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Warhammer Heroes #6
Luthor Huss
Witch hunter Lukas Eichmann investigates a series of bizarre murders, which ultimately lead him into the haunted depths of the Empire at the head of an army of fanatical warriors. In the Drakwald Forest, Luthor Huss, warrior priest of Sigmar, battles to free the denizens of the forest from a plague of the walking dead. As their fates entwine, the two warriors confront a threat that will decide their future, while Huss must face a secret from his past if he is to survive and embrace his destiny as the Hammer of Sigmar.
420 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
8 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Chris Wraight
219 books385 followersChris Wraight is a British author of fantasy and science fiction.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 5, 2012
I was surprisingly drawn into this one. I always seem to have an unfounded dread picking up a warhammer novel just incase it reads like some greasy haired spotty nerds playing a war game around a table in games workshop but they never seem to disappoint and Luthor Huss is easily the best one I have had the pleasure to read yet. Luthor himself is an excellent character and very much worthy of the title ‘warhammer hero’ but the author cleverly tells the tale as a third party view and also writes a lot about another character in the form of the witch hunter ‘Lukas Eichmann who is worth a novel all of his own. The action is furious but never overdone and packed in tight from the first word to the last.
A very easy and quick read, full of well scripted dialogue , exceptionally well delivered plot and characters you can’t help but buy into. Add to this hordes of the undead and an awesome main bad guy and as far as I’m concerned this is about as perfect as it gets. Topped off with a solid ending and no sign of any follow up novels to wait for. Perfect. Thank you very much Chris Wright.
A very easy and quick read, full of well scripted dialogue , exceptionally well delivered plot and characters you can’t help but buy into. Add to this hordes of the undead and an awesome main bad guy and as far as I’m concerned this is about as perfect as it gets. Topped off with a solid ending and no sign of any follow up novels to wait for. Perfect. Thank you very much Chris Wright.
April 6, 2014
As far as fantasy worlds go, Warhammer has enough uniqueness to stand out in the crowd. Yes, there are elves and orcs. But there are also guns and the most populous human nation, known simply as "The Empire", is refreshingly Germanic in influence. The Empire's worship of the God-Emperor Sigmar allows for clever parody of dogmatic Christian churches through the ages, with special focus on corruption, abuse of power, and the inability to uphold the teachings of the very God they claim to follow. The Catholic Church in particular receives a not too subtle punch in the face from the likes of the eponymous protagonist of Chris Wraight's novel, Luthor Huss.
The characters are the real - and possibly only - strength of the novel. Huss is a hulking, no-nonsense warrior priest. He's fed up with the corruption and selfish politicking displayed by the leaders of the Church of Sigmar. Like his real-world (almost) namesake (Martin Luther), Huss is determined to honour the true Sigmar, and he's not afraid to ruffle a few pious feathers in doing so. Luthor Huss was invented as part of the Warhammer tabletop game and (correct me if I'm wrong) Wraight is simply expanding on an already established character. However, the author's witch hunter, Lukas Eichmann, is a clever invention. Contrast between the two servants of Sigmar is intriguing: where Eichmann interrogates and tortures, Huss kills; where Eichmann plots and plans, Huss marches headlong into battle. Even their use of weapons sets them apart; Eichmann implements a pistol and a rapier, while Huss smashes skulls with his warhammer.
The story begins well enough. I liked the almost Sherlock Holmes style of Lukas Eichmann's initial investigation. But that doesn't last long. Before you know it, the witch hunter has left the city to battle beastmen in the wild. Luthor Huss is also battling beastmen elsewhere. The plot spends a good deal of time switching between the two protagonists: Huss battles beastmen, then back to Eichmann battling beastmen, then Huss battles more beastmen, meanwhile Eichmann has encountered some beastmen that he battles, etc., etc. Finally the two heroes of the Empire meet and... they battle beastmen together... The end. Alright, I'll admit I've been a little harsh. It's not all battling beastmen... they do battle some undead as well... in almost identical fashion to the beastmen battles...
Lukas Eichmann shares almost equal amounts of the spotlight with Luthor Huss (despite the title of the novel suggesting the warrior priest would dominate the word count). Yes, Huss' childhood is revealed, and this accounts for the most interesting aspect of the story. But we don't see Huss sending shockwaves through the Church of Sigmar like the Warhammer backstory suggests. I feel Wraight didn't spend enough time here.
My first exposure to Chris Wraight was one of the "Warhammer: Storm of Magic" short stories he wrote featuring the High Elves. His style impressed me. It was the reason I gave "Luthor Huss" a go. I was disappointed.
The plot goes nowhere interesting. I became bored of battle after battle that all seemed the same. While the protagonists held potential, the antagonists (or lack there of) didn't capture me... at all. I wanted someone to hate, someone who would make me cheer when Huss split their skull with his mighty golden warhammer... but no. There is an attempt to connect the main villain to Huss personally, but it's all revealed too late and the effect isn't given the time required to build a real grudge. The villain doesn't even show up until the final battle.
Overall, the initial hope for this story that the first few chapters promised soon faded and I had to force myself to drudge through the rest of the novel. It's too slow, too uninteresting, too repetitive, and there's no real sense of wanting the characters to prevail because Wraight doesn't give you any plausible reason for their actions. If Huss and Eichmann failed, I don't feel the Old World (the setting for Warhammer) would have been drastically changed. That's what I should feel. An epic sense of accountability should be placed upon the heroes' shoulders.
