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Warmachine
The Butcher of Khardov
His blind fury is infamous, his strength without rival, but the legend of the man known as the Butcher of Khardov was forged in a crucible of pain...
The legacy of the massacre near Boarsgate at the hand of the warcaster Orsus Zoktavir has followed him his whole life—but it is another memory that fuels both his rage and his will to live. Before he was one of Khador’s most potent weapons he was simply a young man striving to make a life for himself, and for his beloved, free of the violence that came so easily to him. Her gentle presence helps him quell his simmering temper, but fate changes everything, sweeping him up in events that would lead to grief and madness.
Learn the tragic history of Orsus Zoktavir and plumb the depths of his rage in The Butcher of Khardov.
The legacy of the massacre near Boarsgate at the hand of the warcaster Orsus Zoktavir has followed him his whole life—but it is another memory that fuels both his rage and his will to live. Before he was one of Khador’s most potent weapons he was simply a young man striving to make a life for himself, and for his beloved, free of the violence that came so easily to him. Her gentle presence helps him quell his simmering temper, but fate changes everything, sweeping him up in events that would lead to grief and madness.
Learn the tragic history of Orsus Zoktavir and plumb the depths of his rage in The Butcher of Khardov.
105 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2013
4 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
About the author
Dan Wells
90 books6,049 followersDan Wells is a thriller and science fiction writer. Born in Utah, he spent his early years reading and writing. He is he author of the Partials series (Partials, Isolation, Fragments, and Ruins), the John Cleaver series (I Am Not a Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and I Don't Want To Kill You), and a few others (The Hollow City, A Night of Blacker Darkness, etc). He was a Campbell nomine for best new writer, and has won a Hugo award for his work on the podcast Writing Excuses; the podcast is also a multiple winner of the Parsec Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
June 13, 2014
A very weird nomination for the Hugos. A tie-in fiction piece with little to recommend it. I'm going to go out on a limb and say this probably represents what some sections of the SF community reckon is 'good old-fashioned entertainment' rather than the usual 'worthy' nominees, and that's why it got a nod.
The gist is that this is a sort of origin piece/character study of the titular character, a monstrously huge and (as the story opens) insane and murderous warcaster (which is a type of character in the War Machine game). Turns out, he's driven insane and murderous by the loss of his One True Love, who gets killed in a situation where he blames himself for not being there to protect her. So, basically, it's a story of epic man-pain and what it can do to you.
I did at one point think the author was going to pull something slightly clever by having the One True Love be entirely imaginary, but it turns out she is real: she just doesn't get to talk to anyone but the main character, or do anything important, other than nag him to give up violence and then die offscreen. Poor show.
It's competently written and the switching back and forth in time is handled reasonably well. But the appeal for anyone not into the source material surely has to be pretty close to nil.
The gist is that this is a sort of origin piece/character study of the titular character, a monstrously huge and (as the story opens) insane and murderous warcaster (which is a type of character in the War Machine game). Turns out, he's driven insane and murderous by the loss of his One True Love, who gets killed in a situation where he blames himself for not being there to protect her. So, basically, it's a story of epic man-pain and what it can do to you.
I did at one point think the author was going to pull something slightly clever by having the One True Love be entirely imaginary, but it turns out she is real: she just doesn't get to talk to anyone but the main character, or do anything important, other than nag him to give up violence and then die offscreen. Poor show.
It's competently written and the switching back and forth in time is handled reasonably well. But the appeal for anyone not into the source material surely has to be pretty close to nil.
January 4, 2015
This was very meat-and-potatoes high-testosterone epic fantasy, and while I would have suspected the author of drawing on gaming sources even if I didn't already know it was a tie-in novel, it still mostly read like an actual epic fantasy and not like something written to sell miniatures.
That said, the world, a sort of steampunk fantasy Russia where certain people have the ability to magically control "steamjacks," steam-powered mechanical golems, could not escape its derivative feel, and the "hero," while given a certain amount of depth for someone who's transformed into a raging hulk of a killing machine, went through every trope in the book to detail his "crucible of pain" yadda yadda.
First Orsus Zoktavir's family is killed by evil beast-men raiders. Then, growing up as the biggest, strongest man around, he's recruited by a criminal gang, then meets his one true love who wants him to quit all that killing and nastiness, so Orsus agrees to quit after one final job that will make him enough money to pay for their wedding, and if you can't see where this is going then you must be either ten years old or you've never read a dark fantasy novel before.
Once Orsus has lost everyone he ever cared about, he turns into the biggest, baddest "Warcaster" ever, until he finally goes crazy and has to be brought before the queen in chains, having maxed himself out as a human superweapon.
This was a violent, action-packed story that was quite a lot of fun, fairly well plotted (even with the segments going back and forth in time), and which I could almost forgive for being a tie-in novella.
That said - who the hell thought this merited a Hugo? It's popcorn. It's written for teenage boys to sell them miniatures of ridiculously 'roided dudes in ridiculous suits of powered armor. Kudos to Dan Wells for taking such an inherently silly premise and making a real character out of it, but there is nothing original or fantastic enough here to make it stand out.
