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A Gotrek Gurnisson audio drama boxed set
The Slayer returns. Spat out of the Realm of Chaos after an eternity of battle, Gotrek Gurnisson finds himself in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Mortal Realms. With no axe, no oaths and no Felix, he sets out to find his place in this new universe…
LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE
Gotrek's back, he's voiced by Brian Blessed, and this epic boxed set contains four full length audio dramas making up one exhilirating adventure that takes Gotrek across the realms and introduces him to new companions and enemies. It's truly unmissable.
"Realmslayer is the most exciting project I have worked on in years, and playing Gotrek fired my imagination with wonder. He possesses enormous courage and imagination, and is totally fearless – more powerful than any hero in literature and history.
What a challenge! It was like playing ten King Lears at once! He will live forever."
– Brian Blessed, the voice of Gotrek Gurnisson in Realmslayer
THE STORY
Gotrek Gurnisson was the greatest monster slayer of the age, who met his doom at the End Times. The heroic duardin stepped forth into the Realm of Chaos to fight the daemons gnawing at the world's ending and satisfy his death oath, leaving behind his companion Felix Jaeger. Now Gotrek has returned, having outlived the old gods and the Old World. Spat from the ruinous depths with his redemption unfulfilled, he emerges into the Mortal Realms, a strange new world where gods walk the earth and dark forces are ascendant. Nothing is as he remembers. His oaths are dust, and the lands are torn asunder by Chaos. Yet when Gotrek learns of human champions being elevated to immortality for Sigmar’s fight against this darkness, the so-called 'Stormcast Eternals', he knows why fate has brought him into this new age. To find Felix. For only then can he find the peace in death he seeks. But is there more to Gotrek's apotheosis than even he can fathom? Has he truly been chosen by Grimnir and for what purpose?
This audio drama boxed set contains a four-part story read by a stellar cast, recounting the much anticipated return of Gotrek Gurnisson.
Running time 4 hours and 15 minutes. Starring Brian Blessed as Gotrek Gurnisson. Performed by John Banks, Steve Conlin, Vanessa Donovan, Matthew Hunt, Jonathan Keeble, Toby Longworth, Connie M'Gadzah, Penelope Rawlins, David Seddon, Joe Shire & Andrew Wincott
The Slayer returns. Spat out of the Realm of Chaos after an eternity of battle, Gotrek Gurnisson finds himself in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Mortal Realms. With no axe, no oaths and no Felix, he sets out to find his place in this new universe…
LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE
Gotrek's back, he's voiced by Brian Blessed, and this epic boxed set contains four full length audio dramas making up one exhilirating adventure that takes Gotrek across the realms and introduces him to new companions and enemies. It's truly unmissable.
"Realmslayer is the most exciting project I have worked on in years, and playing Gotrek fired my imagination with wonder. He possesses enormous courage and imagination, and is totally fearless – more powerful than any hero in literature and history.
What a challenge! It was like playing ten King Lears at once! He will live forever."
– Brian Blessed, the voice of Gotrek Gurnisson in Realmslayer
THE STORY
Gotrek Gurnisson was the greatest monster slayer of the age, who met his doom at the End Times. The heroic duardin stepped forth into the Realm of Chaos to fight the daemons gnawing at the world's ending and satisfy his death oath, leaving behind his companion Felix Jaeger. Now Gotrek has returned, having outlived the old gods and the Old World. Spat from the ruinous depths with his redemption unfulfilled, he emerges into the Mortal Realms, a strange new world where gods walk the earth and dark forces are ascendant. Nothing is as he remembers. His oaths are dust, and the lands are torn asunder by Chaos. Yet when Gotrek learns of human champions being elevated to immortality for Sigmar’s fight against this darkness, the so-called 'Stormcast Eternals', he knows why fate has brought him into this new age. To find Felix. For only then can he find the peace in death he seeks. But is there more to Gotrek's apotheosis than even he can fathom? Has he truly been chosen by Grimnir and for what purpose?
This audio drama boxed set contains a four-part story read by a stellar cast, recounting the much anticipated return of Gotrek Gurnisson.
Running time 4 hours and 15 minutes. Starring Brian Blessed as Gotrek Gurnisson. Performed by John Banks, Steve Conlin, Vanessa Donovan, Matthew Hunt, Jonathan Keeble, Toby Longworth, Connie M'Gadzah, Penelope Rawlins, David Seddon, Joe Shire & Andrew Wincott
432 pages, Paperback
First published October 27, 2018
12 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
David Guymer
171 books174 followersDavid Guymer is a freelance author, PhD in molecular microbiology (which still comes in more handy than you might think), and tabletop warlord based in the Yorkshire East Riding. He has written for Black Library, Marvel, Aconyte Books, Asmodee, Mantic Games, Cubicle 7, Creative Assembly, and Mongoose Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
July 29, 2021
I'm really torn about this one. I love the character of Gotrek, I'm intrigued by the Age of Sigmar setting and I obviously love audio drama, so this should have been an easy 5 stars.
Unfortunately, Realmslayer suffers from the same core issues I have with a huge portion of all modern audio drama. In my opinion, AUDIO IS NOT TV. You can't bombard your audience with sound and expect them to figure out where they are and what's happening based solely on that and 2 sentences of narration. I could barely make out who any of the characters were outside of Gotrek and the plot was downright impossible to keep track of. I just sort of picked up clues along the way but I felt like I was continually trying to catch up and never fully succeeding.
Still, despite all of this, I did enjoy it. The soundscapes are phenomenal and the music score is well done. The voice actors are all top-notch, and so much happened that I never got the chance to get bored. And the dialogue is really fun, especially Gotrek's.
Nevertheless... If they had only taken a bit more time to set the scene, get the listeners immersed in the atmosphere and describe the incredibly strange and fantastic worlds and creatures of the Age of Sigmar, this could have been brilliant.
Unfortunately, Realmslayer suffers from the same core issues I have with a huge portion of all modern audio drama. In my opinion, AUDIO IS NOT TV. You can't bombard your audience with sound and expect them to figure out where they are and what's happening based solely on that and 2 sentences of narration. I could barely make out who any of the characters were outside of Gotrek and the plot was downright impossible to keep track of. I just sort of picked up clues along the way but I felt like I was continually trying to catch up and never fully succeeding.
Still, despite all of this, I did enjoy it. The soundscapes are phenomenal and the music score is well done. The voice actors are all top-notch, and so much happened that I never got the chance to get bored. And the dialogue is really fun, especially Gotrek's.
Nevertheless... If they had only taken a bit more time to set the scene, get the listeners immersed in the atmosphere and describe the incredibly strange and fantastic worlds and creatures of the Age of Sigmar, this could have been brilliant.
November 15, 2018
2.5 stars.
great performances. brian blessed is always entertaining.
i just can't stand this new warhammer realmsgate rubbish....
great performances. brian blessed is always entertaining.
i just can't stand this new warhammer realmsgate rubbish....