Honestly? Unless you're an epic diehard Warhammer fan, give this a miss.
Oh, and I'll leave you with one little editing tip. If a character performs an action and then that same character speaks, both the action and their dialogue should be kept in the SAME paragraph. For whatever reason, all the way through "Luthor Huss", a character would nod their head and then directly say something, yet two separate paragraphs were allocated to the nodding action and what they said. This is incorrect editing for a good reason: If a character performs an action and then speech is indicated in a new paragraph it is automatically assumed by the reader that a different character to the one that performed the action is now speaking. Not so in "Luthor Huss".
The characters are the real - and possibly only - strength of the novel. Huss is a hulking, no-nonsense warrior priest. He's fed up with the corruption and selfish politicking displayed by the leaders of the Church of Sigmar. Like his real-world (almost) namesake (Martin Luther), Huss is determined to honour the true Sigmar, and he's not afraid to ruffle a few pious feathers in doing so. Luthor Huss was invented as part of the Warhammer tabletop game and (correct me if I'm wrong) Wraight is simply expanding on an already established character. However, the author's witch hunter, Lukas Eichmann, is a clever invention. Contrast between the two servants of Sigmar is intriguing: where Eichmann interrogates and tortures, Huss kills; where Eichmann plots and plans, Huss marches headlong into battle. Even their use of weapons sets them apart; Eichmann implements a pistol and a rapier, while Huss smashes skulls with his warhammer.
The story begins well enough. I liked the almost Sherlock Holmes style of Lukas Eichmann's initial investigation. But that doesn't last long. Before you know it, the witch hunter has left the city to battle beastmen in the wild. Luthor Huss is also battling beastmen elsewhere. The plot spends a good deal of time switching between the two protagonists: Huss battles beastmen, then back to Eichmann battling beastmen, then Huss battles more beastmen, meanwhile Eichmann has encountered some beastmen that he battles, etc., etc. Finally the two heroes of the Empire meet and... they battle beastmen together... The end. Alright, I'll admit I've been a little harsh. It's not all battling beastmen... they do battle some undead as well... in almost identical fashion to the beastmen battles...
Lukas Eichmann shares almost equal amounts of the spotlight with Luthor Huss (despite the title of the novel suggesting the warrior priest would dominate the word count). Yes, Huss' childhood is revealed, and this accounts for the most interesting aspect of the story. But we don't see Huss sending shockwaves through the Church of Sigmar like the Warhammer backstory suggests. I feel Wraight didn't spend enough time here.
My first exposure to Chris Wraight was one of the "Warhammer: Storm of Magic" short stories he wrote featuring the High Elves. His style impressed me. It was the reason I gave "Luthor Huss" a go. I was disappointed.
The plot goes nowhere interesting. I became bored of battle after battle that all seemed the same. While the protagonists held potential, the antagonists (or lack there of) didn't capture me... at all. I wanted someone to hate, someone who would make me cheer when Huss split their skull with his mighty golden warhammer... but no. There is an attempt to connect the main villain to Huss personally, but it's all revealed too late and the effect isn't given the time required to build a real grudge. The villain doesn't even show up until the final battle.
Overall, the initial hope for this story that the first few chapters promised soon faded and I had to force myself to drudge through the rest of the novel. It's too slow, too uninteresting, too repetitive, and there's no real sense of wanting the characters to prevail because Wraight doesn't give you any plausible reason for their actions. If Huss and Eichmann failed, I don't feel the Old World (the setting for Warhammer) would have been drastically changed. That's what I should feel. An epic sense of accountability should be placed upon the heroes' shoulders.
Honestly? Unless you're an epic diehard Warhammer fan, give this a miss.
Oh, and I'll leave you with one little editing tip. If a character performs an action and then that same character speaks, both the action and their dialogue should be kept in the SAME paragraph. For whatever reason, all the way through "Luthor Huss", a character would nod their head and then directly say something, yet two separate paragraphs were allocated to the nodding action and what they said. This is incorrect editing for a good reason: If a character performs an action and then speech is indicated in a new paragraph it is automatically assumed by the reader that a different character to the one that performed the action is now speaking. Not so in "Luthor Huss".
February 4, 2012
Original Post: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/02/...
The Warhammer Heroes series contains the first Warhammer Fantasy novel that I’ve ever read, Wulfrik by CL Werner, and I was blown away by the fantastic novel that Werner had invented, leaving me only wanting more from not just this series, but the entire Warhammer Fantasy world. This is partly why, when a new Warhammer Heroes novel arrives at my doorstep, you can feel free to bet your life savings that I’ll read it. Eventually. This novel sees a release this month, and to be honest, now that I’ve recently finished reading it, I don’t know why I’ve put it off for this long. Luthor Huss is a very strong instalment to the Warhammer Heroes series, and quite possibly, one of the best yet.