That said, the world, a sort of steampunk fantasy Russia where certain people have the ability to magically control "steamjacks," steam-powered mechanical golems, could not escape its derivative feel, and the "hero," while given a certain amount of depth for someone who's transformed into a raging hulk of a killing machine, went through every trope in the book to detail his "crucible of pain" yadda yadda.
First Orsus Zoktavir's family is killed by evil beast-men raiders. Then, growing up as the biggest, strongest man around, he's recruited by a criminal gang, then meets his one true love who wants him to quit all that killing and nastiness, so Orsus agrees to quit after one final job that will make him enough money to pay for their wedding, and if you can't see where this is going then you must be either ten years old or you've never read a dark fantasy novel before.
Once Orsus has lost everyone he ever cared about, he turns into the biggest, baddest "Warcaster" ever, until he finally goes crazy and has to be brought before the queen in chains, having maxed himself out as a human superweapon.
This was a violent, action-packed story that was quite a lot of fun, fairly well plotted (even with the segments going back and forth in time), and which I could almost forgive for being a tie-in novella.
That said - who the hell thought this merited a Hugo? It's popcorn. It's written for teenage boys to sell them miniatures of ridiculously 'roided dudes in ridiculous suits of powered armor. Kudos to Dan Wells for taking such an inherently silly premise and making a real character out of it, but there is nothing original or fantastic enough here to make it stand out.
August 22, 2022
8/22/22: 4 stars. I really liked this, and definitely get why it’s the only piece of tie-in fiction to be nominated for a Hugo award. Orsus is a fantastic character and the non-linear storytelling is cool—despite making it a bit hard to be immersed at times.
July 8, 2013
This is a novella based in the universe of the tabletop strategy game Warmachine. Right up front, I'm not a Warmachine player, though I'm casually familiar with similar games like Warhammer.
As you can tell from the title, this is not a happy-go-lucky, unicorns and flowers kind of book. The main character is nuts and violent. Oh, and also over 7 feet tall. Cause what's a psychopath if he can't loom over everyone? It's hard to empathize with a character who has earned the name Butcher, but Wells pulls it off. You end up kind of liking Orsus, or at least liking who Orsus could have been.
As you can tell from the title, this is not a happy-go-lucky, unicorns and flowers kind of book. The main character is nuts and violent. Oh, and also over 7 feet tall. Cause what's a psychopath if he can't loom over everyone? It's hard to empathize with a character who has earned the name Butcher, but Wells pulls it off. You end up kind of liking Orsus, or at least liking who Orsus could have been.
March 12, 2014
I must say, yet again I'm impressed with the quality of work coming from 'Skull Island Expeditions'. Dan Wells provides long-time fans with the story they've wanted....well, pretty much forever. The story of the infamous and enigmatic Orsus Zoktavir has been much sought after for years, and Dan Wells does not disappoint.
He takes more risks in the novel than I anticipated. Hopping around through various moments in Orsus' life, defying traditional chonology, bit by bit providing insight into the deranged madman we've come to know and love.
All in all, highly pleased with this effort.
He takes more risks in the novel than I anticipated. Hopping around through various moments in Orsus' life, defying traditional chonology, bit by bit providing insight into the deranged madman we've come to know and love.
All in all, highly pleased with this effort.
July 10, 2014
This is basically the origin story a 12-year old might make up for their D&D character: overinvolved with itself, grandiose, with copious amount of splatter, and frankly banal. It doesn't help that, of the two talking women in the story, one gets slaughtered and the other both slaughtered AND fridged.
I don't really care if this is tie-in fiction for a franchise, it's ridiculous that this was nominated for a Hugo award.
I don't really care if this is tie-in fiction for a franchise, it's ridiculous that this was nominated for a Hugo award.
June 24, 2013
Was good, like Russian butcher.
Really gave definition to a flimsy character, who was nothing but a mass murderer before. This novel paves the way for why he killed an entire village, why he became The Butcher of Khardov.
I was very impressed with how the multiple stories in The Butcher's life was intertwined, it's difficult to do and the author pulled it off well.
Really gave definition to a flimsy character, who was nothing but a mass murderer before. This novel paves the way for why he killed an entire village, why he became The Butcher of Khardov.
I was very impressed with how the multiple stories in The Butcher's life was intertwined, it's difficult to do and the author pulled it off well.
October 12, 2013
The author does a great job of giving life to a character that I initially thought was going to be pretty one-sided. Was a great book to represent the War Machine novellas.
August 1, 2014
This is something I probably never would have read had it not been nominated for a Hugo Award. I generally eschew tie-in fiction—I have enough fiction set in original worlds to read. The Butcher of Khardov is set in the world of Warmachine, which Wikipedia reliably informs me is a “tabletop steampunk wargame.” So, Dungeons & Dragons on steroids.
The cover art and illustrations scattered throughout the story reinforce this perception. Orsus Zoktavir is a big—really big—and strong—really strong—man—a manly man!—with a serious psychological scar after losing the love of his life in the village of his childhood. Dan Wells tells Orsus’ story thematically, out of chronological order, as Orsus wrestles with the concept of loyalty at various points in his life. From witnessing the death of his parents at the hands of the cannibalistic Tharn raiders to working as the muscle for a logging baron, Orsus sees his fair share of death and fighting. And he proves to be really, really good at it. But the woman he loves declares herself unable to be with a killer. So what is a dude to do?