October 12, 2023
It's an exciting book with GREAT different voice actors that unfortunately is slightly ruined by being an audio drama with some flaws. It sometimes felt like watching an exciting TV-series blind. More narrative description of environments and so on is much needed to not get lost all the time. A novelisation is coming soon based on the audio drama, I'd wait on that one. Still, I'll continue the series, it's a nice, light background story when doing something else, like painting miniatures.
January 30, 2023
I was teetering between 3 & 4 stars in this mainly because this not an audio book, it’s a multipart audio drama. The performances are great, Brian Blessed is a treasure, but at times there is so much noise from battles being fought and warcrys that it hard to keep track of what’s going on. If you like the story of Gotrek and want to pick up this up, make sure and look for the version on audible that has all the parts so you don’t waste credits.
November 23, 2021
Besides a few narrative issues due to being an audio drama, this was very entertaining. Fantastic!
July 26, 2019
My second ever audiobook (the first being a Gotrek and Felix one too) and what a huge jump in quality!
A great story and a brilliant way to bring such an iconic classic Warhammer character into Age of Sigmar. He is at first resistant to this new world which results in quite a few funny jokes which classic Warhammer fans will find amusing.
The voice acting and audio is top notch as well and it was like listening to a movie. Brian Blessed does a great job playing Gotrex and you could tell he had a brilliant time playing the part!
It just misses out on a full 5 stars though, it's just lacking that spark that the older Gotrek and Felix novels had and I can't seem to figure out why. I'm still looking forward to grabbing the next in the series when it's released and potentially rereading again some of the older novels too!
A great story and a brilliant way to bring such an iconic classic Warhammer character into Age of Sigmar. He is at first resistant to this new world which results in quite a few funny jokes which classic Warhammer fans will find amusing.
The voice acting and audio is top notch as well and it was like listening to a movie. Brian Blessed does a great job playing Gotrex and you could tell he had a brilliant time playing the part!
It just misses out on a full 5 stars though, it's just lacking that spark that the older Gotrek and Felix novels had and I can't seem to figure out why. I'm still looking forward to grabbing the next in the series when it's released and potentially rereading again some of the older novels too!
May 26, 2019
Sonic Attack!
Many moons ago old stagers Hawkwind did a track called 'Sonic Attack', it was a pastiche of government advice on dealing with a nuclear attack but based around a sonic one instead. If you went to one of their shows in the 70s or 80s you'd know how valuable such advice could be! Listening to Realmslayer I started to wonder if they had been trying to prep me for this instead!
It's full of huge, booming voices, and they don't come much bigger than Brian Blessed that's for sure. There is totally OTT acting with larger than life characters, think of Tom Baker as Captain Redbeard in Black Adder and you will get the idea. All of the characters are massively over-acted as the story lurches from one big gloriously gruesome fight to another.
I think as others have said if you don't know much about Warhammer it might be a bit of s struggle to understand. Certainly, I'm not sure I'm any much the wiser but the hour-long set of interviews confirms that the cast, especially Brian Blessed had a whale of a time recording it.
So, I think for real Warhammer fans this could be a lot of fun and it does certainly include a lot of energy and excitement as well as absolutely top notch narration from Jonathan Keeble. Other than the narrator you won't find any subtlety, it's more boom-box than chamber music that's for sure.
I may well give it another go if I manage to read up more on Warhammer and see how it goes then but as a novice I think a lot of it passed me by, or rather smashed bodily into my head and rebounded into the ether
Many moons ago old stagers Hawkwind did a track called 'Sonic Attack', it was a pastiche of government advice on dealing with a nuclear attack but based around a sonic one instead. If you went to one of their shows in the 70s or 80s you'd know how valuable such advice could be! Listening to Realmslayer I started to wonder if they had been trying to prep me for this instead!
It's full of huge, booming voices, and they don't come much bigger than Brian Blessed that's for sure. There is totally OTT acting with larger than life characters, think of Tom Baker as Captain Redbeard in Black Adder and you will get the idea. All of the characters are massively over-acted as the story lurches from one big gloriously gruesome fight to another.
I think as others have said if you don't know much about Warhammer it might be a bit of s struggle to understand. Certainly, I'm not sure I'm any much the wiser but the hour-long set of interviews confirms that the cast, especially Brian Blessed had a whale of a time recording it.
So, I think for real Warhammer fans this could be a lot of fun and it does certainly include a lot of energy and excitement as well as absolutely top notch narration from Jonathan Keeble. Other than the narrator you won't find any subtlety, it's more boom-box than chamber music that's for sure.
I may well give it another go if I manage to read up more on Warhammer and see how it goes then but as a novice I think a lot of it passed me by, or rather smashed bodily into my head and rebounded into the ether
November 3, 2020
Games Workshop takes "enriching" the miniature painting main line of products pretty seriously. There are hundreds of novels in both the generic scifi setting of 40,000 and old Fantasy and new fantasy setting named "Age of Sigmar" (from 2015). I chose Age of Sigmar because Humble Bundle had a bunch available in a bundle named 2020 Black Library.
The names and concepts are basically loans from Tolkien/Moorcock/other fantasy with added painting effects, warmongering and fancy weaponry to make painting worth a while, I guess? I cannot be bothered to paint, but I'd like to understand at least some of the lore, so I'm writing a little reference dictionary to get an overview feeling.
Furthermore, the production is top notch. With an excellent full cast headed by Brian Blessed as the titular Gotrek Gurnisson and great music and effects make you almost ignore the totally random happenings of the adventure. Stir the pot with grandiose names like "Doomseeker", "Fyreslayer" and invoke classic Gimli's humor in the middle of the battle and you will chew through this before blinking an eye.
As a nice bonus, there are interviews with Brian Blessed, the rest of the cast and the author David Guymer that provide a bit of background into the business background of enriching the painting industry with some borderline-generic books and audio drama.
My little reference memo, because I don't know anything about Warhammer:
Duardin - dwarves in Warhammer. They seem to be collecting rune tattoos that glow when they are in effect.
Grimnir - one of the Nordic Odin's name in Warhammer is one of the dwarven "ancestor gods". So if you want to invoke something dwarfish, then your character should at some point probably exclaim "Grimnir's Beard!"
Fyreslayers - followers of Grimnir, a dwarven warrior cult, mercenaries. There's a high rank of "runelord" in there somewhere.
Skaven - race of mutant rat-men who lurk in the Under-Empire, because it's under the something that is above it. Pestilence to the surface-dwellers. In this book they swarm a castle named Unbak Lodge. I understand the "dark" powers in Warhammer are called Chaos. So I guess this are the "faceless evil hordes".
The names and concepts are basically loans from Tolkien/Moorcock/other fantasy with added painting effects, warmongering and fancy weaponry to make painting worth a while, I guess? I cannot be bothered to paint, but I'd like to understand at least some of the lore, so I'm writing a little reference dictionary to get an overview feeling.
Furthermore, the production is top notch. With an excellent full cast headed by Brian Blessed as the titular Gotrek Gurnisson and great music and effects make you almost ignore the totally random happenings of the adventure. Stir the pot with grandiose names like "Doomseeker", "Fyreslayer" and invoke classic Gimli's humor in the middle of the battle and you will chew through this before blinking an eye.