The story itself follows two main characters throughout the whole, third-person narrated novel, and they are pretty interesting characters to follow. The obvious one is Luthor Huss, Warrior Priest of Sigmar and is the novel’s titular character, and looking extremely badass on the front there. Although he may be the main star though, he’s not the only main character in Luthor Huss, for the other one, the one who gets quite a lot of page-time, is Witch-Hunter Lukas Eichmann, who is investigating a series of odd murders which will eventually let him to the head of an army of fanatical warriors. It’s nice that Wraight doesn’t spend the whole novel focusing on Huss alone, and I believe that this is one of these novels that wouldn’t really work if it was told entirely from the third or first person perspective of the main character. It’s kind of like reading a Sherlock Holmes short story/novel from the third person POV of Holmes, and not the point of view of Doctor Watson that we’re used to.
But enough about the characters, let’s talk about the action. Anyone who’s read my recent review of Juggernaut by Adam Baker will know that I’m a huge fan of undead hordes, and Luthor Huss is no different here. Although the undead hordes are not the only enemy that Huss has to face, and I will not mention who that particular enemy is due to spoilers, but one thing’s for sure, both are pulled of pretty spectacularly and allow for some chilling scenes that will keep the reader hooked to the page, with well-written action scenes that show us why he’s quickly becoming a go-to author for anything Warhammer Fantasy.
The novel itself is your average length, and you’ll breeze through it pretty quickly, as I did – in a couple of sittings. It’s a really enjoyable novel, and although it doesn’t look as though there’ll be a sequel, it’s well worth checking out, as Wraight does a fantastic job of fleshing out the background of the Warhammer character.
The pacing of Luthor Huss is pretty quick and even throughout the whole novel, and for those who are wondering if this contains flashbacks or not – it does, but they don’t slow down the pace of the novel like I found to be the problem with Abnett’s Prospero Burns. Wraight knows when they are needed, and knows how to keep you turning the pages without slowing down or decreasing the levels of tension. This is how flashbacks should be done.
I’m struggling to find a flaw with Luthor Huss, and because of that, I’m really pleased about this novel – it’s a pretty enjoyable read. There weren’t any grammar mistakes that I’ve encountered from many advanced review copies in the past, which is a good thing.
This novel is, of course, set in the Warhammer Fantasy world, one that I’ve not explored as much as I have with Black Library’s Warhammer 40,000 one. And, the Warhammer Fantasy series follows characters already established in Warhammer Fantasy lore, similar to the Space Marine Battles novels, only this novel focuses on the heroes and the villains of WHFB of all races, and not just one. I’m pointing this out here, because I don’t really know how much lore there is about Luthor Huss, other than the fact that there is a model of him for the Warhammer Fantasy game (which doesn’t look as awesome as the cover, by the way), meaning that this novel was pretty unpredictable for me as it progressed, with nobody being safe, and as far as I was concerned, there were some moments where I thought even Luthor Huss wouldn’t make it out alive.
Another positive thing about the Warhammer Fantasy series is that they don’t have to be read in order, apart from the Sword of Justice and Sword of Vengeance Duology by Chris Wraight, (which even then, I read Sword of Vengeance without reading Sword of Justice), so if one ‘hero’, author or book isn’t particularly to your liking, you can afford to skip them without being completely lost as to what is going on when you pick up the next novel. However, I’m going to go ahead and say that even though you don’t have to, you should read them all in publishing order. They’re all awesome, and Warhammer Heroes is probably my favourite Warhammer Fantasy series of the lot, topping even the mighty Gotrek and Felix by William King and later, Nathan Long – and the enthralling Ulrika the Vampire novels, also by Nathan Long.
Verdict: 4.5/5
The Warhammer Heroes series contains the first Warhammer Fantasy novel that I’ve ever read, Wulfrik by CL Werner, and I was blown away by the fantastic novel that Werner had invented, leaving me only wanting more from not just this series, but the entire Warhammer Fantasy world. This is partly why, when a new Warhammer Heroes novel arrives at my doorstep, you can feel free to bet your life savings that I’ll read it. Eventually. This novel sees a release this month, and to be honest, now that I’ve recently finished reading it, I don’t know why I’ve put it off for this long. Luthor Huss is a very strong instalment to the Warhammer Heroes series, and quite possibly, one of the best yet.
The story itself follows two main characters throughout the whole, third-person narrated novel, and they are pretty interesting characters to follow. The obvious one is Luthor Huss, Warrior Priest of Sigmar and is the novel’s titular character, and looking extremely badass on the front there. Although he may be the main star though, he’s not the only main character in Luthor Huss, for the other one, the one who gets quite a lot of page-time, is Witch-Hunter Lukas Eichmann, who is investigating a series of odd murders which will eventually let him to the head of an army of fanatical warriors. It’s nice that Wraight doesn’t spend the whole novel focusing on Huss alone, and I believe that this is one of these novels that wouldn’t really work if it was told entirely from the third or first person perspective of the main character. It’s kind of like reading a Sherlock Holmes short story/novel from the third person POV of Holmes, and not the point of view of Doctor Watson that we’re used to.
But enough about the characters, let’s talk about the action. Anyone who’s read my recent review of Juggernaut by Adam Baker will know that I’m a huge fan of undead hordes, and Luthor Huss is no different here. Although the undead hordes are not the only enemy that Huss has to face, and I will not mention who that particular enemy is due to spoilers, but one thing’s for sure, both are pulled of pretty spectacularly and allow for some chilling scenes that will keep the reader hooked to the page, with well-written action scenes that show us why he’s quickly becoming a go-to author for anything Warhammer Fantasy.
