(Warhammer)

Black Library, 2004

Reviewed by Paul McNamee

In the Old World Empire of Warhammer, evil lurks and wears many faces.  To root out evil that is not as straightforward as an army of attacking goblins, the Witch Hunters are the Inquisition of the age. Mathias Thulmann is one such agent of the Emperor.

Thulmann is sent to the village of Klausberg, where evil events are unfolding. Citizens are being murdered, and the protector family of the Klausners—a line of renowned Witch Hunters themselves—seems powerless or unwilling to find the answers to the mysteries. Beset by stubborn allies, Thulmann must face off against a vampire and a sorcerer and discover the terrible secret of the Klausner clan.

This review is an easy one. I really enjoyed this novel, and I recommend it.

Thulmann is a compelled hero and, intentionally, not always likeable. Spending so many years as a privileged citizen of the Empire, he is haughty and tends to condescend to the very salt-of-the-earth people he is sworn to protect. In Werner's own words,

While based on some unsavory elements of real history, the witch hunters in Warhammer are (somewhat) justified in their fanaticism in a world where monsters and demons exist. Added to the mix is Thulmann's less-than-pious henchman, Streng, who is more than happy to perform torture when Thulmann deems it necessary. They make for a conflicted duo, doing very monstrous things to combat monsters.

The supporting characters do their job. The villains are villainous, the conspirators conspire and the undead shamble. The villagers are good people who are frightened and waiting for a hero—and Thulmann probably wasn’t anyone's first choice.

Witch Hunter is a fine, well-balanced blend of horror movie, heroic fantasy and grim sword-and-sorcery sensibility. If you enjoy Hammer horror flicks, and/or Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane, you should definitely give Witch Hunter a read!