As a nice bonus, there are interviews with Brian Blessed, the rest of the cast and the author David Guymer that provide a bit of background into the business background of enriching the painting industry with some borderline-generic books and audio drama.
My little reference memo, because I don't know anything about Warhammer:
Duardin - dwarves in Warhammer. They seem to be collecting rune tattoos that glow when they are in effect.
Grimnir - one of the Nordic Odin's name in Warhammer is one of the dwarven "ancestor gods". So if you want to invoke something dwarfish, then your character should at some point probably exclaim "Grimnir's Beard!"
Fyreslayers - followers of Grimnir, a dwarven warrior cult, mercenaries. There's a high rank of "runelord" in there somewhere.
Skaven - race of mutant rat-men who lurk in the Under-Empire, because it's under the something that is above it. Pestilence to the surface-dwellers. In this book they swarm a castle named Unbak Lodge. I understand the "dark" powers in Warhammer are called Chaos. So I guess this are the "faceless evil hordes".
May 5, 2019
The Synopsis:
BRIAN BLESSED is Gotrek.
The Good:
Everything!
The Bad:
Nope.
The Verdict:
BUY IT!
Verdict: 999.999.999 out of 10
Okay, really this time.
This is an audio drama which has long deserved a review for a while. It's one of two major releases with a recognizable UK actor in the lead role, and this was the major attention grabber of the two. It was first, it featured a famous Warhammer Fantasy character emerging in the Age of Sigmar setting, then featured both a writer familiar with the subject matter and an actor beloved by most of the Warhammer fandom. Fanboying aside, there were many reasons to play keen attention to this one and reasons for hype to surround it. Does it live up to that? Yes and no, but that does depend on what you're looking for.
The Synopsis:
The Unbak Lodge is under siege. Carrying an arsenal of potent weapons and guarded by a multitude of fyreslayers, it has stood against the endless tide of enemies for countless sieges and gathered fragments of their fallen god. Yet when the Skaven gather beyond its gates in an innumerable horde, it might finally be too many for the stalwart rune warriors to overcome. Yet along with the Skaven comes a mysterious Duardin scarred by battle and speaking of things past. Possessing a power beyond even their warriors, battlesmith Broddur begins to wonder if there is far more to this drunken renegade than meets the eye...
The Good:
Let's start with the obvious: The cast. Even without focusing upon the stunt casting at work here, Realmslayer benefits from a very experienced and very talented group of actors in its roles. Many of these are returning individuals who brought other characters to life, such as Penelope Rawlins from Heart of the Conqueror, John Banks from too many stories to count, and David Seddon from a multitude of tales across the Big Finish Doctor Who range. Warhammer has typically benefitted from a very talented range of people in the past, but here it really shines through, as they help to give a great deal of life to a multitude of fairly minor roles within the story. This is especially true of Seddon's Broddur and Rawlins' Maleneth, the former of who serves as an essential straight man within the tale, the latter who provides an unexpected role within the story.
BLESSED himself is giving the energy that you would expect of his performance, but it does actually fit Gotrek. While he is as entertaining and bombastic as ever, the choice of BRIAN BLESSED turned a few heads as someone who didn't quite fit the normally quiet, angry and stoic figure of a Slayer. However, Blessed plays the role like someone who was given a new lease on life free from his past sins, but has some degree of weariness of what he finds nevertheless. It's an odd but quite engaging mix of who he once was with what he has become. It only works to improve Gotrek's character as he quickly realises how many "rules" of the Old World have changed, from the treatment of necromancers to even the realms' view of Khainite elves.
The story itself also follows a much grander scale than you typically find in most audio works from Black Library. Many of these, especially audio dramas, tend to be contained to a single location and focus upon a few key areas in order to keep the story going. Given their shorter length, the fact that this is usually a good move to keep tales engaging, and the narrative focused. However, Realmslayer is instead divided up into a multitude of short tales across various areas of several realms, meaning that you end up seeing areas from the Realm of Fire, continent-sized cities which are under Sigmar's control and those which are held in Nagash's grip. You never quite know what the story will throw at you yet, but its nature as a journey keeps giving it new life.
The fact that the story keeps moving around also means that there is a sense of an epic story at work. By that, I do not mean in the more colloquial or video game sense, but that of an ancient tale worthy of memory, with grand heroes and figures at play. It's an odyssey more than anything else, and there are so many grand and amazing moments thrown at you at various points that it is hard to keep track of them. However, it helps to show just what Age of Sigmar can offer in contrast to Warhammer Fantasy, and just what its more fantastical Conan or Spelljammer elements can offer in contrast to the Witcher comparable Old World.
However, props definitely have to be given to the directorial and sound team behind this. David Guymer is in top form here, as his dialogue and character moments shine through. This is the sort of thing that I usually point to in contrast to his work on the Iron Hands as to what he is great at. Nevertheless, his typical descriptions and prose which builds up atmosphere tends to suffer somewhat without a narrator constantly at work. As such, it needed a talented voice director and sound effects team to assist in translating the story to this medium. Thankfully it ended up with both.
The sound effects of the tale work brilliantly along with a score to convey the sheer scale of certain events. From gargantuan beasts rising up from the depths to quiet areas of solitude reserved for ghosts of the world lost, it never loses a sense of atmosphere or immensity, and the score helps to further impress this detail upon the listener. Even when the characters themselves need to convey detail, it never feels out of place or at odds with the rest of the tale. Instead, it fits in near perfectly to the situation, with deliveries which match the characters excellently. It's honestly one of the extremely few audio dramas outside of Big Finish or Heavy Entertainment which has ever managed to convey this naturally.
Finally, the ending makes it clear that this is not a one and done. There is a much, much bigger story to tell involving Gotrek, and this is simply the start of it. With the Bone Desert - one of a few short novellas which seriously deserves a review - continuing his tale, this is merely a fantastic start to something greater.
The Bad:
In spite of many positive points, there are a good few noteworthy problems with Realmslayer as a story. One of them sadly lies in the format in which this story is told, which only half works. On the one hand, as cited above, it benefits the scale of the story on an audio drama's budget. On the downside, however, it doesn't quite work due to the individual segments it is divided up into.
Trollslayer, just to make an obvious comparison, was a series of short stories loosely linked by an ongoing journey. Realmslayer, unfortunately, doesn't quite follow this example. It has individual threats, locations, and situations which need to be resolved as part of that story, but it follows certain themes much more closely. Many core ideas established in one carry over to the other, but they lack the beats and pacing of a more episodic tv series with an arc. Combined with the lack of a primary villain or running established idea which becomes a core focus in the finale, it lacks the payoff needed to make this effective. We do get an antagonist who serves as a primary villain, but he lacks the presence to pull off his role as a greater foe. As such, it's caught between the best and worst of worlds in terms of its broader story. It's also why this review ended up being of the audio drama as a whole rather than individual story pieces.