The novel itself is your average length, and you’ll breeze through it pretty quickly, as I did – in a couple of sittings. It’s a really enjoyable novel, and although it doesn’t look as though there’ll be a sequel, it’s well worth checking out, as Wraight does a fantastic job of fleshing out the background of the Warhammer character.
The pacing of Luthor Huss is pretty quick and even throughout the whole novel, and for those who are wondering if this contains flashbacks or not – it does, but they don’t slow down the pace of the novel like I found to be the problem with Abnett’s Prospero Burns. Wraight knows when they are needed, and knows how to keep you turning the pages without slowing down or decreasing the levels of tension. This is how flashbacks should be done.
I’m struggling to find a flaw with Luthor Huss, and because of that, I’m really pleased about this novel – it’s a pretty enjoyable read. There weren’t any grammar mistakes that I’ve encountered from many advanced review copies in the past, which is a good thing.
This novel is, of course, set in the Warhammer Fantasy world, one that I’ve not explored as much as I have with Black Library’s Warhammer 40,000 one. And, the Warhammer Fantasy series follows characters already established in Warhammer Fantasy lore, similar to the Space Marine Battles novels, only this novel focuses on the heroes and the villains of WHFB of all races, and not just one. I’m pointing this out here, because I don’t really know how much lore there is about Luthor Huss, other than the fact that there is a model of him for the Warhammer Fantasy game (which doesn’t look as awesome as the cover, by the way), meaning that this novel was pretty unpredictable for me as it progressed, with nobody being safe, and as far as I was concerned, there were some moments where I thought even Luthor Huss wouldn’t make it out alive.
Another positive thing about the Warhammer Fantasy series is that they don’t have to be read in order, apart from the Sword of Justice and Sword of Vengeance Duology by Chris Wraight, (which even then, I read Sword of Vengeance without reading Sword of Justice), so if one ‘hero’, author or book isn’t particularly to your liking, you can afford to skip them without being completely lost as to what is going on when you pick up the next novel. However, I’m going to go ahead and say that even though you don’t have to, you should read them all in publishing order. They’re all awesome, and Warhammer Heroes is probably my favourite Warhammer Fantasy series of the lot, topping even the mighty Gotrek and Felix by William King and later, Nathan Long – and the enthralling Ulrika the Vampire novels, also by Nathan Long.
Verdict: 4.5/5
June 1, 2012
Pretty top stuff. I read an awful lot of genre fiction - too much, one might say. So it's always a pleasent surprise when I come across an author who understand that genre is no reason to slack off - but is, in fact, a way to maximise the impact of their tale using the familiar fantasy iconography as a suitable framework. Indeed, structurally, there's nothing too remarkable about this novel - (al)most every goes along according to script, and there are (nearly) no surprises. So what is there to enjoy about a novel like this?
Easy - characters, dialogue, action - if you read for the joy of reading - for the sheer love of constructing the characters, scenes, and dialogue in your head - then Chris Wraight's got you covered. He uses a light touch - not under-descriptive, but never bogging down the story in pages of detail. Everything's tuned towards making the story as tight, well-paced and exciting as possible. Which isn't to say that his prose is bare - he evokes imagery just enough to let your mind fill in the gaps. Where his writing really shines, though, is in the dialogue, and the characters. Even minor characters feel like something more than a plot-point - even red-shirts are sufficiently fleshed out enough that their deaths have impact. And that's, really, what it's all about. Sure, we're seeing the same kinds of motions we've seen from dozens of pieces of heroic fiction - but Wraight gives them life, gives them agency, and thus, gives them impact. Therefore, when everything's down to the wire, and good's fighting evil in a last-ditch, hopeless battle - when the hero finally smites his foe, you feel it. And that's what even an action-based tale needs to suceed.
Easy - characters, dialogue, action - if you read for the joy of reading - for the sheer love of constructing the characters, scenes, and dialogue in your head - then Chris Wraight's got you covered. He uses a light touch - not under-descriptive, but never bogging down the story in pages of detail. Everything's tuned towards making the story as tight, well-paced and exciting as possible. Which isn't to say that his prose is bare - he evokes imagery just enough to let your mind fill in the gaps. Where his writing really shines, though, is in the dialogue, and the characters. Even minor characters feel like something more than a plot-point - even red-shirts are sufficiently fleshed out enough that their deaths have impact. And that's, really, what it's all about. Sure, we're seeing the same kinds of motions we've seen from dozens of pieces of heroic fiction - but Wraight gives them life, gives them agency, and thus, gives them impact. Therefore, when everything's down to the wire, and good's fighting evil in a last-ditch, hopeless battle - when the hero finally smites his foe, you feel it. And that's what even an action-based tale needs to suceed.
November 21, 2012
The "test" towards the end was utter crap
August 6, 2016
Original Post:
http://reading-lamp.blogspot.com/2012...
Being the latest entry to the Warhammer Heroes series, I was quite thrilled to read more about the Hammer of Sigmar, as name-giving character Luthor Huss is called by some. Even more so because the novel's author is no other than Chris Wraight, whose Swords of the Emperor duology in the same series has already blown me away. Wraight managed to not only make the Empire appeal to me, but also present a genuinely interesting and extensive plot that was not yet covered by existent background material, which made it all the more exciting to read.