The story culminates through two parallel climaxes. Although it becomes apparent early on that Orsus loses his way after he loses Lola, we have to wait until the very end to witness the actual event. Years later, having joined the Khadoran Army and formalized his talents as a warcaster and controller of warmachines known as “steamjacks,” Orsus loses control and butchers an entire village for “treason” (hence the name of the novella). This earns him a tense, heavily-fortified conversation with the Queen of Khador, in which she questions Orsus’ motivations and he has a chance to explain how fucked up his ideas about loyalty, morality, and just action have become since losing his parents, girlfriend, and basically any sense of normal human empathy.
I will give it this: The Butcher of Khardov inspired me to consider why we give fantasy warriors so much of our love and allegiance despite the fact that they are essentially sociopaths with big swords. The only sane character in this story is Lola, who is 100% correct when she points out that killing people is, you know, wrong. But we write big fat blank cheques when fantasy warriors do it, far more than we are willing to do for characters in any other setting. Somewhere along the way, the narrative of the fantasy warrior shifted from the hulking image of self-absorbed Conan to the noble, smokey-eyed Aragorn or Legolas; the antihero became just a straight-up hero.
In a way, Wells is stripping away all of this pretty packaging and getting back to basics: Orsus likes to kill, and he is good at it. He admits this freely. He just so happens to also want to remain loyal to a cause bigger than himself. These ingredients are the perfect recipe for an effective warrior, but that first one—liking to kill—is one we tend to ignore. We like to pretend that our nobler, almost Disney-fied warriors of these modern days are somehow reluctant killers. They kill “in self-defense” or “to protect” their loved ones. And we can debate the ethical justification for killing, for any reason, as much as we like. I’m just wondering why we are so willing to label as heroic such killers….
So, that’s the thought-provoking aspect of The Butcher of Khardov, and I will give it that. Everything else about it is just ridiculous, though. Over-the-top hulking brutes who need six steam-powered soldiers guarding them? And the ending, with the Queen essentially letting Orsus go free because “Oh, well, you did it to show your loyalty to me!” is repugnant. (Then again, I guess if you are the ruler of a country at war, you need to do repugnant things once in a while, and she recognizes Orsus as a valuable weapon, albeit one that is likely going to come at the cost of a few more villages here and there.) This is a brutal, almost grisly story—perfect as a companion to a brutal and grisly tabletop wargame. But my projection of my philosophical hang-ups about hypermasculine warrior worship in fantasy literature onto it aside, I’m not sure what else this story has going for it.
The cover art and illustrations scattered throughout the story reinforce this perception. Orsus Zoktavir is a big—really big—and strong—really strong—man—a manly man!—with a serious psychological scar after losing the love of his life in the village of his childhood. Dan Wells tells Orsus’ story thematically, out of chronological order, as Orsus wrestles with the concept of loyalty at various points in his life. From witnessing the death of his parents at the hands of the cannibalistic Tharn raiders to working as the muscle for a logging baron, Orsus sees his fair share of death and fighting. And he proves to be really, really good at it. But the woman he loves declares herself unable to be with a killer. So what is a dude to do?
The story culminates through two parallel climaxes. Although it becomes apparent early on that Orsus loses his way after he loses Lola, we have to wait until the very end to witness the actual event. Years later, having joined the Khadoran Army and formalized his talents as a warcaster and controller of warmachines known as “steamjacks,” Orsus loses control and butchers an entire village for “treason” (hence the name of the novella). This earns him a tense, heavily-fortified conversation with the Queen of Khador, in which she questions Orsus’ motivations and he has a chance to explain how fucked up his ideas about loyalty, morality, and just action have become since losing his parents, girlfriend, and basically any sense of normal human empathy.
I will give it this: The Butcher of Khardov inspired me to consider why we give fantasy warriors so much of our love and allegiance despite the fact that they are essentially sociopaths with big swords. The only sane character in this story is Lola, who is 100% correct when she points out that killing people is, you know, wrong. But we write big fat blank cheques when fantasy warriors do it, far more than we are willing to do for characters in any other setting. Somewhere along the way, the narrative of the fantasy warrior shifted from the hulking image of self-absorbed Conan to the noble, smokey-eyed Aragorn or Legolas; the antihero became just a straight-up hero.
In a way, Wells is stripping away all of this pretty packaging and getting back to basics: Orsus likes to kill, and he is good at it. He admits this freely. He just so happens to also want to remain loyal to a cause bigger than himself. These ingredients are the perfect recipe for an effective warrior, but that first one—liking to kill—is one we tend to ignore. We like to pretend that our nobler, almost Disney-fied warriors of these modern days are somehow reluctant killers. They kill “in self-defense” or “to protect” their loved ones. And we can debate the ethical justification for killing, for any reason, as much as we like. I’m just wondering why we are so willing to label as heroic such killers….