Another problem lies in how Realmslayer all too quickly brings up ideas but lacks resolutions to them. Exploring this in full would, unfortunately, require a multitude of spoilers to cover fully. However, many of the side characters keep being implied to serve a larger purpose but never fully comes into play. The big one lies with the likes of Maleneth and Jordain, both of who carry far, far greater implications within the story due to their role and impact on Gotrek. What we get is certainly an excellent start but, just as soon as it really gets going, their role ends rather abruptly. This is irritating as it feels as if the audio drama is touching upon ideas and acknowledging them, but never truly pauses long enough to explore them in full.
Atop of the character problems, there is also the fact of how more than a few listeners will have trouble keeping up with what is going on. This audio drama requires listeners to be familiar with both the final two Gotrek and Felix books and have a general understanding of Fyreslayer culture when going into this one. There is very little in the way of an introduction at any point and, while that assists in showing how Gotrek is an outsider here, it can leave people easily baffled. It's a sad contrast to Gotrek and Felix's primary appeal of being a gateway into the Warhammer Fantasy world, and it does limit the story's audience.
The Verdict:
Realmslayer certainly has notable shortcomings, but many of them are due to the audience it was intended for. This was very much a "for the fans" entry due to Gotrek's mass appeal and the rapid start which requires the listener to have a good grasp of Age of Sigmar lore. Furthermore, the format of multiple stories was both an advantage and detriment, and how effective it was will be down to the individual given how this is treated as an ongoing series rather than loose-linked episodes.
Still, with great dialogue, an excellent ensemble of voice actors, brilliant sound effects and a surprisingly large number of curveballs, it's a very entertaining saga to follow. If you have yet to jump into the Age of Sigmar, definitely pick up a few short stories or read something like Eight Lamentations: Spear of Shadows first. Otherwise, definitely make the time to add this to your library.
BRIAN BLESSED is Gotrek.
The Good:
Everything!
The Bad:
Nope.
The Verdict:
BUY IT!
Verdict: 999.999.999 out of 10
Okay, really this time.
This is an audio drama which has long deserved a review for a while. It's one of two major releases with a recognizable UK actor in the lead role, and this was the major attention grabber of the two. It was first, it featured a famous Warhammer Fantasy character emerging in the Age of Sigmar setting, then featured both a writer familiar with the subject matter and an actor beloved by most of the Warhammer fandom. Fanboying aside, there were many reasons to play keen attention to this one and reasons for hype to surround it. Does it live up to that? Yes and no, but that does depend on what you're looking for.
The Synopsis:
The Unbak Lodge is under siege. Carrying an arsenal of potent weapons and guarded by a multitude of fyreslayers, it has stood against the endless tide of enemies for countless sieges and gathered fragments of their fallen god. Yet when the Skaven gather beyond its gates in an innumerable horde, it might finally be too many for the stalwart rune warriors to overcome. Yet along with the Skaven comes a mysterious Duardin scarred by battle and speaking of things past. Possessing a power beyond even their warriors, battlesmith Broddur begins to wonder if there is far more to this drunken renegade than meets the eye...
The Good:
Let's start with the obvious: The cast. Even without focusing upon the stunt casting at work here, Realmslayer benefits from a very experienced and very talented group of actors in its roles. Many of these are returning individuals who brought other characters to life, such as Penelope Rawlins from Heart of the Conqueror, John Banks from too many stories to count, and David Seddon from a multitude of tales across the Big Finish Doctor Who range. Warhammer has typically benefitted from a very talented range of people in the past, but here it really shines through, as they help to give a great deal of life to a multitude of fairly minor roles within the story. This is especially true of Seddon's Broddur and Rawlins' Maleneth, the former of who serves as an essential straight man within the tale, the latter who provides an unexpected role within the story.
BLESSED himself is giving the energy that you would expect of his performance, but it does actually fit Gotrek. While he is as entertaining and bombastic as ever, the choice of BRIAN BLESSED turned a few heads as someone who didn't quite fit the normally quiet, angry and stoic figure of a Slayer. However, Blessed plays the role like someone who was given a new lease on life free from his past sins, but has some degree of weariness of what he finds nevertheless. It's an odd but quite engaging mix of who he once was with what he has become. It only works to improve Gotrek's character as he quickly realises how many "rules" of the Old World have changed, from the treatment of necromancers to even the realms' view of Khainite elves.
The story itself also follows a much grander scale than you typically find in most audio works from Black Library. Many of these, especially audio dramas, tend to be contained to a single location and focus upon a few key areas in order to keep the story going. Given their shorter length, the fact that this is usually a good move to keep tales engaging, and the narrative focused. However, Realmslayer is instead divided up into a multitude of short tales across various areas of several realms, meaning that you end up seeing areas from the Realm of Fire, continent-sized cities which are under Sigmar's control and those which are held in Nagash's grip. You never quite know what the story will throw at you yet, but its nature as a journey keeps giving it new life.
The fact that the story keeps moving around also means that there is a sense of an epic story at work. By that, I do not mean in the more colloquial or video game sense, but that of an ancient tale worthy of memory, with grand heroes and figures at play. It's an odyssey more than anything else, and there are so many grand and amazing moments thrown at you at various points that it is hard to keep track of them. However, it helps to show just what Age of Sigmar can offer in contrast to Warhammer Fantasy, and just what its more fantastical Conan or Spelljammer elements can offer in contrast to the Witcher comparable Old World.
However, props definitely have to be given to the directorial and sound team behind this. David Guymer is in top form here, as his dialogue and character moments shine through. This is the sort of thing that I usually point to in contrast to his work on the Iron Hands as to what he is great at. Nevertheless, his typical descriptions and prose which builds up atmosphere tends to suffer somewhat without a narrator constantly at work. As such, it needed a talented voice director and sound effects team to assist in translating the story to this medium. Thankfully it ended up with both.
The sound effects of the tale work brilliantly along with a score to convey the sheer scale of certain events. From gargantuan beasts rising up from the depths to quiet areas of solitude reserved for ghosts of the world lost, it never loses a sense of atmosphere or immensity, and the score helps to further impress this detail upon the listener. Even when the characters themselves need to convey detail, it never feels out of place or at odds with the rest of the tale. Instead, it fits in near perfectly to the situation, with deliveries which match the characters excellently. It's honestly one of the extremely few audio dramas outside of Big Finish or Heavy Entertainment which has ever managed to convey this naturally.
Finally, the ending makes it clear that this is not a one and done. There is a much, much bigger story to tell involving Gotrek, and this is simply the start of it. With the Bone Desert - one of a few short novellas which seriously deserves a review - continuing his tale, this is merely a fantastic start to something greater.
The Bad:
In spite of many positive points, there are a good few noteworthy problems with Realmslayer as a story. One of them sadly lies in the format in which this story is told, which only half works. On the one hand, as cited above, it benefits the scale of the story on an audio drama's budget. On the downside, however, it doesn't quite work due to the individual segments it is divided up into.
