Next in the series of Warhammer book reviews is the novel Heldenhammer by Graham McNeill. This novel is the first in The Legend of Sigmar trilogy, part of the Time of Legends series, and it deals with the rise of Sigmar Heldenhammer, the first Emperor of the Empire of Man. I shall attempt to summarize the book in as much detail as I can spare without spoiling too much. In the beginning however, Sigmar was the son of the chieftain of the Unberogen tribe, one of the many tribes scattered about the lands of the Warhammer mythos. Sigmar led a comfortable life, surrounded by friends and family, and going to war with the myriad beasts that threatened his way of life. This was not to be Sigmar's destiny, however, as events rapidly spiralled out of his control, beginning with the death of his friend Trinovantes, and culminating with the death of the love of Sigmar's life at the hands of Trinovantes' twin brother Gerreon. From that day on, Sigmar vowed to love no other and to devote himself to the lands of his people and to forge an Empire of Man that would last for ages.
Sigmar's rise from simple tribesman to Emperor was nothing less of meteoric, and he succeeded in uniting the various tribes of man under his banner, though in many cases it wasn't easy. Sigmar's dream of a united Empire of Man couldn't have come at a better time, as shortly after the tribes became united under Sigmar's rule, he learned of a vast Orc army that was heading towards Unberogen lands. Sigmar knew that he had to stop this army of murderous beasts in order to save his fledgling empire, or all of his people would die. Thus begins the rise of Sigmar Heldenhammer, Emperor, a man whose actions will change the fate of the world...forever.
I loved this book. Graham McNeill is one of the most prodigious authors in all of the Black Library, and there isn't a book he has written that I haven't loved. As you all know, I am a huge fantasy fan and McNeill delivers fantasy at its finest. The story of Sigmar is fascinating to me, because he is not perfect by any means. He is arrogant, wrathful, and brutal in his execution of his dream, and that is what I love about him. It is a story of his growth and evolution into the man he needs to be. McNeill does a wonderful job in introducing all the characters in the book by giving them all unique personalities and traits, and it is this rich backstory that draws the reader in and makes them care about each individual person. McNeill also does a great job in introducing a major threat in the form of the Orc army that forces Sigmar to reevaluate his priorities and to grow into the man who would one day be Emperor. The fight scenes in the book are so vivid and well written that you feel as though you are actually there in the midst of battle. In addition, the struggles that Sigmar has to go through in order to grow are very visceral, and I really felt sympathy for him. This is a very well written book and should be an example to those who are trying their hand at writing great fantasy.
In summary, Heldenhammer is another fantastic offering from the Black Library, and I heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a great fantasy epic. Even people who are not familiar with the Warhammer world should pick this book up, for you won't be disappointed. And who knows, perhaps it will draw you in and make you a Warhammer nerd like myself. Also, the second and third books in this trilogy, entitled Empire and God King are out now, and further the story of Sigmar, so after you are done reading Heldenhammer, go out and buy those too. You won't be sorry you did. The Legend of Sigmar trilogy gets the HollowGeek seal of approval: 5 brutal hammer kills out of 5.
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