So, that’s the thought-provoking aspect of The Butcher of Khardov, and I will give it that. Everything else about it is just ridiculous, though. Over-the-top hulking brutes who need six steam-powered soldiers guarding them? And the ending, with the Queen essentially letting Orsus go free because “Oh, well, you did it to show your loyalty to me!” is repugnant. (Then again, I guess if you are the ruler of a country at war, you need to do repugnant things once in a while, and she recognizes Orsus as a valuable weapon, albeit one that is likely going to come at the cost of a few more villages here and there.) This is a brutal, almost grisly story—perfect as a companion to a brutal and grisly tabletop wargame. But my projection of my philosophical hang-ups about hypermasculine warrior worship in fantasy literature onto it aside, I’m not sure what else this story has going for it.
September 2, 2018
The Butcher of Khardov is a short story that takes place within the tabletop game setting of Warmachine; a science fiction wargame with a steampunk aesthetic.
Are you still here? If you are, you probably like science fiction, fantasy, or even play Warmachine. If so, chances are you're gonna get something out of this: for Warmachine (especially Khador) fans, you're getting a lot out of this- as a general sci-fi/fantasy fan, you'll still find a story that holds your attention through a well crafted story structure and some memorable sequences. Probably.
At it's core, the Butcher of Khardov is an entertaining read- it's not groundbreaking, there's going to be a lot of familiar story beats here (some may even argue tired story beats)- it's not going to stand up to more substantial novels and that will raise a lot of questions, given it's Hugo nomination (we'll get back to that). However, it is a well written story that puts a lot of work into giving a humanity to it's characters and structures the story in a way where, Warmachine fan or not, you're left wondering how exactly Orsus Zoktavir becomes the feared Butcher of Khardov.
In particular, Dan Wells' story finds it strength in the depiction of Orsus' unraveling mind; the story beats that push him along this path will ring very familiar to many readers, but Wells is able to depict the consequences of these beats in a fresh fashion. The creeping insanity manifests itself in sequences that stick out long after other details from the story fade, and color the character as a truly insane man, propelled forward purely by emotion and ghosts of his past.
The actual sci-fi/steampunk elements are loyal to the setting, but probably won't hold much interest to more casual readers. Thankfully Wells refrains from tie-ins and excessive referencing, meaning the story is ultimately understandable, coherent and approachable to outsiders.
What you get ultimately, independent of your standing with the larger franchise, is a short story that is well crafted, but not bringing anything new to the genre. Your mileage with the story may vary, but even at it's worst I would say it is deserving of 3 stars. If you're interested, you'll find something worthwhile in it's relatively quick read- if you aren't interested, you're just going to find it forgettable.
But. Because it was nominated for a Hugo, those who dislike it are going to likely be outright frustrated by this- if it's unremarkable, why the praise?
It got nominated -because- it was a tie in. Let me explain, as I've been entrenched within the tabletop game world for longer than most people would care to be. There are countless piles of science fiction and fantasy tie-ins to tabletop game franchises: DnD, Warhammer, Warcraft, Star Wars, etc etc etc.
And they all friggin' suck.
Having read quite a few of these over the years, I can say with confidence the majority of these tie-ins are just that: vehicles for fanservice romping through a pre-established setting, indulging the fan's familiarity with the franchise in question. They say nothing, they play it safe, and particularly with wargaming related pieces, are mostly just vectors for mindless violence. Fanservice is the only reason they exist.
The Butcher of Khardov is not one of these. Well, in some ways it is, you'll obviously get the most enjoyment out of this as a Khador fan- but the story makes a genuine attempt to be a lot more than just it's brand name. It still has a few violent action setpieces, but they are working in service of a narrative that focuses on the human condition, rather than indulgence. In The Butcher of Khardov, the Warmachine setting is just that: a setting, and does not attempt to obfuscate the story with references, winks, jargon or detours for the sake of some overarching series.
Whether or not it succeeds in this attempt can certainly be debated, but it is something of an anomaly within the sea of brain-numbing pulp that you can find hogging up a solid two thirds of your Barnes and Noble sci-fi/fantasy aisles. This is only something you can really appreciate if you've exposed yourself to such material, and I have no doubt the nomination was in part an attempt to draw attention to the story and say "For the love of God, if you're going to make these, try to make them more like THIS."
Obviously it can be debated that this alone does not make a story good- and you're right. I tend to stay away from these ceremonies because they often become less about a book's actual content and more "what it represents". As it stands, independently of the meta surrounding it's nomination, the Butcher is an entertaining story with a noble attempt of making something worthwhile of it's source material that any sci-fi fan, not just one group of wargamers, can find satisfying.
Now I can talk with the rest of the Warmachine fans out there, so you can stop reading here if you want
---------------------------------------------
Ready? Now we get into the nerdy shit- minor spoilers ahead, by the way.
If you love Khador, you will love this story. Dan is able to take a bulldozer of a warcaster and give him a soul; after reading the Butcher, you will no longer see Orsus as just a caster you take if you want to brute force your way through a match, but a real character. Even more, you will see his iconic axe, Lola, and the woman behind it, now a symbol for tragedy, not just destruction.
Dan has a great understanding of the Warmachine setting and incorporates it well: asides from several passages that spell out certain unique aspects of the setting, you never feel like he's hitting you over the head with explanations or gross oversimplifications.
Khador as a nation is given a character, not just Orsus. The sprawling setting of Khador is fleshed out, as you get a glimpse into the politics of the Khadoran monarchy, the inner workings of the Kayazy crime syndicate, and better understand the Empress' motives for keeping the Butcher in her service. If you weren't a Khadoran player already, you'll want to be by the end of this story. That alone makes it worth the investment.