Trollslayer, just to make an obvious comparison, was a series of short stories loosely linked by an ongoing journey. Realmslayer, unfortunately, doesn't quite follow this example. It has individual threats, locations, and situations which need to be resolved as part of that story, but it follows certain themes much more closely. Many core ideas established in one carry over to the other, but they lack the beats and pacing of a more episodic tv series with an arc. Combined with the lack of a primary villain or running established idea which becomes a core focus in the finale, it lacks the payoff needed to make this effective. We do get an antagonist who serves as a primary villain, but he lacks the presence to pull off his role as a greater foe. As such, it's caught between the best and worst of worlds in terms of its broader story. It's also why this review ended up being of the audio drama as a whole rather than individual story pieces.
Another problem lies in how Realmslayer all too quickly brings up ideas but lacks resolutions to them. Exploring this in full would, unfortunately, require a multitude of spoilers to cover fully. However, many of the side characters keep being implied to serve a larger purpose but never fully comes into play. The big one lies with the likes of Maleneth and Jordain, both of who carry far, far greater implications within the story due to their role and impact on Gotrek. What we get is certainly an excellent start but, just as soon as it really gets going, their role ends rather abruptly. This is irritating as it feels as if the audio drama is touching upon ideas and acknowledging them, but never truly pauses long enough to explore them in full.
Atop of the character problems, there is also the fact of how more than a few listeners will have trouble keeping up with what is going on. This audio drama requires listeners to be familiar with both the final two Gotrek and Felix books and have a general understanding of Fyreslayer culture when going into this one. There is very little in the way of an introduction at any point and, while that assists in showing how Gotrek is an outsider here, it can leave people easily baffled. It's a sad contrast to Gotrek and Felix's primary appeal of being a gateway into the Warhammer Fantasy world, and it does limit the story's audience.
The Verdict:
Realmslayer certainly has notable shortcomings, but many of them are due to the audience it was intended for. This was very much a "for the fans" entry due to Gotrek's mass appeal and the rapid start which requires the listener to have a good grasp of Age of Sigmar lore. Furthermore, the format of multiple stories was both an advantage and detriment, and how effective it was will be down to the individual given how this is treated as an ongoing series rather than loose-linked episodes.
Still, with great dialogue, an excellent ensemble of voice actors, brilliant sound effects and a surprisingly large number of curveballs, it's a very entertaining saga to follow. If you have yet to jump into the Age of Sigmar, definitely pick up a few short stories or read something like Eight Lamentations: Spear of Shadows first. Otherwise, definitely make the time to add this to your library.
March 10, 2019
Realmslayer was one of those things that, when I saw it, ticked so many boxes for me as to why I ought to give it a go. The first being that I love audio dramas. The second being that it had a pretty good cast in it. Brian Blessed for one! The third was that it gave me a chance to try and understand the Age of Sigmar a little better.
Point three was the most welcome of all as I really am struggling to get on with this Age of Sigmar nonsense that the Warhammer universe replaced The Old World (my favourite ever fantasy setting of any universe) with. I doubt I’ll ever care for Age of Sigmar as much as I did the Old World and there will always be a fairly large part of me that hates GW for making the switch. But, if I’m honest, Realmslayer did a fairly good job of easing me in to the universe and I found myself enjoying the story. I’m still not sold on this new setting. And I will still regard it as ‘this Age of Sigmar nonsense’ because, frankly, I honestly think the whole setting is utter nonsense. But, on with my thoughts about the audio drama … my dislike of this change could span many hours of writing!
The Production value was very high. The sound effects, the cast and the story in general were top notch. I felt that having an actor the calibre of Blessed really added to the piece (even if his voice did not mesh with the way Gotrek sounded in my mind). There were some real high points as far as making the listener feel what the characters were feeling. Whether it was remembering what was lost to the past or just their current struggles, I felt like I was very much a part of it.
This is, sadly, just a Gotrek story rather than Gotrek and Felix story. Having been spat out of the Realm of Chaos, where Gotrek had been cheerfully slaying Chaos beasts for millennia, he finds himself in this new world (this Age of Sigmar nonsense) and immediately assumes his entire surroundings are fabrications of the Chaos Gods to trick him. After unwillingly forging alliances, Gotrek heads out in search of his dear old friend Felix, convinced that if he is here in this strange new world, then so to must be his manling friend.
I did feel like I had been undersold the product due to the run time being listed as five hours and twenty-eight minutes but the last hour and a quarter or so was literally just the cast talking about their experiences whilst making the piece. It also highlighted the fact that Blessed knew very little about the character just going by what he was saying about Gotrek. I also felt that the woman who voiced the dark elf was guilty of some serious over-acting. Almost like she was uncertain if she was doing this for a pantomime villain so erred on the side of caution and went full pantomime villain just in case.
As much as I enjoyed listening to it, I much prefer reading Gotrek (and hopefully Felix) tales. So will probably continue on with Gotrek’s adventures in paperback form.
Point three was the most welcome of all as I really am struggling to get on with this Age of Sigmar nonsense that the Warhammer universe replaced The Old World (my favourite ever fantasy setting of any universe) with. I doubt I’ll ever care for Age of Sigmar as much as I did the Old World and there will always be a fairly large part of me that hates GW for making the switch. But, if I’m honest, Realmslayer did a fairly good job of easing me in to the universe and I found myself enjoying the story. I’m still not sold on this new setting. And I will still regard it as ‘this Age of Sigmar nonsense’ because, frankly, I honestly think the whole setting is utter nonsense. But, on with my thoughts about the audio drama … my dislike of this change could span many hours of writing!
The Production value was very high. The sound effects, the cast and the story in general were top notch. I felt that having an actor the calibre of Blessed really added to the piece (even if his voice did not mesh with the way Gotrek sounded in my mind). There were some real high points as far as making the listener feel what the characters were feeling. Whether it was remembering what was lost to the past or just their current struggles, I felt like I was very much a part of it.
This is, sadly, just a Gotrek story rather than Gotrek and Felix story. Having been spat out of the Realm of Chaos, where Gotrek had been cheerfully slaying Chaos beasts for millennia, he finds himself in this new world (this Age of Sigmar nonsense) and immediately assumes his entire surroundings are fabrications of the Chaos Gods to trick him. After unwillingly forging alliances, Gotrek heads out in search of his dear old friend Felix, convinced that if he is here in this strange new world, then so to must be his manling friend.
I did feel like I had been undersold the product due to the run time being listed as five hours and twenty-eight minutes but the last hour and a quarter or so was literally just the cast talking about their experiences whilst making the piece. It also highlighted the fact that Blessed knew very little about the character just going by what he was saying about Gotrek. I also felt that the woman who voiced the dark elf was guilty of some serious over-acting. Almost like she was uncertain if she was doing this for a pantomime villain so erred on the side of caution and went full pantomime villain just in case.
As much as I enjoyed listening to it, I much prefer reading Gotrek (and hopefully Felix) tales. So will probably continue on with Gotrek’s adventures in paperback form.
