Magestorm (Warhammer)

Rating:
Summary: Magic in the Old World
Review: I would recommend Magestorm for those die hard fans of Warhammer Fantasy. Specificly those who wish to know more about magic in the Old World, both priest and mage. The book in itself revolves around two main characters. One Gerhart Brennend a pyromancer (mage who controls fire), and the lector/warrior priest Wilhelm Faustus. While these two characters keep the book interesting. They can't seem to save the story from a typical end in the Warhammer world. Also while the back of the book mention a mysterious and tragic history for Gerhart. His past is only mentioned in the last few pages of the book. And while it is tragic, not much is time is spent on the subject which is a shame, because it was good material. Further more the plot seems to fall flat toward the end, what happened to the other characters, Jade mage elector count of Wolfenburg etc? Overall a decent adventure, with interesting characters, that sadly falls flat in the end.

Rating:
Summary: Magestorm?
Review: This book is not typical fair from Jonathan Green. The plot( such as there is) details the events of various participants who are caught directly or indirectly in the path of the first invasion of the Storm of Chaos. Pretty much from page one where you are thrown into a confusing and improperly explained battle scene that while supposed to be gut-wrenching and knee biting yet is more accurately described as confounding and boring. As the reader you don't have time to become attached to the participants you do not feel or care about their struggles. Rather than reading a novel this first scene is more akin to reading a sports commentary (involving teams you have never heard of in a sport that you know nothing about) play-by-play of the events and a bad one at that. The book does not improve after these first few pages.

While there are some Warhammer fans who are content with any book as long as it's Warhammer. Most of us have come to appreciate finer writing: a gracefully constructed story archs characters who whether conflicted, good, or evil we become attached to, pages of setting (including politics and insights into how the world works), struggles in which you feel apart of and most importantly we have to come to appreciate more than just a thin-excuse for a novel that is really nothing more than a series of combat scenes barely connected to one another.

For those Warhammer readers who are looking for more than Magestorm has to offer then please refer to Hammers of Ulric, the Gotrek and Felix Trollslayer saga, Star of Erengrad, and a host of others.