And lastly, I'd like to refute the criticisms of "sexism" and "fridging" , pertaining to the character Lola , seeing as their relationship is a pivotal aspect of the narrative. I won't even consider this spoiler talk because if you know anything about the Butcher, you know about his axe, Lola. Hint. It doesn't work out for her. You know this within the first few pages of the story- what you don't know is how we wind up there.
The Warmachine and Hordes setting have no shortage of female characters, who like Orsus, are empowered warcasters, with their own backstories, motives, and arcs. The leader of the Khadoran nation is the Empress, who has made decisive moves in coordinating the war effort and wields the fate of people like Orsus, Irusk and Strakhov.
You can make an argument that it is not an innovative tragedy, and I would even agree- but hiding behind TV Tropes does not validate knee-jerk crticisms about an author's writing and the larger setting he works with. You don't have to like it of course, but understand that blame doesn't go to the author.
Dan Wells did not invent Lola- she (and her fate) existed before The Butcher of Khardov was written, and Wells does as good a job as one can hope for fleshing out a character who previously only existed as several fluff blurbs- she doesn't even have a miniature for the game. Lola went from being an ambiguous motive to an actual character who wielded great influence over Orsus. He gave more to her character than the original game designers did, probably because they were busy with characters like Sorscha, Haley, Denehgra, Zerkova, Feora, etc etc etc.
Look at the recent adaptation of Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke" if you want to be reminded of what happens to a narrative structure when it bends over backwards to make sure tertiary characters get the same degree of importance and autonomy normally reserved for protagonists.
Furthermore, the character of the Butcher is not a power fantasy that Lola is "fed" to. He may be ripped, a fierce combatant, and empowered by his warcasting talents, but I would question anyone who envies his position, independently of Lola's role in their shared developments.
There are many valid criticisms you can level against the story, but understand that claims of "fridging" is not one of them. You can criticize this particular plot point for not being original, and I would agree, but it's narrative execution is still as carefully thought out, and as well handled as one can hope for. Not every schlub in Immoren gets to be a war hero.
----------------------------------------------------------------
TL;DR: You'll like it if you're a Warmachine fan, you'll love it if you play Khador, and you'll probably still be entertained by some of the more dramatic sequences as a general purveyor of science fiction and fantasy. But don't let the hugo award fool you: it isn't for everyone, but it will be a welcomed breath of fresh air for anyone absolutely sick of the Warhammer brand "bolter porn"saturating most sci-fi shelves.
Are you still here? If you are, you probably like science fiction, fantasy, or even play Warmachine. If so, chances are you're gonna get something out of this: for Warmachine (especially Khador) fans, you're getting a lot out of this- as a general sci-fi/fantasy fan, you'll still find a story that holds your attention through a well crafted story structure and some memorable sequences. Probably.
At it's core, the Butcher of Khardov is an entertaining read- it's not groundbreaking, there's going to be a lot of familiar story beats here (some may even argue tired story beats)- it's not going to stand up to more substantial novels and that will raise a lot of questions, given it's Hugo nomination (we'll get back to that). However, it is a well written story that puts a lot of work into giving a humanity to it's characters and structures the story in a way where, Warmachine fan or not, you're left wondering how exactly Orsus Zoktavir becomes the feared Butcher of Khardov.
In particular, Dan Wells' story finds it strength in the depiction of Orsus' unraveling mind; the story beats that push him along this path will ring very familiar to many readers, but Wells is able to depict the consequences of these beats in a fresh fashion. The creeping insanity manifests itself in sequences that stick out long after other details from the story fade, and color the character as a truly insane man, propelled forward purely by emotion and ghosts of his past.
The actual sci-fi/steampunk elements are loyal to the setting, but probably won't hold much interest to more casual readers. Thankfully Wells refrains from tie-ins and excessive referencing, meaning the story is ultimately understandable, coherent and approachable to outsiders.
What you get ultimately, independent of your standing with the larger franchise, is a short story that is well crafted, but not bringing anything new to the genre. Your mileage with the story may vary, but even at it's worst I would say it is deserving of 3 stars. If you're interested, you'll find something worthwhile in it's relatively quick read- if you aren't interested, you're just going to find it forgettable.
But. Because it was nominated for a Hugo, those who dislike it are going to likely be outright frustrated by this- if it's unremarkable, why the praise?
It got nominated -because- it was a tie in. Let me explain, as I've been entrenched within the tabletop game world for longer than most people would care to be. There are countless piles of science fiction and fantasy tie-ins to tabletop game franchises: DnD, Warhammer, Warcraft, Star Wars, etc etc etc.
And they all friggin' suck.
Having read quite a few of these over the years, I can say with confidence the majority of these tie-ins are just that: vehicles for fanservice romping through a pre-established setting, indulging the fan's familiarity with the franchise in question. They say nothing, they play it safe, and particularly with wargaming related pieces, are mostly just vectors for mindless violence. Fanservice is the only reason they exist.