May 8, 2019
Gotrek Gurnison is one of the oldest of the Warhammer heroes. Created by William King he's spent his time stomping around the Old World looking for his Doom. As the Slayer his goal as to die to atone for his sins. But dwarves can't regain their honour by killing themselves, they have to do it in battle. Gotrek was either the best or the worst dwarf to take up the mantle of slayer as he just couldn't die. Accompanied by the poet Felix Jeager sworn to wittness and record his doom (though I was never sure how he was supposed to escape what just took down Gotrek) he traveled the old world killing pretty much everything that got in his way and saving the world of men again and again mostly by accident.
But that was the world that was. The old world is gone. Sure a few of the godlike beings made it across to the realms but a mortal dwarf like Gotrek? Surely not.
The Fyreslayers have nearly completed a master rune when the alarm goes off. A lone figure approaches the lodge, stepping out of nowhere, is a huge (but still a dwarf) doomseeker. A very confused Doomseeker who doesn't seem to understand where he is. He doesn't even trust that the guys around him aren't demons sent to confuse him by the chaos gods. Poor Gotrek has a lot of catching up to do. A thousand years or more. And when the Skaven attack and steal the master rune, Gotrek has a quest.
I listened to this as audiobook (a play almost as it had a full cast) and playing Gotrek was the peerless Brian Blessed. Sometimes the actor and the part are just perfect for each other. Gotrek is larger than life. Mr Blessed is twice that.
So glad to see the slayer back (even if Felix is missing) and with Blessed doing the reading it was such fun even if a little slight. Would fully recommend.
But that was the world that was. The old world is gone. Sure a few of the godlike beings made it across to the realms but a mortal dwarf like Gotrek? Surely not.
The Fyreslayers have nearly completed a master rune when the alarm goes off. A lone figure approaches the lodge, stepping out of nowhere, is a huge (but still a dwarf) doomseeker. A very confused Doomseeker who doesn't seem to understand where he is. He doesn't even trust that the guys around him aren't demons sent to confuse him by the chaos gods. Poor Gotrek has a lot of catching up to do. A thousand years or more. And when the Skaven attack and steal the master rune, Gotrek has a quest.
I listened to this as audiobook (a play almost as it had a full cast) and playing Gotrek was the peerless Brian Blessed. Sometimes the actor and the part are just perfect for each other. Gotrek is larger than life. Mr Blessed is twice that.
So glad to see the slayer back (even if Felix is missing) and with Blessed doing the reading it was such fun even if a little slight. Would fully recommend.
March 19, 2023
An astounding revival of one of the most beloved characters from the warhammer universe.
Thousands of years after his presumed death, Gotrek appears in the Mortal Realms and is absolutely livid with the state of things. We follow Gotrek traipsing across the realms trying to find his previous companion Felix and if there's time left in the day, maybe he can find his long sought after doom. Throughout the story we meet a varied cast of colorful characters who serve to keep the protagonist and the listener informed about the status quo of this new world. Guymer has done an amazing job at not only bringing Gotrek back to the Mortal Realms, but adding a lot of depth to him. He was always a brusque, humorous killing machine and that much has stayed the same, but the realization of how much he has lost starts breaking through his facade of barely contained rage.
The writing itself gets 5 stars, I absolutely loved it.
The voice work and sound effects are of another matter. Black Library usually puts out very high quality audio dramas, but even then I was stunned when I heard Brian Blessed as Gotrek, it just works so well! Blessed puts on an amazing performance as Gotrek, he is bellicose, loud, and completely over the top; everything you would expect Gotrek to sound like.
The other voice actors performances' range from decent to very good, I particularly enjoyed the performances of Rawlin and Seddon.
Overall I would give audio side of this story 4 to 4.5 stars, some of the voice work is quite lacking compared to the others, but it was still very solid.
Thousands of years after his presumed death, Gotrek appears in the Mortal Realms and is absolutely livid with the state of things. We follow Gotrek traipsing across the realms trying to find his previous companion Felix and if there's time left in the day, maybe he can find his long sought after doom. Throughout the story we meet a varied cast of colorful characters who serve to keep the protagonist and the listener informed about the status quo of this new world. Guymer has done an amazing job at not only bringing Gotrek back to the Mortal Realms, but adding a lot of depth to him. He was always a brusque, humorous killing machine and that much has stayed the same, but the realization of how much he has lost starts breaking through his facade of barely contained rage.
The writing itself gets 5 stars, I absolutely loved it.
The voice work and sound effects are of another matter. Black Library usually puts out very high quality audio dramas, but even then I was stunned when I heard Brian Blessed as Gotrek, it just works so well! Blessed puts on an amazing performance as Gotrek, he is bellicose, loud, and completely over the top; everything you would expect Gotrek to sound like.
The other voice actors performances' range from decent to very good, I particularly enjoyed the performances of Rawlin and Seddon.
Overall I would give audio side of this story 4 to 4.5 stars, some of the voice work is quite lacking compared to the others, but it was still very solid.
January 28, 2020
An astounding revival of one of the most beloved characters from the warhammer universe.
Thousands of years after his presumed death, Gotrek appears in the Mortal Realms and is absolutely livid with the state of things. We follow Gotrek traipsing across the realms trying to find his previous companion Felix and if there's time left in the day, maybe he can find his long sought after doom. Throughout the story we meet a varied cast of colorful characters who serve to keep the protagonist and the listener informed about the status quo of this new world. Guymer has done an amazing job at not only bringing Gotrek back to the Mortal Realms, but adding a lot of depth to him. He was always a brusque, humorous killing machine and that much has stayed the same, but the realization of how much he has lost starts breaking through his facade of barely contained rage.
The writing itself gets 5 stars, I absolutely loved it.
The voice work and sound effects are of another matter. Black Library usually puts out very high quality audio dramas, but even then I was stunned when I heard Brian Blessed as Gotrek, it just works so well! Blessed puts on an amazing performance as Gotrek, he is bellicose, loud, and completely over the top; everything you would expect Gotrek to sound like.
The other voice actors performances' range from decent to very good, I particularly enjoyed the performances of Rawlin and Seddon.
Overall I would give audio side of this story 4 to 4.5 stars, some of the voice work is quite lacking compared to the others, but it was still very solid.
Thousands of years after his presumed death, Gotrek appears in the Mortal Realms and is absolutely livid with the state of things. We follow Gotrek traipsing across the realms trying to find his previous companion Felix and if there's time left in the day, maybe he can find his long sought after doom. Throughout the story we meet a varied cast of colorful characters who serve to keep the protagonist and the listener informed about the status quo of this new world. Guymer has done an amazing job at not only bringing Gotrek back to the Mortal Realms, but adding a lot of depth to him. He was always a brusque, humorous killing machine and that much has stayed the same, but the realization of how much he has lost starts breaking through his facade of barely contained rage.
The writing itself gets 5 stars, I absolutely loved it.
The voice work and sound effects are of another matter. Black Library usually puts out very high quality audio dramas, but even then I was stunned when I heard Brian Blessed as Gotrek, it just works so well! Blessed puts on an amazing performance as Gotrek, he is bellicose, loud, and completely over the top; everything you would expect Gotrek to sound like.
