Reviewed by Azzah on 04/11/03

I can safely say that this is one of the most entertaining fantasy novels I have ever read; the characters are great fun, the fights are BRILLIANT, the Skaven plotting is worth hours of amusement and, of course, it introduces Grey Seer Thanquol (one of the greatest fantasy villains of all time and, for potential female readers, he is really cute)

Reviewed by Sam on 08/07/03

Skaven Slayer

By William King

Gotrek & Felix yet again appear in their epic tale in the struggle against evil. In this book it starts the two characters looking for work. As the sequel to the first book. Felix & Gotrek are just simple adventurers with very little to their name. They stay in the city of Nuln, where they find work as sewer patrol men. Life is mundane without much happening, until a darkness folds over the great Empire city. With corruption in the highest ranks of Nuln aristocracy & a Skaven plot which will rock the city & turn it over, the two Adventurers find themselves in a situation that they never expected.

In this slayer book Grey Seer Thanquol appears for the first time and brings with him, all the skaven virtues that make them what they are. Skaven Slayer is very entertaining as you get see Skaven in their truest form of bickering and backstabbing amongst themselves. Of course, the inquisitive nature of Felix & Gotreks axe meet the vermin scum as their unfortunate task is sewer patrol and were best to find Skaven!

William King once again portrays a rich background with lively characters. As the two unknown heroes of the book work their everyday menial job, actually brings them to ever greater danger and is the start of their adventure which continues in the books to come.

Well I think it is fair to say this is the first true Slayer book of William King's Slayer series. Troll Slayer (1st book) was a compilation of short stories thrown in together, never really felt as a complete book. Whilst Skaven Slayer, the beginning of the great adventures that lay ahead. The book is very witty & comical in respects to Skaven. There are some great scenes in the book, one where it involves a steam tank!

The Skaven race was portrayed exceptionally well by William King. Once again King has shown that he can bring other races in the Warhammer world alive through their character & racial traits. The power struggles within the Skaven camp itself was most interesting. This is probably one of the few books based in the Warhammer world were you get Skaven in there prime at work & obviously being very Skaven to their nature.

You will also see the hardships the two heroes must face in living in such a city as Nuln, it isn't all fame and glamour for these two rat catchers and you will see  what great lengths they must go to, to survive from their dangerous enemies.

So if you want some adventure, some gore, some wit, & witness one of the greatest plots against the Empire, then this is certainly the fantasy tale for you. 

Indefinitely the Best Slayer book. Thumbs up!

9/10

Reviewed by Ingimar on 20/06/03

Boy this book is good. The only Slayer book I have read and if the others are anything like this one, then I am they are a must for anyone.

Reviewed by Tom on 25/03/03

When I sat down and read Skavenslayer it became clear that it was going to have more funny parts in it than Trollslayer. From the minute Tzarkual starts moaning about being sent 'useless Clanrats' to when Thanquol sends his Stormvermin 'to inevitable victory' I loved the whole thing.

Thanquol is probably my favourite villain, simply because I love the Skaven. They're so daft the way they mutter, moan and complain. 'It wasn't my fault! I was only because...' A great book from start to finish!

Reviewed by Nick Moran on 13/02/03

This is one of the greatest books I could imagine reading.  I absolutely admire the slayers courage, bravery, and "no fear" attitude when in battle.  He is by far my favorite character in any book.

Reviewed by Pricey on 28/10/02

Skaven Slayer is a far more comical look at the whole 'slayer' subject than most of the other novels. If anybody honestly took the whole thing seriously (especially the skaven plotting) then they would have to be servearly tickled as a punishment.

The fact that the novel is set around a human city gives the perfect backdrop for Felix to re-aquaint himself with his lost society. It provides a certain touch of structure which was lacking in the first novel.

This book is where we get the first true taste of just how powerful Gotrek could become. In the space of a few weeks, he faces down a regiment of storm vermin, a squad of gutter runners, a coven of plague monks and a whole army of Clan Skyre. This, combined with the slaying of a mutent rat ogre with one swipe creates a definate hero image which is capped off at the end when the duo save the day at the eleventh hour. I'm not saying that the events in Troll Slayer weren't heroic, it's just that the only time he faced truely dangerous opponents, Felix was there to lend a hand. (The Chaos Troll for example.)

It is a truely great novel and gives a bit of a light moment in an otherwise dark and gloomy series. (What am I ment to expect where slayers are concerned?)

Reviewed by sam on 04/10/02

Great book  it was a thrill reading. It is a must read!!!!!!!!!!!

Reviewed by Matt Anson on 03/09/02

Skavenslayer is much more entertaining and amusing than Trollslayer. It tells of the Skaven's plans to overun the human city of Nuln and how these plans are constantly thwarted by Gotrek and Felix. It's the debut of one of Gotrek and Felix's most enduring enemies: Grey Seer Thanquol.

Thanquol is a brilliant character. He's so sure of his power and so full of his own importance that he's blind the idiotic nature of his own plans.

It's also funny to see the excuses the Skaven come up with when things don't go their way. It's never their fault, it's always because they've been sent low quality troops or equipment. This is a trait sometimes evident in humans too!

Skavenslayer doesn't have the same episodic format as Trollslayer. Nor does it have chapter format, as does Daemonslayer. It's kind of in the middle. It's not broken down into chapters, but the episodes are connected, unlike the ones in Trollslayer.

Skavenslayer in one of my favourite of Gotrek and Felix's outings and the only one to ever make me laugh out loud.

Reviewed by Ged Murray on 15/07/02

Hi what can i say about this book apart from WOW!
This has to be the BEST book in the history of the black Library. It's just acion from start to finish top top book out of 10 it a 9 1/2 and the only reason its not a ten is cos i dropt my copy in some oil so it got sogy.

Keep up the great work.

GED

Reviewed by Magoo132 on 20/06/02

This started my love of books. gotrek & felix are 2 characters that you like from the start of trollslayer all the way to the end of skavenslayer also the skaven characters were very cool to

Reviewed by Robbie on 09/06/02

Probably the Best of all the Slayer novels (at least so far). I enjoy how each part of the book is a standalone tale that leads up to an exciting conclusion. The humour in this novel is also very well done. And to top it all off this book introduces my all time favorite (and the most humourous) villain of all time: Grey Seer Thanquol! You can't go wrong with this book

Reviewed by kash marriott on 12/05/02

my favourite slayer book it is amazing especially the gutter runners bit also the duel with the secret police guy

10/10