The Butcher of Khardov is not one of these. Well, in some ways it is, you'll obviously get the most enjoyment out of this as a Khador fan- but the story makes a genuine attempt to be a lot more than just it's brand name. It still has a few violent action setpieces, but they are working in service of a narrative that focuses on the human condition, rather than indulgence. In The Butcher of Khardov, the Warmachine setting is just that: a setting, and does not attempt to obfuscate the story with references, winks, jargon or detours for the sake of some overarching series.
Whether or not it succeeds in this attempt can certainly be debated, but it is something of an anomaly within the sea of brain-numbing pulp that you can find hogging up a solid two thirds of your Barnes and Noble sci-fi/fantasy aisles. This is only something you can really appreciate if you've exposed yourself to such material, and I have no doubt the nomination was in part an attempt to draw attention to the story and say "For the love of God, if you're going to make these, try to make them more like THIS."
Obviously it can be debated that this alone does not make a story good- and you're right. I tend to stay away from these ceremonies because they often become less about a book's actual content and more "what it represents". As it stands, independently of the meta surrounding it's nomination, the Butcher is an entertaining story with a noble attempt of making something worthwhile of it's source material that any sci-fi fan, not just one group of wargamers, can find satisfying.
Now I can talk with the rest of the Warmachine fans out there, so you can stop reading here if you want
---------------------------------------------
Ready? Now we get into the nerdy shit- minor spoilers ahead, by the way.
If you love Khador, you will love this story. Dan is able to take a bulldozer of a warcaster and give him a soul; after reading the Butcher, you will no longer see Orsus as just a caster you take if you want to brute force your way through a match, but a real character. Even more, you will see his iconic axe, Lola, and the woman behind it, now a symbol for tragedy, not just destruction.
Dan has a great understanding of the Warmachine setting and incorporates it well: asides from several passages that spell out certain unique aspects of the setting, you never feel like he's hitting you over the head with explanations or gross oversimplifications.
Khador as a nation is given a character, not just Orsus. The sprawling setting of Khador is fleshed out, as you get a glimpse into the politics of the Khadoran monarchy, the inner workings of the Kayazy crime syndicate, and better understand the Empress' motives for keeping the Butcher in her service. If you weren't a Khadoran player already, you'll want to be by the end of this story. That alone makes it worth the investment.
And lastly, I'd like to refute the criticisms of "sexism" and "fridging" , pertaining to the character Lola , seeing as their relationship is a pivotal aspect of the narrative. I won't even consider this spoiler talk because if you know anything about the Butcher, you know about his axe, Lola. Hint. It doesn't work out for her. You know this within the first few pages of the story- what you don't know is how we wind up there.
The Warmachine and Hordes setting have no shortage of female characters, who like Orsus, are empowered warcasters, with their own backstories, motives, and arcs. The leader of the Khadoran nation is the Empress, who has made decisive moves in coordinating the war effort and wields the fate of people like Orsus, Irusk and Strakhov.
You can make an argument that it is not an innovative tragedy, and I would even agree- but hiding behind TV Tropes does not validate knee-jerk crticisms about an author's writing and the larger setting he works with. You don't have to like it of course, but understand that blame doesn't go to the author.
Dan Wells did not invent Lola- she (and her fate) existed before The Butcher of Khardov was written, and Wells does as good a job as one can hope for fleshing out a character who previously only existed as several fluff blurbs- she doesn't even have a miniature for the game. Lola went from being an ambiguous motive to an actual character who wielded great influence over Orsus. He gave more to her character than the original game designers did, probably because they were busy with characters like Sorscha, Haley, Denehgra, Zerkova, Feora, etc etc etc.
Look at the recent adaptation of Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke" if you want to be reminded of what happens to a narrative structure when it bends over backwards to make sure tertiary characters get the same degree of importance and autonomy normally reserved for protagonists.
Furthermore, the character of the Butcher is not a power fantasy that Lola is "fed" to. He may be ripped, a fierce combatant, and empowered by his warcasting talents, but I would question anyone who envies his position, independently of Lola's role in their shared developments.
There are many valid criticisms you can level against the story, but understand that claims of "fridging" is not one of them. You can criticize this particular plot point for not being original, and I would agree, but it's narrative execution is still as carefully thought out, and as well handled as one can hope for. Not every schlub in Immoren gets to be a war hero.
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TL;DR: You'll like it if you're a Warmachine fan, you'll love it if you play Khador, and you'll probably still be entertained by some of the more dramatic sequences as a general purveyor of science fiction and fantasy. But don't let the hugo award fool you: it isn't for everyone, but it will be a welcomed breath of fresh air for anyone absolutely sick of the Warhammer brand "bolter porn"saturating most sci-fi shelves.
July 26, 2016
Read for the 2014 Hugos
This is a really well-written look at the inside of a complex character's head. The story is told totally out of order, so you pretty much know where this guy's story goes from the beginning. The story pulls you along as you try to figure out how he goes from who he was when he was young, to who he becomes later. Wells gives him very believable motivation and characterization.
The most impressive part of this story is the structure. Wells could have written it totally chronologically, but it wouldn't have been nearly as good. Cutting back and forth between time periods is brilliant. Each scene actually flows into the next, even if the next is 20 years earlier (or later) than what you just read.
In the end, the story is very good, but not great, but the writing style and structure work to make it better.
