Mortarch of Night

The Realmgate Wars #9

by Joshua Reynolds, David Guymer

Long ago, Sigmar numbered Nagash among his allies, but the Master of Death betrayed the God-King, causing the great pantheon o gods to crumble as the Age of Chaos began. Now, Sigmar seeks to reform his ancient alliegiances - Tarsus Bull-Heart, Lord-Celestant of the Hallowed Knights, has been sent to the Vales of Sorrows with his Warrior Chamber to treat with the Great Necromancer. The Stormcast Eternals soon discover that Shyish is an unforgiving realm, and they are forced to accept aid from a vampire of dubious provenance, one whose name resonates throughout history: Manfred von Carstein. Tarsus and his Lord-Relictor Ramus both fear that there is more to their new guide than meets the eye, for it is well known that the dead cannot be trusted... This anthology is also available as a series of audio dramas.

Read it because
Nagash is in it. Need more reasons? Okay, it's all eight of the Realmgate Wars audio dramas collected together in a prose volume, and it's a rip-roaring tale of treachery, death, bravery and vengeance. Also, Nagash is in it. And did we mention Nagash is in it?

Genres: Fantasy, Anthologies

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 16, 2016

About the author

Josh Reynolds’ work has previously appeared in such anthologies as Historical Lovecraft from Innsmouth Free Press and Horror for the Holidays from Miskatonic River Press, and his novel, Knight of the Blazing Sun, is currently available from Black Library. He can be found at: http://joshuamreynolds.wordpress.com

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Reviews

[Attila · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Reynolds part was very good, the Guymer part was very bad...shame :(...and the space mari...I mean thunder warri....I mean the Stormcasts with the constant 'Only the faithful' was simply ridiculous.

[Christian · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book just wasn't for me. It was very flat. I liked the characters but the plot didn't hold any real sense of drama or emotion.

[Michael Dodd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although really two stories, the overall narrative is Sigmar’s attempt to negotiate a new alliance with Nagash, focusing mostly on one stormhost – the Hallowed Knights, specifically the Bull-hearts led by Lord-Celestant Tarsus and Lord-Relictor Ramus.

In order to really work as a novel this could have done with each instalment being trimmed down, especially some of the exposition and lots of the fighting. It’s all entertaining enough on a surface level, but it just doesn’t quite hang together as a book.

Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2017/12/...

[Michael Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read half of this and listened to the other half via the audio dramas. While I could read it faster, the audio drama did provide better pacing and the sound effects and different voices enhanced the experience.
It is not easy to take two authors' short stories and have them combine into a single narrative. However, this was mostly a success. The characterization felt consistent throughout, especially for Mannfred and the Ramos. I especially enjoyed the machinations of Mannfred throughout the tales and how he worked his own agenda.
This has been one of the better Realmgate books.

[Luke Bushman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josh Reynolds’ sections were my favorite. I thought they were engaging and had some fun moments with Mannfred Von Carstein.

The other sections of the book were pretty dull and a bit tough to get through. The story devolved into almost all combat, and I found myself sick at lightning crackling, and hafts being shoved into the ground.

Reynolds’ sections were so good and set such a great foundation for the characters that I gave it 4 stars simply because I want to follow more of his version of the Hallowed Knights.

[Thom · Rating 3 out of 5]

None of the stories in this selection are terrible, but I wouldn’t say that any were particularly remarkable either. The connecting theme of the undead was good, but ultimately I’m not sure if I’d recommend this one.

[Mark Durkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome

The short stories written by the two authors follow on from each other seamlessly. Very well written a recommended read

[Troy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The chapters after Tarsus are less interesting

[Jay Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

First 4 I really enjoyed, accidently messed up order of last four so didn't read them all, skipped to the last story and don't think I missed a great deal (4 for first 4, 3 for penultimate 2)

[Bartek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hated Mannfred back in the Warhammer Fantasy universum but the Age of Sigmar one is way more interesting and even has some redeeming qualities.

[Champi Pascual-Anaya · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s taking me a lot of will to finish this...