A Couple of Warhammer Short Stories...

Well, the plan for last night was to hole up with some pizza and see if I could get another hundred pages into 'Empire of Grass'. That was the plan... What really happened was that while I wasn't constantly hitting 'refresh', on the laptop, and trying to keep up with the troubles of Boris Johnson (all very much deserved, fuck you Boris); I was busy trying to figure out where I'd left my copy of 'Empire of Grass'. Under my dressing gown of course, where else would I leave it? I still got pizza though ;o)

By the time I'd managed to stop myself refreshing the news page, that didn't leave me with a lot of time for reading but luckily I always have a few anthologies ready for just this kind of situation. I'd already decided to tackle 'Warcry' one story at a time and while I was looking for that book, I found my copy of 'The Harrowed Paths' as well. It was like someone was telling me to read something from that book too... So that's just what I did.

A shorter post today folks, I've got so much work to do...


'Five Candles' – Lora Gray (from 'The Harrowed Paths')

An old woman must convince her village that danger is close but not only must she deal with accusations of cowardice, she will come to realise that real danger is much closer than she thinks...

I really enjoyed Lora Gray's 'He Feasts Forever' and still have hopes that they revisit the Mortal Realms in a longer work. In the meantime, I got to read 'Five Candles' and... My favourite is still 'He Feasts Forever' but there is an awful lot to recommend 'Five Candles'.

I love seeing the different types of horror that authors bring to the table for the Warhammer Horror line. Gray gives us a tale here that combines regular horror with the quiet horror of growing old and realising that you are truly alone. It's a sobering thought that really had me rooting for Havisa, especially the bit when it all starts to dawn on her, just as the candles are starting to flicker and die... That was a really tense moment.

In a world where so much is decided by strength of arms, it's good to see the focus fall onto the elderly who show us that while they can stand, they will stand as firmly against the horror as anyone else. Can you tell that I'm pushing fifty and starting to feel it...? ;o)


'The Method of Madness' – Peter McLean (from 'Warcry: The Anthology)

Thrallmaster Vignus Daneggia has dark plans for the Flesh District of Carngrad...

I'm calling it right now. This is only the second story I've read, from the 'Warcry' collection, but if Archaon's favour is going to go to anyone over the course of this book, I really want Vignus to get it. If his actions here are anything to go by, I think Vignus and his warband would do a great job of going into cities and bringing them down from within. What I loved about this story is how relentless it is. There is nothing that will stop Vignus from eventually achieving his goals; he just keeps putting one foot in front of the other (and poisoning his enemies) until everything falls into place for him. I love the straightforward simplicity of it all. Chaos doesn't have to be all twisty turny the whole time; McLean shows us that chaos can be about causing it as well as just being it.

'The Method of Madness' is a brutal read as well, the Cypher Lords may prefer the subtle approach but are not afraid to mix it up if they absolutely have to. The story has a little something for everyone then as the plot flits between vicious combat and even more vicious machinations; a little something to push things on and a little something to keep you guessing. It's a recipe that gave me a story where I had to keep reading (I don't think I had any choice in the matter). There is more than one way to win a war and McLean gives us both at once. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out to see how the Cypher Lords get on...

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