Verminslayer
Filed Under: Reading
Not just a rehash of Skavenslayer.
In 1999’s Skavenslayer, Gotrek Gurnisson and his human companion Felix worked as “sewer-jacks” in the Imperial city of Nuln, renowned for its artillery school and gunpowder might. There, beneath the city, they uncovered a Skaven plot and, over the course of a series of adventures, foiled it.
In Verminslayer, Gotrek Gurnisson finds himself among the “under-jacks” of the Sigmarite city of Greywater Fastness, known for its steampunky technology and industrial power. Beneath the city he finds a new human companion, uncovers a Skaven plot and, over the course of a series of adventures, foils it.
The similarities are deliberate, of course. While I can’t deny I’m disappointed in Black Library’s reluctance to do anything surprising at all with Gotrek, the nostalgia this novel is steeped in is effective on me, and sometimes it’s alright to re-tell good old tales. They wouldn’t be good old tales, after all, if they weren’t worth borrowing from.
Overall, Verminslayer is a perfectly perfunctory fantasy romp through one of the setting’s silliest cities. The new companion character is likeable (if a bit mundane compared to Maleneth), the twin Skaven antagonists are great fun, and Jonathan Keeble’s audiobook narration is, as ever, brilliant. All his finest rat-man voices come out to speak-play. At the end all I can say is yes-yes and, very much so, more-more.