Nagash the Sorcerer: The Dead Live!

Fondest greetings to you all! My apologies for the long absence, I was consumed by a great many things that I will not get into at this moment. What matters now is that I have returned, and I shall endeavor to provide you with more entertainment on a more regular basis. In a departure from my normal review of video games, I have decided to review a book today. And with that apology out of the way, let us begin, shall we?

Recently, I have had the pleasure of reading and completing a book called Nagash the Sorcerer, by Mike Lee. This book, the second in the Time of Legends series and the first book of the Rise of Nagash trilogy, is set in the Warhammer universe and deals with the humble beginnings, and eventual rise to power, of Nagash, brother of the king of Khemri and Grand Hierophant of the mortuary cults. For those not steeped in the lore of Warhammer like I am, Nehekhara is a land very much like ancient Egypt, and is in fact influenced by the practices and life of the ancient Egyptians. Nagash is one of the big characters in the lore of Warhammer, and his influence is felt by nearly every race and being in the Warhammer world. It is a fantastic book with a rich story, compelling characters, and a great sense of conflict and strife. Nagash the Sorcerer is just one of the many offerings from The Black Library, the purveyors of all the Warhammer novels.

In the timeline of the story, the land of Nehekhara is enjoying a time of unprecedented prosperity and peace, ruled by various kings in various cities, all under the rule of Khetep, the king of Khemri, the largest city in the Nehekharan empire. Unfortunately, during a battle against his enemies, Khetep is struck down by dark magic and his younger son Thutep is made the new king of Khemri. This does not sit well with Thutep's older brother Nagash, who balks at his brother's insistence on peace and trade. Nagash believes that Khemri should not abandon its martial ways and that the king should obtain power through force, not through trade and treaties with the other cities and lands of the world. Nagash is the Grand Hierophant of the mortuary cults of Khemri, and is obsessed with obtaining ultimate power. As such, he conducts experiments and steeps himself in arcane lore in an attempt to master death and to live forever. However, all of his efforts lead to failure, until one day a trio of druchii barbarians are brought to Khemri as slaves and presented to Thutep as an offering of peace by a neighboring city. Nagash is fascinated by them and takes them to his chambers, where he forces them to teach him how to control the winds of magic. Through their instruction, Nagash becomes the first necromancer in the world of Warhammer, and continues to become ever more powerful, to the point where he declares war on the rest of the Nehekharans. The other cities try to fight back, but Nagash and his armies of the undead are too powerful for them. Eventually, Nagash's armies are defeated and Nagash struck down, only to escape later, gravely wounded but still alive (or un-alive as the case might be). Nagash slinks into hiding to lick his wounds and to return one day to wreak his revenge on the world...

The writing style of this book is superb. Mike Lee is one of The Black Library's most prodigious authors, and this book shows off his mastery of the written word. The plot of the story is tight and it flows surprisingly well, with little to no lag or slow periods in the story telling. Likewise the characters are engaging and unique, and every one has a part in telling the story. The battle scenes are depicted in such a way that you actually feel like you are right there on the battlefield fighting alongside the soldiers of Nehekhara. I was thoroughly hooked from the first chapter and I could not put it down until I was finished. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for awesome fantasy or is somewhat familiar with the Warhammer universe and who is looking for more background information on the big characters of the lore. So go out and buy it! I guarantee you won't be disappointed.