The other voice actors performances' range from decent to very good, I particularly enjoyed the performances of Rawlin and Seddon.
Overall I would give audio side of this story 4 to 4.5 stars, some of the voice work is quite lacking compared to the others, but it was still very solid.
November 12, 2018
After the fateful events of Slayer, and the death of the Old World, it looked for a while as though we’d seen the end of Gotrek and Felix. In Realmslayer, however, Gotrek steps into the Age of Sigmar, doom unfulfilled, angrier than ever, missing his axe, and wondering what’s going on. Oh, and voiced by Brian Blessed too! Across a four-part audio drama Gotrek battles his way through Aqshy and Shyish in the dubious company of fyreslayers, a Khainite aelf, a necromancer and even a manling or two, searching for his place in this new world…and also Felix.
In places it’s a little spoilerific if you’ve not read the final two Gotrek & Felix novels, but there should be enough here to enjoy whether you’re familiar with the concept and characters or not. Assuming you are, it’s a wonderful reintroduction for Gotrek – as well as an intriguing look at the Age of Sigmar – that will have you hearing Blessed’s voice any time you think of the character from now on. It’s wonderful stuff, and yet again a powerful demonstration of Black Library’s ever-growing confidence in their audio productions.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/11/...
In places it’s a little spoilerific if you’ve not read the final two Gotrek & Felix novels, but there should be enough here to enjoy whether you’re familiar with the concept and characters or not. Assuming you are, it’s a wonderful reintroduction for Gotrek – as well as an intriguing look at the Age of Sigmar – that will have you hearing Blessed’s voice any time you think of the character from now on. It’s wonderful stuff, and yet again a powerful demonstration of Black Library’s ever-growing confidence in their audio productions.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/11/...
September 23, 2021
God what a mess. I do not understand a word about the new realms, and all the new Age of Sigmar crap is so cringey when you hear it described in character...
Dwarfs that are called Duardin (to copyright them) and all have actually burning hair, liquid gold tattoos, etc. It all sounds so very stupid. And then they drag poor Gotrek into this.
One of the very few good things of the End Times was finally, FINALLY giving Gotrek his doom. And then they drag him into this new 'edgy' mess.
Sorry, GW, you can relaunch your brand, I get that, but trying to reinvent everything AND keep the brand recognition just makes everything so much dumber.
Saving Grace (that's what the 2nd star is for) The voice actors are good, Brian Blessed for Gotrek is a brillant choice. But the overall sound design and descriptions are so, so confusing. It is impossible to understand any kind of visual here, you never know who is where and when.
I stopped listening in part 2 when some completely indistinguishable factions fought it out, I don't know who won against whom, they go somewhere else that is vaguely described as a fortress made of coal and then team up with a necromancer because...
Dwarfs that are called Duardin (to copyright them) and all have actually burning hair, liquid gold tattoos, etc. It all sounds so very stupid. And then they drag poor Gotrek into this.
One of the very few good things of the End Times was finally, FINALLY giving Gotrek his doom. And then they drag him into this new 'edgy' mess.
Sorry, GW, you can relaunch your brand, I get that, but trying to reinvent everything AND keep the brand recognition just makes everything so much dumber.
Saving Grace (that's what the 2nd star is for) The voice actors are good, Brian Blessed for Gotrek is a brillant choice. But the overall sound design and descriptions are so, so confusing. It is impossible to understand any kind of visual here, you never know who is where and when.
I stopped listening in part 2 when some completely indistinguishable factions fought it out, I don't know who won against whom, they go somewhere else that is vaguely described as a fortress made of coal and then team up with a necromancer because...
February 8, 2022
It's my first Gotrek book and that is saying something.
It says that I have no idea who the character is and starting after more than 10 books have been released already, may seem like a big mistake.
But to be honest, it's the first book (audio drama) in the new Gotrek series in the universe of Age of Sigmar, so naturally, I thought, why, it must be a good starting point.
The verdict is... drum rolls... it was a mistake. Many characters from Gotrek's previous series are mentioned and even the best moments revolve around recollection. I could sense that some particular event or conversation was very touching and yet I couldn't feel it because I had no idea why should I care about a particular character only mentioned in passing. So, this is probably a good novel (audio drama) for fans of the Old World's Gotrek, not for newcomers.
The rest of the novel (audio drama) was pretty good but you need a good knowledge of Age of Sigmar who is who and what's the deal with them. Truth be told, the only reason to listen to this one is the fantastic voice acting, though it can get pretty hectic during battle scenes.
It says that I have no idea who the character is and starting after more than 10 books have been released already, may seem like a big mistake.
But to be honest, it's the first book (audio drama) in the new Gotrek series in the universe of Age of Sigmar, so naturally, I thought, why, it must be a good starting point.
The verdict is... drum rolls... it was a mistake. Many characters from Gotrek's previous series are mentioned and even the best moments revolve around recollection. I could sense that some particular event or conversation was very touching and yet I couldn't feel it because I had no idea why should I care about a particular character only mentioned in passing. So, this is probably a good novel (audio drama) for fans of the Old World's Gotrek, not for newcomers.
The rest of the novel (audio drama) was pretty good but you need a good knowledge of Age of Sigmar who is who and what's the deal with them. Truth be told, the only reason to listen to this one is the fantastic voice acting, though it can get pretty hectic during battle scenes.
October 12, 2022
This was a lot of fun. GW brought back a fan favorite character with Gotrek and having him be voiced in an audio drama by Brian Blessed is just amazing. I wish he always did his voice rather than just for this limited audio drama series. Honestly I think the story is rather straightforward and simple but it works so well thanks to the talented cast.
Some knowledge of the realms and Gotrek’ Siri or adventures would help when listening, though I’m still new to Sigmar lore and have a passing knowledge of Gotrek and Felix and enjoyed it just fine. Some moments of remembrance might have hit harder but it was all still enjoyable.
It definitely sealed the deal for me to finally pick up the Gotrek & Felix series, and I look forward to listening to the final audio drama they did with Brian Blessed. Really fun listen.
Some knowledge of the realms and Gotrek’ Siri or adventures would help when listening, though I’m still new to Sigmar lore and have a passing knowledge of Gotrek and Felix and enjoyed it just fine. Some moments of remembrance might have hit harder but it was all still enjoyable.
It definitely sealed the deal for me to finally pick up the Gotrek & Felix series, and I look forward to listening to the final audio drama they did with Brian Blessed. Really fun listen.
April 24, 2019
I am not very familiar with the Warhammer universe/lore other than playing the Total War games (which are great). Based on my appreciation of these games i decided to give this book a go. It is safe to say that the book requires the reader to have a good understanding/familiarity with the Warhammer world and lore. I spent most of the book not understanding what was going on. I tried to keep up to begin with by seeking clarification on some of the names/terms used but soon had to abandon that as it was every other sentence that I had to check.
No doubt this would be an excellent book if you are already a fan of Warhammer and know the language and terminology. I just couldn't follow what was happening as my understanding of the subject matter is severely lacking.