With my earlier excitement in mind, I went ahead to read Luthor Huss. Can the prophet of Sigmar himself follow the footsteps of Ludwig Schwarzhelm and Kurt Helborg and provide another solid, satisfying tale set in the Warhammer world?
The Story:
"Witch hunter Lukas Eichmann investigates a series of bizarre murders, which ultimately lead him into the haunted depths of the Empire at the head of an army of fanatical warriors. In the Drakwald Forest, Luthor Huss, warrior priest of Sigmar, battles to free the denizens of the forest from a plague of the walking dead. As their fates entwine, the two warriors confront a threat that will decide their future, while Huss must face a secret from his past if he is to survive and embrace his destiny as the Hammer of Sigmar."
General Information
Although it should be clear by now, Luthor Huss is a Warhammer novel. It is a story about Faith. Indeed, Faith is the leading theme throughout the whole novel, and despite not knowing much about Warhammer, if there's a tiny bit of interest in how people deal with their trust in higher beings, this story might really appeal to you.
Set in the Empire, the biggest human civilization in the Warhammer Fantasy world, you get all the usual medieval themes, though less of the noble side of it than in The Red Duke, but more of a poor, miserable, hopeless point of view. The story is dirty, bloody and full of worship. If you can't cope with religious themes in fiction or reading about a good share of gore, you might reconsider picking it up.
But if you love dark fantasy the way I do, you'll love this book and its deeper themes.
Structure & Plot
As all Warhammer Heroes novels do for the most part, this book focuses on Luthor Huss, Warrior Priest of Sigmar, who founded the Empire thousands of years in the past and is venerated as a God by the people of the Empire. Luthor Huss, having been self-exiled from the churches of the Empire's capital, disgusted by the political schemes of his peers, is a wandering priest, smiting the enemies of man wherever he encounters them. Wielding his mighty warhammer with skill, precision and burning faith, Huss himself is inspiring the people around him to greater deeds in Sigmar's name.
The book mainly follows two storylines, or better, two characters and their workings towards a goal they can only reach together. Only in the last quarter do witch hunter Lukas Eichmann and Luthor Huss meet, up until then they both follow the same taint on their own, uncovering a complex tale of heresy to the reader. While Eichmann tries to get to the core of the cults he has recently uncovered and follows the trail into the Drakwald, which lies at the heart of the Empire and is home to the vile beastmen, Huss fights to protect the villages at the border of the forest, or at least cleanse whatever taint remains. Following Luthor is a peasant girl, rescued from the ruins of a village ravaged by the undead, as well as a mad peasant who lost his mind over the horrors he has witnessed and recovers his hope throughout the book. Both play a vital role in the story, and also to Huss they are important, dealing as strong devices for plot and character development. Little do these characters know about the evil they would eventually reveal. The core of the heresy lies in the middle of the Drakwald, and to face it, Huss will have to face his past first.
Throughout the story the reader encounters Huss's memories, which reveal his path from beginning his life as a priest as an apprentice of his old master and end with his leave from the temple he called home after uncovering that even the servants of Sigmar are not infallible. Indeed, while not as clearly structured as the flashbacks in The Red Duke, these glimpses at the youth of Huss are a strong aspect of the book, and show us the origins of the prophet of Sigmar - innocent, pious, strong in body and mind - and also tell us about his inner thoughts on the world he would swear to protect. The otherwise silent and distanced hero thus grants the reader a more in-depth look into his character, psyche and faith.
There's not a single doubt that Luthor Huss tells a story about faith, first and foremost, however. Faith is a strong thing indeed, and Chris Wraight expertly shows just how it affects people, both positively and negatively, how it inspires them to unknown heights and how losing one's faith may crush his very existence. It is a story about people dealing with faith in their own ways; from witch hunters pursuing those who turned from Sigmar, the priests preaching His word, the people clinging to their miserable lives, looking to the Gods to lend them guidance, or even the zealots who have nothing left, nothing to lose, and pledge their bodies and souls to their Lord.
Wraight shows us the matter of faith from a lot of different, yet intertwined angles, crafting a coherent tale that is both tragic and inspiring, proving the very point why faith is a very important thing in the Warhammer multiverse, and should never be neglected. They're just as important to Warhammer as sword and magic are, or the heroes wielding them.
Final Words & Verdict
I genuinely enjoyed Luthor Huss from the first to the last page. I didn't find any chapter that unnecessarily dragged on, or didn't get to the point. In fact, it drew me in so easily, I felt bad whenever I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore or had other things to do than read (I almost read it while cooking easter lunch). Especially the religious aspects the book touches are impressively well written and mind-provoking. How is man supposed to deal with despair, the loss of hope and faith? What makes them believe? What brings them to embrace damnation?
Much like The Red Duke, Luthor Huss provides the reader with plenty of material to study the great character we've known for many editions of the tabletop game. In fact, Luthor Huss is once again featured in the 8th edition armybook of the Empire in Warhammer Fantasy, but did not get a new model (yet?). His background section in the armybook also does not match up completely with the novel, but if you ask me, I'd take his final test before becoming a full-fledged priest in the novel much superior than the version of the armybook. Rest assured, these minor inaccuracies are neglectable, and I'd rather think that they're due to deadlines rather than oversight. I'd also like to point out that this novel is set before the Storm of Chaos and the coming of Archaon the Everchosen of Chaos Undivided. There are some clever hints and references especially at the end of the book, that make me hope for a successor-novel, as Huss has yet a vital part to play.
