werner

If you imagine a Hammer horror movie mixed with a Romero zombie movie, then you might get some idea of how much fun this story is! C. L. Werner's Witch Hunter, Mathais Thulmann, takes center stage as ghouls assault his coach and the passengers are driven into the lair of a monstrous vampire.

I really enjoyed this tale. I still haven't gotten around to reading the two Mathias Thulmann novels, Witch Hunter and Witch Finder but I will—especially after this introduction to the character!

The Case of the Scarlet Cell by Gordon Rennie

Konniger, a former priest of Sigmar, investigates brutal murders in the city of Altdorf. This is a Sherlock Holmes-ian tale complete with a Watson, in the form of the Halfling sidekick, Vido. Their quarry is the Reikerbahn Butcher, a vicious murderer who apparently has returned from the dead. This is a nifty little tale. If there are more stories of Konniger and Vido, I'll be interested to read them.

Rest for the Wicked by James Wallis

Two Imperial officers must thwart an assassination—never an easy task, and further complicated by political protocols. This was a good, straightforward story.

The Nagenhof Bell by Jonathan Green

Otto—a Quasimodo gone mad and given to Chaos—rigs an evil bell in the bell tower and starts ringing. The tolling attracts the attention of every rat in town, and every Skaven (large, bipedal intelligent Chaos rat-monsters) that lurks under the town. It's up to some reunited mercenaries to deal with the menace before the town is razed. A different slant for a Warhammer tale and enjoyable.

Swords of the Empire by Dan Abnett

An expeditionary force accompanies a wizard who seeks to research the magic ways of shamans. Traveling the steppe country of Kislev near the border of the Chaos wastes, the coming winter isn't the only thing darkening the skies and the mood of the men. This was a good story, though not quite as martial as the title implies. There is some good action between the well-drawn moody explorations of the country.

This was a good sampler, though the title is a bit misleading. The tone of most of these stories is heavier on horror than swordplay, but these stories should appeal to S & S fans, anyway. There are other out-of-print Warhammer anthologies and some new ones on the way—and I will definitely be on the lookout for them!