This is a really well-written look at the inside of a complex character's head. The story is told totally out of order, so you pretty much know where this guy's story goes from the beginning. The story pulls you along as you try to figure out how he goes from who he was when he was young, to who he becomes later. Wells gives him very believable motivation and characterization.
The most impressive part of this story is the structure. Wells could have written it totally chronologically, but it wouldn't have been nearly as good. Cutting back and forth between time periods is brilliant. Each scene actually flows into the next, even if the next is 20 years earlier (or later) than what you just read.
In the end, the story is very good, but not great, but the writing style and structure work to make it better.
Read
July 9, 2014I'm not giving this a star rating since I don't think that would be fair to the book. It's competently written, and I think that people who care about this universe would enjoy it. Plus it has a few drawings in it, which I thought was nice.
But I read this as a Hugo nomination. And, wow, is it cheesy. I mean, of course the Tharn barbarians, worshipers of the Devourer Worm, killed his whole family, giving his origin story both Pain and Anger.
But I read this as a Hugo nomination. And, wow, is it cheesy. I mean, of course the Tharn barbarians, worshipers of the Devourer Worm, killed his whole family, giving his origin story both Pain and Anger.
June 7, 2014
And now for the actual Hugo nominee. Obviously the origin story for a character who is probably a key player in the Warcaster game - but not having played the game, I don't know for sure. It's not bad fantasy, but I'll admit I found the non-linear way the novella is written to be kind of off-putting.
June 8, 2014
I read this because it was on the short list for the Hugo awards. I cannot fathom why it was nominated. Annoying structure, unpleasant characters and outcome and no redeeming qualities I could spot. One to avoid unless you are a Hugo voter and feel you ought to read it before voting for something better.
June 18, 2014
There are good books, and then there are books like this one. I love non-linear storytelling, when well done, and Dan Wells does it like a master. Beautiful, masterful writing with a riveting plot and an unexpected outcome. Unusual fantasy, set in a complex but easily explained world.
July 9, 2013
A fantastic read for any Khador player! I've always been fascinated by the Butcher, and this story gave him real depth. Also (spoiler alert!), you learn the history of Lola!
July 9, 2013
The Butchers tale is a kinda a sad one.
dude goes crazy for a pretty good reason
dude goes crazy for a pretty good reason
June 9, 2014
Hugo nominee, 2014.
Abandoned partway through. Not a Warmachine player, and the story didn't catch my attention.
Abandoned partway through. Not a Warmachine player, and the story didn't catch my attention.
March 26, 2018
This book gets a solid three stars from me. I quite enjoyed the way we jumped around in this madman's life throughout the book, and the snippets of charming rural Khadoran life were pretty neat. I also appreciate that there was only one annoying 'obligatory tie in' to other stuff in the setting. Looking at you Mr. Kratikoff...
The only real problem I had with this book was its length. For the first time in quite a while I actually thought a book was too short! Just when I thought the book was building to something good, it went and ended on me. Still, the short length does make it easy to recommend, and I'll probably be pointing some of my Warmachine-playing friends towards this book.
The only real problem I had with this book was its length. For the first time in quite a while I actually thought a book was too short! Just when I thought the book was building to something good, it went and ended on me. Still, the short length does make it easy to recommend, and I'll probably be pointing some of my Warmachine-playing friends towards this book.
August 9, 2017
This book is immaculately written, if a little confusing chronologically at first. I don't know anything about the rest of the Warcaster lore, but this book honestly convinced me to read more Dan Wells.
If you ever read this, Dan Wells, I'm sorry I put you off for so long. I'm not proud.
If you ever read this, Dan Wells, I'm sorry I put you off for so long. I'm not proud.
August 2, 2019
Overly disjointed
The story could have been more entertaining if it weren't for the constant jumps between time. I mean let's start our stories where they should begin. This is filled with constant unnecessary flashbacks.
The story could have been more entertaining if it weren't for the constant jumps between time. I mean let's start our stories where they should begin. This is filled with constant unnecessary flashbacks.
May 29, 2024
If you are a Warmachine or Iron Kingdoms player you will know the story that is told in this book. Everyone knows the lore around Orsus Zoktavir. But Dan Wells makes this story very enjoyable through a well thought out structure and some focus on Orsus's motivations.
December 2, 2019
A great love story from a man's point of view. A must read.
August 15, 2022
Started strong but quickly tailed off. Also I wasn’t a fan of the scattered flashback style storytelling.
April 23, 2025
a sympathize-me villain story that is enjoyable, but doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel, not steer away from cliches and tropes.
6/10
6/10
October 1, 2015
Orsus Zoktavir is one of the most feared warcasters in all of Khador. Horror stories are still told of his madness, his rage, his sheer brutality painfully displayed for all to see when he destroyed an entire village of suspected traitors and then turned on the army he rode at the head of. What most people do not know is his tortured past, and the memories the drive him. Before he was a weapon, Orsus was simply a young man who sought to escape the violence that constantly tainted his life. When he fell in love, Orsus finally had the motivation to change himself. But fate, it seems, has other things in store for him.