No doubt this would be an excellent book if you are already a fan of Warhammer and know the language and terminology. I just couldn't follow what was happening as my understanding of the subject matter is severely lacking.
July 10, 2019
A truly triumphant and fitting return for Gotrek!
The acting is fantastic, providing an extra dimension to the experience that you just can’t get from an audiobook. Brian Blessed is the perfect casting choice for a character as storied as Gotrek and has clearly taken to the character very well. The story is both exciting and compelling and serves as an excellent introduction to the setting of Age of Sigmar for those who are familiar with Gotrek or the old world but haven’t yet approached mortal realms as the exposition is both naturally introduced and suitably concise, making it easy to understand without bogging down the rest of the story.
The acting is fantastic, providing an extra dimension to the experience that you just can’t get from an audiobook. Brian Blessed is the perfect casting choice for a character as storied as Gotrek and has clearly taken to the character very well. The story is both exciting and compelling and serves as an excellent introduction to the setting of Age of Sigmar for those who are familiar with Gotrek or the old world but haven’t yet approached mortal realms as the exposition is both naturally introduced and suitably concise, making it easy to understand without bogging down the rest of the story.
May 20, 2021
For the full review, please visit Bits & Pieces - https://bitsandpieces.games/2021/05/1...
I've struggled to get into the Age of Sigmar lore for a while now. I enjoyed Soul Wars but wasn’t sure where to go next and bounced off the Realm Gate Wars series entirely. I’ve also tried a few short stories along the way but none of it has grabbed me or gotten me excited to paint models, have battles and explore the Mortal Realms further. That is until I listened to the Realmslayer audio drama. It turns out all I needed to get into Age of Sigmar was Brian Blessed playing an angry dwarf.
I've struggled to get into the Age of Sigmar lore for a while now. I enjoyed Soul Wars but wasn’t sure where to go next and bounced off the Realm Gate Wars series entirely. I’ve also tried a few short stories along the way but none of it has grabbed me or gotten me excited to paint models, have battles and explore the Mortal Realms further. That is until I listened to the Realmslayer audio drama. It turns out all I needed to get into Age of Sigmar was Brian Blessed playing an angry dwarf.
May 19, 2019
Great to have Gotrek back! I find it hilarious that his thoughts on AoS is very similar to how a lot of real fans saw the transition from the Old World to the Mortal Realms. I had the same thoughts as Gotrek like being skeptical when it came to a Dark Elf trying to save lives or strange Dwarves that have an affinity with fire but he eventually accepts it like we had to accept the new AoS game and lore changes. Anyway, I’m really looking forward to the next book and am hoping GW will create a Gotrek model I can use in my Fyreslayer army!
January 17, 2019
I had never been exposed to the Gotrek and Felix novels of old, but as far as an introduction to this character goes, I can't think of a better way than voiced by Blessed in an action packed adventure across a couple realms. I'm still a little wary of re-introducing past characters into the new setting willy-nilly, but this work does something to win me over, if at least a little bit. I recommend it.
January 28, 2019
A too short but very entertaining audiodrama.
The performance of all the voices is stunning, Brian Blessed was born to be Gotrek.
Story wise, you discover the "new world" along Gotrek who seems less a bit lost in this era, the pace rake up nicely to an ending which leave the door open to a follow up.
Probably the most intersting book in Age of Sigmar so far, worth a listen for the audio performance by itself!
The performance of all the voices is stunning, Brian Blessed was born to be Gotrek.
Story wise, you discover the "new world" along Gotrek who seems less a bit lost in this era, the pace rake up nicely to an ending which leave the door open to a follow up.
Probably the most intersting book in Age of Sigmar so far, worth a listen for the audio performance by itself!
December 25, 2019
Fantasy Audio Drama
Gotrek has awoken into a new world. His time fighting back the waves of chaos are done and he is back into the mortal world.
Review
I was pumped to hear that Gotrek was back. Unfortunately, this story has the same issue all dwarven-centric novels have. That issues is that they are supporting characters. Felix originally carried the story. With Gotrek being the main protagonist it just feels like The Incredible Hulk smashing about.
Gotrek has awoken into a new world. His time fighting back the waves of chaos are done and he is back into the mortal world.
Review
I was pumped to hear that Gotrek was back. Unfortunately, this story has the same issue all dwarven-centric novels have. That issues is that they are supporting characters. Felix originally carried the story. With Gotrek being the main protagonist it just feels like The Incredible Hulk smashing about.
June 29, 2020
This book is only available in audio, that said, it was awesome! Brilliantly directed. Immersive story telling and the commitment of the actors and the added audio effects made it incredibly enjoyable! Gotrek and Felix is my favorite Warhammer series, so I was somewhat disheartened to discover Felix missing (sad face). Gotrek is a riot all on his own but he needs Felix to help temper the dwarfs crazy. But Gotrek is searching for Felix, so there’s still hope ;)
July 20, 2022
Entertaining (re)introduction to the Old World's most (least?) successful slayer! Great voice cast, Brian Blessed as our grumpy hero in particular, and a good crash course in the Mortal Realms. Biggest issue is the same that others have noted: the audio-drama format. This isn't an audiobook and, at least at first, the wall of noise made things difficult to follow. Stick with it though; very much worth it!
October 12, 2020
Star studded performance with all the cast having a wild fun. The text is totally unapologetic in its constant reference of past events, names, places. but stick with it, just allow that to wash over you.
And fot the love of God AUDIOBOOK VERSION!!! NO QUESTION. BRIAN BLEDDES BURNING THE PLACE DOWN
And fot the love of God AUDIOBOOK VERSION!!! NO QUESTION. BRIAN BLEDDES BURNING THE PLACE DOWN
December 26, 2023
Another book in the car.
I don’t know the realms or factions in the Age of Sigmar and was thus just as lost as Gortrek in what was going on where and by whom. The voice actors for fire slayers all seemed like they were trying for Melodramatic of the Year. The only reason this production gets more than one star is because Brian Blessed is the voice of Gortrek.
I don’t know the realms or factions in the Age of Sigmar and was thus just as lost as Gortrek in what was going on where and by whom. The voice actors for fire slayers all seemed like they were trying for Melodramatic of the Year. The only reason this production gets more than one star is because Brian Blessed is the voice of Gortrek.
July 9, 2024
So much better written than Nathan Longs run with the character. This feels like a Gotrek novel. Fun new characters and the same type of story structure.
Bringing the best character from the old age to age of sigmar was a great idea.
If you liked Gotrek novels you will enjoy this, if you don't then this is not for you as it's more of the same.
Bringing the best character from the old age to age of sigmar was a great idea.
If you liked Gotrek novels you will enjoy this, if you don't then this is not for you as it's more of the same.
September 20, 2019
Amazing fun, and BRIAN BLESSED is perfection! I did some summary background reading on Gotrek and Felix's history in The-World-That-Was, and this served as a perfect introduction, with lots of call backs for long time fans. I'm immediately reading the next stories.
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