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The Adventures of Florin & Lorenzo #2
Wild Kingdoms
Florin and Lorenzo, finding their treasure depleted, decide to venture into the dangerous wilderness beyond the Empire to search for a savage girl - who might be Katerina Hansebourg, believed long dead when her father's merchant caravan was attacked twelve years earlier...
- GenresFantasy
255 pages, Paperback
First published November 9, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 4, 2022
A significant improvement upon the previous title! While not all together bad, The Burning Shore failed to hit the mark for me. Wild Kingdoms on the other hand, was a lot more exciting, funny, immersive, better paced, the characters were not as insufferable or protected with plot armor as before and the story was much, much more fun to read about.
In this episode, we get a look at the Ogre Kingdoms, a faction in the Warhammer universe that doesn't get a lot of spotlight, even though the ogres are practically ubiquitous in the lore. Basically, they're a race of huge, fat, hairy, smelly dudes (and dudettes) that are hungry all the time and worship a giant mouth. It's hilarious.
And the book definitely plays up the comedy, as the tone is much lighter this time around. In fact, it's unusually light for a Warhammer novel, considering they're supposed to be "grim-dark" and all. There's a lot of jokes and good humor here, an easy tone overall, and it doesn't end with most of the minor characters getting massacred. Even really gritty scenes like the pit fight with the Rhinox were downplayed quite a bit, though I have no problem with that since I had fun reading regardless.
I even found myself liking Florin and even Lorenzo lot more this time. Lorenzo's levelheaded sarcasm pairs well with Florin's over-the-top chivalrousness, creating something like a Warhammer version of Sancho and Don Quixote. In The Burning Shore, I didn't feel like that brand of comedy fit well with the setting or atmosphere. It could also be that the writing is just better this time as well.
Most importantly, the faction that's explored, the Ogres, aren't utterly humiliated like the Lizardmen were in the other book. Here, the ogres are portrayed as massive, dominating behemoths that can swat a human with a casual flick of the hand. They're also depicted as having an intricate culture full of various customs and beliefs, as well as a nuanced relationship with other races such humans and goblins, as opposed to being simply an enemy type that looks down on everybody else for no reason. A lot of effort is put into giving the Ogre Kingdoms flesh and detail that wasn't given to the Lizardmen in the previous novel.
Needless to say, while the last title was something of a flop, Wild Kingdoms more than makes up for that.
In this episode, we get a look at the Ogre Kingdoms, a faction in the Warhammer universe that doesn't get a lot of spotlight, even though the ogres are practically ubiquitous in the lore. Basically, they're a race of huge, fat, hairy, smelly dudes (and dudettes) that are hungry all the time and worship a giant mouth. It's hilarious.
And the book definitely plays up the comedy, as the tone is much lighter this time around. In fact, it's unusually light for a Warhammer novel, considering they're supposed to be "grim-dark" and all. There's a lot of jokes and good humor here, an easy tone overall, and it doesn't end with most of the minor characters getting massacred. Even really gritty scenes like the pit fight with the Rhinox were downplayed quite a bit, though I have no problem with that since I had fun reading regardless.
I even found myself liking Florin and even Lorenzo lot more this time. Lorenzo's levelheaded sarcasm pairs well with Florin's over-the-top chivalrousness, creating something like a Warhammer version of Sancho and Don Quixote. In The Burning Shore, I didn't feel like that brand of comedy fit well with the setting or atmosphere. It could also be that the writing is just better this time as well.
Most importantly, the faction that's explored, the Ogres, aren't utterly humiliated like the Lizardmen were in the other book. Here, the ogres are portrayed as massive, dominating behemoths that can swat a human with a casual flick of the hand. They're also depicted as having an intricate culture full of various customs and beliefs, as well as a nuanced relationship with other races such humans and goblins, as opposed to being simply an enemy type that looks down on everybody else for no reason. A lot of effort is put into giving the Ogre Kingdoms flesh and detail that wasn't given to the Lizardmen in the previous novel.
Needless to say, while the last title was something of a flop, Wild Kingdoms more than makes up for that.