Chris Wraight once again earned my deepest respect with this recent contribution to the Warhammer Fantasy world. It lived up to my expectations, and even better, it exceeded them. For the first hundred-or-so pages, I really did not know where the story would lead to, as it gradually built up the setting and cast, but at no point was I lost or lacked the excitement to go on reading.
While the stage is rather the Drakwald rather than the cities of the Empire, I thought Wraight really pulled it off to make the old forest appear just as dangerous and deadly as it is supposed to, beastmen or not. The way the men dealt with the fear of being close to the treelines, or even venture into it, was both realistic and unnerving, even more so than the living dead attacking the human settlements.
This sets the story into contrast to the Swords of the Emperor duology, as they played mostly in open field or cities, showing the human, civilized side of the Empire instead of the animalistic and frightening aspects normal folk has to deal with, apart from the big cities and the protection of armies. However, it appears that Chris can do both justice, and this makes him the ideal candidate to write more about the Empire of Man.
Dear Black Library, if you want to do the Empire justice, please invite Chris Wraight to write more books about it.
If his name is on the cover, I'll buy it - not because of blind fanboyism (although it might have a minor role in it), but because his stories feel alive, right and to the point. He clearly knows what he is doing, and it shows. I clearly recommend picking up Luthor Huss, especially if you are tempted to pick up the Empire's 8th edition armybook.
As if Sword Guardian wasn't enough already to get me reading the Sigmar trilogy, the next thing I started after finishing Luthor Huss was Heldenhammer - I'm quite curious if Sigmar will be worth the Empire's faith. Looks good so far!
http://reading-lamp.blogspot.com/2012...
Being the latest entry to the Warhammer Heroes series, I was quite thrilled to read more about the Hammer of Sigmar, as name-giving character Luthor Huss is called by some. Even more so because the novel's author is no other than Chris Wraight, whose Swords of the Emperor duology in the same series has already blown me away. Wraight managed to not only make the Empire appeal to me, but also present a genuinely interesting and extensive plot that was not yet covered by existent background material, which made it all the more exciting to read.
With my earlier excitement in mind, I went ahead to read Luthor Huss. Can the prophet of Sigmar himself follow the footsteps of Ludwig Schwarzhelm and Kurt Helborg and provide another solid, satisfying tale set in the Warhammer world?
The Story:
"Witch hunter Lukas Eichmann investigates a series of bizarre murders, which ultimately lead him into the haunted depths of the Empire at the head of an army of fanatical warriors. In the Drakwald Forest, Luthor Huss, warrior priest of Sigmar, battles to free the denizens of the forest from a plague of the walking dead. As their fates entwine, the two warriors confront a threat that will decide their future, while Huss must face a secret from his past if he is to survive and embrace his destiny as the Hammer of Sigmar."
General Information
Although it should be clear by now, Luthor Huss is a Warhammer novel. It is a story about Faith. Indeed, Faith is the leading theme throughout the whole novel, and despite not knowing much about Warhammer, if there's a tiny bit of interest in how people deal with their trust in higher beings, this story might really appeal to you.
Set in the Empire, the biggest human civilization in the Warhammer Fantasy world, you get all the usual medieval themes, though less of the noble side of it than in The Red Duke, but more of a poor, miserable, hopeless point of view. The story is dirty, bloody and full of worship. If you can't cope with religious themes in fiction or reading about a good share of gore, you might reconsider picking it up.
But if you love dark fantasy the way I do, you'll love this book and its deeper themes.
‘We will show them the path of valour. We will expose the lie that there is no answer to the prayers of the faithful, and demonstrate with our body, mind and soul that there is but one liege-lord for mankind, one master of our destiny and one hope for the redemption of us all, and that is the Lord Sigmar Heldenhammer, the Blessed, the Mighty, the Undefeated.’
— Luthor Huss, Chapter 10
Structure & Plot
As all Warhammer Heroes novels do for the most part, this book focuses on Luthor Huss, Warrior Priest of Sigmar, who founded the Empire thousands of years in the past and is venerated as a God by the people of the Empire. Luthor Huss, having been self-exiled from the churches of the Empire's capital, disgusted by the political schemes of his peers, is a wandering priest, smiting the enemies of man wherever he encounters them. Wielding his mighty warhammer with skill, precision and burning faith, Huss himself is inspiring the people around him to greater deeds in Sigmar's name.
The book mainly follows two storylines, or better, two characters and their workings towards a goal they can only reach together. Only in the last quarter do witch hunter Lukas Eichmann and Luthor Huss meet, up until then they both follow the same taint on their own, uncovering a complex tale of heresy to the reader. While Eichmann tries to get to the core of the cults he has recently uncovered and follows the trail into the Drakwald, which lies at the heart of the Empire and is home to the vile beastmen, Huss fights to protect the villages at the border of the forest, or at least cleanse whatever taint remains. Following Luthor is a peasant girl, rescued from the ruins of a village ravaged by the undead, as well as a mad peasant who lost his mind over the horrors he has witnessed and recovers his hope throughout the book. Both play a vital role in the story, and also to Huss they are important, dealing as strong devices for plot and character development. Little do these characters know about the evil they would eventually reveal. The core of the heresy lies in the middle of the Drakwald, and to face it, Huss will have to face his past first.
Throughout the story the reader encounters Huss's memories, which reveal his path from beginning his life as a priest as an apprentice of his old master and end with his leave from the temple he called home after uncovering that even the servants of Sigmar are not infallible. Indeed, while not as clearly structured as the flashbacks in The Red Duke, these glimpses at the youth of Huss are a strong aspect of the book, and show us the origins of the prophet of Sigmar - innocent, pious, strong in body and mind - and also tell us about his inner thoughts on the world he would swear to protect. The otherwise silent and distanced hero thus grants the reader a more in-depth look into his character, psyche and faith.
There's not a single doubt that Luthor Huss tells a story about faith, first and foremost, however. Faith is a strong thing indeed, and Chris Wraight expertly shows just how it affects people, both positively and negatively, how it inspires them to unknown heights and how losing one's faith may crush his very existence. It is a story about people dealing with faith in their own ways; from witch hunters pursuing those who turned from Sigmar, the priests preaching His word, the people clinging to their miserable lives, looking to the Gods to lend them guidance, or even the zealots who have nothing left, nothing to lose, and pledge their bodies and souls to their Lord.
Wraight shows us the matter of faith from a lot of different, yet intertwined angles, crafting a coherent tale that is both tragic and inspiring, proving the very point why faith is a very important thing in the Warhammer multiverse, and should never be neglected. They're just as important to Warhammer as sword and magic are, or the heroes wielding them.
Final Words & Verdict
I genuinely enjoyed Luthor Huss from the first to the last page. I didn't find any chapter that unnecessarily dragged on, or didn't get to the point. In fact, it drew me in so easily, I felt bad whenever I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore or had other things to do than read (I almost read it while cooking easter lunch). Especially the religious aspects the book touches are impressively well written and mind-provoking. How is man supposed to deal with despair, the loss of hope and faith? What makes them believe? What brings them to embrace damnation?
Much like The Red Duke, Luthor Huss provides the reader with plenty of material to study the great character we've known for many editions of the tabletop game. In fact, Luthor Huss is once again featured in the 8th edition armybook of the Empire in Warhammer Fantasy, but did not get a new model (yet?). His background section in the armybook also does not match up completely with the novel, but if you ask me, I'd take his final test before becoming a full-fledged priest in the novel much superior than the version of the armybook. Rest assured, these minor inaccuracies are neglectable, and I'd rather think that they're due to deadlines rather than oversight. I'd also like to point out that this novel is set before the Storm of Chaos and the coming of Archaon the Everchosen of Chaos Undivided. There are some clever hints and references especially at the end of the book, that make me hope for a successor-novel, as Huss has yet a vital part to play.
Chris Wraight once again earned my deepest respect with this recent contribution to the Warhammer Fantasy world. It lived up to my expectations, and even better, it exceeded them. For the first hundred-or-so pages, I really did not know where the story would lead to, as it gradually built up the setting and cast, but at no point was I lost or lacked the excitement to go on reading.
While the stage is rather the Drakwald rather than the cities of the Empire, I thought Wraight really pulled it off to make the old forest appear just as dangerous and deadly as it is supposed to, beastmen or not. The way the men dealt with the fear of being close to the treelines, or even venture into it, was both realistic and unnerving, even more so than the living dead attacking the human settlements.
This sets the story into contrast to the Swords of the Emperor duology, as they played mostly in open field or cities, showing the human, civilized side of the Empire instead of the animalistic and frightening aspects normal folk has to deal with, apart from the big cities and the protection of armies. However, it appears that Chris can do both justice, and this makes him the ideal candidate to write more about the Empire of Man.
Dear Black Library, if you want to do the Empire justice, please invite Chris Wraight to write more books about it.
If his name is on the cover, I'll buy it - not because of blind fanboyism (although it might have a minor role in it), but because his stories feel alive, right and to the point. He clearly knows what he is doing, and it shows. I clearly recommend picking up Luthor Huss, especially if you are tempted to pick up the Empire's 8th edition armybook.
As if Sword Guardian wasn't enough already to get me reading the Sigmar trilogy, the next thing I started after finishing Luthor Huss was Heldenhammer - I'm quite curious if Sigmar will be worth the Empire's faith. Looks good so far!
July 9, 2024
There is hardly anything to say about this book besides it being a very adequate, middle of the road genre read. It is quintessential Old World Warhammer - heroes on one side, demons on the other, bam! That's all there is to it, really. The characters are fairly strong, but underutilized. The author provides a few chapters for us to look into Huss' mysterious past, but there is hardly any development happening in the actual present timeline of the book. It's one faithful, stalwart man on a relentless crusade against everything unholy, and lesser men trying to catch up and deal with the world around them as best they can. The underlying message of hope and beauty in a sick and cruel world is a classic aspect of the hero novel - and that's after all what this is. It is a well-written, standard hero novel. If you love those, you will love this, but I expected a bit more from Wraight.
July 15, 2024
My first Warhammer book! This was a very easy read. It was some pulp fantasy nonsense, but the author did a great job about adding a heaping helping of theme and message. I thought the message was summarized very clearly right at the end - "It's easy to hunt for witches, it's harder to hunt for saints."
The book follows a Witch Hunter and Warrior Priest fighting against zombies and beastmen. And after reading about how evil the bad guys are, I don't think I could ever play as them in the video games! The book is ultraviolent as all the Warhammer stuff is, as well as making the good guys not very good. But, it was a blast!
The book follows a Witch Hunter and Warrior Priest fighting against zombies and beastmen. And after reading about how evil the bad guys are, I don't think I could ever play as them in the video games! The book is ultraviolent as all the Warhammer stuff is, as well as making the good guys not very good. But, it was a blast!
February 21, 2024
My first Warhammer novel in a while and a really good one at that. The novel follows a witch hunter and a Templar of Sigmar as they unravel a dark mystery that threatens the whole of the Empire and which forces the latter to confront the dark truths of his past in the process. It's brilliantly told with vividly detailed settings, a great twist, and characters that feel real and fully developed (Mila was, of course, my favourite... although Udo wasn't entirely unappealing, strangely enough). So, all round, great fantasy fiction and highly recommend!
December 18, 2018
Als Begleitlektüre zu Total War: Warhammer 2 suchte ich etwas, das mir die mir recht fremde Warhammer Welt näher brächte. Meine Wahl fiel auf Luthor Huss, und ich bin ganz zufrieden damit. Klar, ist typische RPG/Tabletop Fantasy, aber die Handlung ist ganz clever und die Sprache ist ordentlich, wenn auch gelegentlich etwas geschwätzig. Ich hab das Buch allerdings in der deutschen Fassung gelesen. Viel (für mich etwas zu viel) Kampf, aber atmosphärisch.
November 10, 2020
All the things a good Warhammer Fantasy novel should be - dark, dangerous, brutal, but also possessed of its own kind of hope. The eponymous Warrior-Priest-of-Sigmar-to-end-all-Warrior-Priests-of-Sigmar, Luthor Huss, is a kind of lethally unbreakable hero that doesn't really turn up in WHF fiction unless they're Gotrek Gurnisson, or possibly Ludwig Schwarzhelm. It's rare that the powers of light really get to show their power in WHF fiction, but Here. We. Go. Huss's own journey of self-discovery (and so much skull-cracking) leads, intertwined with a dual narrative focusing on a Sigmarite witch hunter searching for the source of the same corruption drawing Huss into the heart of the legendarily evil Drakwald Forest.
There is blood, horror, and real, serious emotional torment before the end, all of it much more powerfully delivered than usual, thanks to the talents of Chris Wraight, who for my money is always at his best in Games Workshop's various settings when someone gives him one of the good guys' most heralded champions (the more faithful the better) and tells him to turn them loose. With the possible exception of Vandus Hammerhand, maybe.
Recommended for fans of the Old World, the Empire of Sigmar, warrior priests, and stories about the power of faith arrayed alone against a truly terrible darkness.
There is blood, horror, and real, serious emotional torment before the end, all of it much more powerfully delivered than usual, thanks to the talents of Chris Wraight, who for my money is always at his best in Games Workshop's various settings when someone gives him one of the good guys' most heralded champions (the more faithful the better) and tells him to turn them loose. With the possible exception of Vandus Hammerhand, maybe.
Recommended for fans of the Old World, the Empire of Sigmar, warrior priests, and stories about the power of faith arrayed alone against a truly terrible darkness.
December 22, 2012
After the last three books focusing on Chaos heroes it was nice to once again read about a "good guy". Luthor Huss is a warrior priest of Sigmar who travels the realm smiting evil where he finds it. Lately there has been a lot of evil in need of smiting. Undead, beastmen, and the like have been wiping out quite a few villages. A Witch Hunter by the name of Lukas Eichmann has also been investigating these uprisings and eventually crosses paths with Huss. Pretty much your standard fantasy fair, good vs. evil. Knights vs. undead. It didn't blow me away, but it kept me entertained.
August 16, 2015
Its an enjoyable book but a little slow at times. I enjoyed the parts about Lukas Eichmann a lot more than those about Huss, as Luthor Huss' seriousness can be a little tedious at times... The setting of the book is great and you get a good feel for the grim warhammer world but what dissapointed me was the ending as it seemed a little random and left a lot of questions unanswered..
October 11, 2016
Great quick action-filled read, always love to come back to the dark world of Warhammer. Gritty and visceral as ever and Wraight does a great job of describing both the external and internal conflicts of the two primary characters. Look forward to seeing more from Huss and Lukas.
October 26, 2012
I liked it...its basically a book of badasses....Luthor Huss...warrior priest swinging his huge golden flamed warhammer...destroying the beastmen and corruption of the world...it was just written fun to read....
August 11, 2014
Straight forward but surprisingly involving fun. Wraight weaves a great story from 2 different perspectives and neatly ties it all up at the end. This is the first non-40K Warhammer I've read and I'll definitely try some more based on this.
February 24, 2012
A pleasant surprise by Black Library; the story is well-paced and doesn't fizzle at the end!
May 24, 2012
One of the worst Warhammer books I've read so far, too straight-forward and devoid of humor
http://www.weberseite.at/buecher/luth...
http://www.weberseite.at/buecher/luth...
March 30, 2013
It was what it was supposed to be.
December 21, 2014
Nice and dark. Not quite as awesome as Gotrek but darn close. =)
December 28, 2014
I have to remember that I can't seem to get along with Warhammer books.
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