“The Butcher of Khardov” is set in the world of the tabletop miniature game “Warmachine,” and provides a fantastic background story to one of the fearsome warcasters in the Khador army. However, readers do not have to play “Warmachine” or even be familiar with it to enjoy this book; it easily holds its own as what most would classify as a fantasy novel, although some might prefer to go with the smaller genre of steampunk. At first, the story seems a bit disjointed, jumping back and forth in time between important events in Orsus's life, but readers will soon become adapted to the style and be able to go with it. This is a great book for “Warmachine” fans and non-fans alike.
This review originally written for San Francisco Book Review.
“The Butcher of Khardov” is set in the world of the tabletop miniature game “Warmachine,” and provides a fantastic background story to one of the fearsome warcasters in the Khador army. However, readers do not have to play “Warmachine” or even be familiar with it to enjoy this book; it easily holds its own as what most would classify as a fantasy novel, although some might prefer to go with the smaller genre of steampunk. At first, the story seems a bit disjointed, jumping back and forth in time between important events in Orsus's life, but readers will soon become adapted to the style and be able to go with it. This is a great book for “Warmachine” fans and non-fans alike.
This review originally written for San Francisco Book Review.
May 28, 2014
As a Warmachine player and upon reading forums about this book I was expecting to see at least one 1* review, but none came so far - which is damn right, because this book is good indeed.
Writing about Orsus is an easy and hard thing at once. There are almost self-evident traits of this giant, associations that come easily, whether you know the game or not: dread, madness, power, physical prowess.
However, reasoning these things is a hard task. You can easily fall into clichés, exaggerations, and many other traps. And this is, where the Butcher falls a bit short for me.
Perhaps my emotional threshold is too high, but I was expecting a bit more intense, a bit more shocking or complicated reason, than the many times seen "witnessed his family's dead, and lost his one-chance-for-normal-life love" formula. In terms of originality it is nothing to write home about, but the execution is OK nonetheless.
However, the book brings an excellent closing, the reason why the Butcher serves the queen, and also grabs perfectly the sheer intimidating presence of Orsus many times.
Writing about Orsus is an easy and hard thing at once. There are almost self-evident traits of this giant, associations that come easily, whether you know the game or not: dread, madness, power, physical prowess.
However, reasoning these things is a hard task. You can easily fall into clichés, exaggerations, and many other traps. And this is, where the Butcher falls a bit short for me.
Perhaps my emotional threshold is too high, but I was expecting a bit more intense, a bit more shocking or complicated reason, than the many times seen "witnessed his family's dead, and lost his one-chance-for-normal-life love" formula. In terms of originality it is nothing to write home about, but the execution is OK nonetheless.
However, the book brings an excellent closing, the reason why the Butcher serves the queen, and also grabs perfectly the sheer intimidating presence of Orsus many times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2014
How did Orsus Zoktavir become known as the Butcher of Khardov? This is a question I have never asked because I've never played Warmachine. But this tie-in novella answers it! Surprise, it involves his lover being killed. If you can get past the fact that the story centers on a fridging, the silly pseudo-Russian terminology used in this fantasy world (guess what vyatka is), and the fairly generic nature of said fantasy world, it is a decent story. I liked the use of non-linear narrative, and I actually enjoyed the depiction of Orsus and Lola's relationship; their scenes were more compelling than the several battle scenes. But in the end it's a very manly story about manpain.
June 4, 2014
I love stories that really develop characters. The character of Orsus is a monster. He's tragic. He's flawed. He wants nothing more than to be loved. But make no mistake. He's a monster.
This book was so powerful because it really made me hurt for Orsus. I can't say I ever really liked him, but I empathized with his plight.
Good literature makes you feel something. I felt the pain of loss and the anger at the futility that sometimes comes with trying to do the right thing. I also felt the fear that we've all felt at some time or another when we realize that there is a monster hiding inside each of us that is willing to come out as long as we are willing to nurture it and let it grow.
This is a powerful story. Tragic, but powerful.
This book was so powerful because it really made me hurt for Orsus. I can't say I ever really liked him, but I empathized with his plight.
Good literature makes you feel something. I felt the pain of loss and the anger at the futility that sometimes comes with trying to do the right thing. I also felt the fear that we've all felt at some time or another when we realize that there is a monster hiding inside each of us that is willing to come out as long as we are willing to nurture it and let it grow.
This is a powerful story. Tragic, but powerful.
July 3, 2014
I didn't realize this book was part of a series or shared universe or something until after I read it. It works just fine without having read any related books. That does, however, explain why the world is so well-imagined, which was one of the things I really liked about it.
I found the writing very powerful and intense. I had to read it a bit at a time, not something I have experienced often!
Orsus is an enormous bear of a man in a steampunk Russia-like country. Magic is also in the mix and Orsus has the unusual ability to control steam-powered robot-like machines with his mind. He is also a natural soldier - perhaps a little too natural. Yet tragedy strikes and each time Orsus finds himself unable to protect those he loves.
I found the writing very powerful and intense. I had to read it a bit at a time, not something I have experienced often!
Orsus is an enormous bear of a man in a steampunk Russia-like country. Magic is also in the mix and Orsus has the unusual ability to control steam-powered robot-like machines with his mind. He is also a natural soldier - perhaps a little too natural. Yet tragedy strikes and each time Orsus finds himself unable to protect those he loves.
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