February 19, 2020
Well, my friends, this book was a treat it was pretty good amazing characters, amazing world, and an interesting adventure but still, there were some flaws so lets started.
On this book we start with a resolution to the previous one we have Florin and Lorenzo watching a play inspired by the event that happened in Lustria, they are now very rich thanks to the spoils of the previous adventure, but for them, everything that is good has to end so their inn called the Lizard's Head burns thanks to jealous rivals on the innkeeping market, who would've thought that it would be such a cutthroat market, but our hero Florin again listen to the call for heroism and saves a girl on the fire, unfortunately, the fire leaves them broke once again and you already can see who will take advantage of the situation.
Mordicio appears with a mission to our heroes to rescue a young girl from the clutches of savage ogres, this is where we meet one of my favorite characters introduced in this book an ogre named Krom, and so they go with their guide to save the damsel in distress.
This book was very good like I said but some parts are very boring and some insufferable characters, but the story has its charms and because of that deserves the 4-star rating and my recommendation for those who like fantasy adventures and for those interested in entering the world of Warhammer fantasy.
On this book we start with a resolution to the previous one we have Florin and Lorenzo watching a play inspired by the event that happened in Lustria, they are now very rich thanks to the spoils of the previous adventure, but for them, everything that is good has to end so their inn called the Lizard's Head burns thanks to jealous rivals on the innkeeping market, who would've thought that it would be such a cutthroat market, but our hero Florin again listen to the call for heroism and saves a girl on the fire, unfortunately, the fire leaves them broke once again and you already can see who will take advantage of the situation.
Mordicio appears with a mission to our heroes to rescue a young girl from the clutches of savage ogres, this is where we meet one of my favorite characters introduced in this book an ogre named Krom, and so they go with their guide to save the damsel in distress.
This book was very good like I said but some parts are very boring and some insufferable characters, but the story has its charms and because of that deserves the 4-star rating and my recommendation for those who like fantasy adventures and for those interested in entering the world of Warhammer fantasy.
January 10, 2022
This second book in the Florin and Lorenzo series is very similar in style to the first book. In this one, Florin and Lorenzo travel to the Ogre Kingdoms. The main value of this book is the detail provided about Ogres and the Ogre Kingdoms - information which would be very useful to anyone looking to flesh out their knowledge of the Warhammer fantasy world.
September 11, 2016
A decent warhammer novel with some interesting main characters. Explores a new part of the setting and does a good job of it. I felt the book ended a little abruptly and could have done with being about 50 pages longer, giving space for a longer description of the climatic battle. The conclusion when they arrived back in Bordeleaux didn't work all that well for me but thats mainly there as a set up for the final book of the trilogy so I can't complain too much about it. Overall one of the better novels in the setting.
June 25, 2025
Yet another example of how amazing warhammer stories can be when authors take the time to explore the other races and regions of the world. This was a fascinating look into the Ogre kingdoms mixed in with some classic Florin and Lorenzo tomfoolery. My only wish was that this book was longer and took some more time to describe the final fight scene and expand on other aspects of life in the ogre kingdoms as well as the reaction of Katerina’s mother to seeing her daughter is a borderline ogre in all but name with a living weapon as her pet. Amazing book. Can’t wait to find and read the last one.
August 13, 2025
It could have used another chapter explaining the battle in more detail in my opinion.
Great read nonetheless!
Great read nonetheless!
February 26, 2024
Not much action. Lots of orge life.
September 21, 2014
I loved this book. My first Florin and Lorenzo novel. The scene where the Ogre "hunts" the Rhinox alone is worth reading the book for. Jarmoosh the ogre body guard turned tribe-leader. Sergei's coming of age and budding love story. Katerina's introduction, her gnoblar crew, and great fun in the ogre encampments. The Great Maw, ogre gut challenges. Krom and the hunter eating a Rhinox.
May 21, 2024
Great book introducing new characters, it’s a nice change from the typical Warhammer book
March 29, 2017
Ogres are much funnier than I was expecting. Also nice to see that I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here was celebrated in the Old World.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews