As I discussed in my article 40k Short Stories That Deserve To Be Series, it’s common in Black Library fiction for characters to be introduced in short stories before going on to have their own series. In the previous article I looked specifically at Warhammer 40,000 stories and characters, but this time I’m going to pick out some Age of Sigmar stories in the same vein. While AoS has much less of a back catalogue (so far) than 40k, by virtue of only being around for a few years, a few new names have already started to become well-known (and loved) – Hamilcar, Gardus, Maesa – alongside some familiar names from the World That Was…but it’s going to be interesting to see which ones go on to become the next batch of recurring characters.
I’ve chosen five short stories that I’ve read and enjoyed over the last year and a bit, and which I personally think have the potential to be developed into something longer – whether that’s novels, or just series of short stories. I’ve specifically chosen stories which aren’t already part of existing series, and as I said last time, these are just my personal choices. While I’d love to see more like these, I’ve no idea whether the authors in question are planning anything.
Have a read through this list, and definitely check out these stories if you haven’t already – then let me know if you agree, or if there are other stories you would like to see carried on!
Blood of the Flayer by Richard Strachan
Over the years, in both the original Warhammer setting and Age of Sigmar, there have been loads of stories based around Chaos champions and lords, but almost all of these powerful villains and antiheroes have been followers of a specific Chaos power. There’s nothing wrong with stories about warriors dedicated to individual gods of course, and likewise those (relatively few) champions of Chaos Undivided, but is it possible for a champion to switch allegiances, and not always follow the same god? With Blood of the Flayer, and Lord Huthor the Flayer, Richard Strachan examines that very question.
I don’t want to give away the story’s plot, but suffice to say Huthor is a champion of Chaos who knows his own mind and keeps his own counsel. When the path of excess is set before him he’s content to explore it for his own benefit and take as much from it as he can, but he refuses to commit himself entirely. Each time he’s courted by one of the great powers, he takes the same approach – he’ll only walk each path so far before moving on to something new. I don’t remember reading any other Warhammer stories which take this approach, but I would definitely be interested in reading more about a character who doesn’t conform to the limitations of Chaos as represented in a miniatures game. There’s so much scope for interest there.
Now, technically speaking Huthor does get a very quick (as in, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it) mention in Strachan’s novel Blood of the Everchosen, but he’s still a long way off being a recurring character thus far. The fact that the ending of Blood of the Flayer – without giving away any real spoilers – suggests his future might be a bit bleak isn’t really a problem, as that tiny mention in the novel hints at a rich history of misadventure that’s ripe for exploring. I’d be happy to read more about him in either direction, whether digging back into that history or finding out how he gets out of the scrape he finds himself in, and I’m confident that either option would be fascinating.
Check out my review of Blood of the Flayer.
Bossgrot by Eric Gregory
They might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m a big fan of stories written from greenskin perspectives. Guy Haley proved it could be done with his classic novel Skarsnik, and Mike Brooks is nailing it in 40k with Where Dere’s Da Warp Dere’s a Way and Brutal Kunnin, but there’s been very little along these lines for Age of Sigmar. Andy Clark did a brilliant job of bringing to life the vicious nature of the Gloomspite Gitz in his novel Gloomspite, but that was shown from a human perspective. Eric Gregory’s Bossgrot, however, tells a fantastic tale from the perspective of a grot warboss that had me howling with laughter!
In his interview about The Infinite and the Divine, Robert Rath talks about writing from non-human viewpoints, and how something might seem funny from an alien’s perspective, but be horrific from a human perspective. I think that’s a perfect way of viewing non-human POV stories, and Eric Gregory nails it with Bossgrot. Gribblak makes for a comedic, almost slapstick protagonist, making a fool of himself and accidentally coming out on top, and the story is often laugh-out-loud funny. Flip it around and think about it from a human POV however, and it’s much darker! And that’s the joy of greenskins, and especially the Gloomspite Gitz – that balance of darkness and humour.
You might wonder whether a whole novel from a grot’s perspective would work, but again I’ll refer you to Guy Haley’s Skarsnik – it can definitely be done! While Gribblak doesn’t have the history and backstory that Skarsnik did, in the right hands that shouldn’t be a problem. From what I’ve read of Gregory’s writing, he’s more than capable of doing a whole novel justice, and if it ends up as entertaining as Bossgrot then I can imagine it being tremendous fun, and very popular indeed. It would also make me very happy, as I think the Gloomspite Gitz are probably the most entertaining faction in Age of Sigmar!
Check out my review of Bossgrot.
The Garden of Mortal Delights by Robert Rath
Another non-human character that I loved reading about is branchwych Kurdwen, from Robert Rath’s Slaanesh-vs-Sylvaneth short story The Garden of Mortal Delights – easily one of my favourite Age of Sigmar stories so far. Don’t get me wrong, along with having a fabulous name Revish the Epicurean (Kurdwen’s captor in the story) is an interesting character too – and it would be great to get more Slaaneshi stories at some point – but Kurdwen definitely steals the show. Whether tending to the fruit growing out of the decapitated-but-still-sort-of-alive bodies of her dryad kin, or plotting her escape from Revish’s fiendish trap, she’s an unusual presence and a compelling character.
It’s not hard to explain why I think this should be the start of a series – Kurdwen is great, branchwyches make for interesting characters in general, and there simply aren’t enough Sylvaneth stories out there! There are a few other short stories available, and they show up in a handful of novels, but we still haven’t seen a really in-depth exploration of this faction. Now I’m not particularly knowledgeable about the Sylvaneth, but it looks to me as though a branchwych would provide an ideal viewpoint from which to explore life amongst the clans, and Kurdwen has already proven herself to be a cunning, patient tactician and a character capable of both great compassion and great malice. What’s not to like about that, as a protagonist?
I think Rob hit upon a fascinating combination as well, pitting Kurdwen against a Slaaneshi lord, as it’s almost possible to see how the two factions could actually coexist…almost. I would love to see this dynamic explored further, if possible sticking with the approach he took in Garden… of keeping things away from the big battlefields. I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s enjoyed things like the Warhammer Horror and Crime stories for the way they’ve shed light on the wider Warhammer worlds in less military settings, and I’m equally certain that there’s plenty of conflict to be found in smaller-scale stories which don’t rely on epic battles. To be fair though, I’d be happy with pretty much any story featuring Kurdwen and/or her clan.
Check out my review of The Garden of Mortal Delights.
The Unlamented Archpustulent of Clan Morbidus by David Guymer
First of all, what a title! I mean, it’s just so evocative. To be fair though, a title as bonkers as that needs to be backed up with a great story, and happily that’s exactly the case here. Skaven stories always involve at least some devious scheming, but this one goes big by focusing on the political maneuvering that takes place within Clan Morbidus as it prepares to elect (if that’s really the right word) its next spiritual leader. That pretty much sells it already, right? Skaven essentially live and breathe madcap schemes, but when we’re talking grand papal councils you just know things are going to get messy!
Skaven make for great antagonists, but surely it’s about time we got a whole Age of Sigmar novel – or even more – which focuses on them as protagonists, with characters we can properly root for and whose crazy schemes can actually succeed for once! For a given value of success, of course. When stories involve skaven trying to undermine human cities or pull off huge, earth-shattering schemes, it’s inevitable that things are going to go wrong – not only is it fun to watch carefully-plotted plans go awry, but there are only so many cities that can actually get destroyed or mighty heroes slain. This is, after all, a shared universe where other people need to be able to tell their stories too.
Stories focusing on the internal workings of a skaven clan, though…there’s no real limit to the carnage that an author could wreak in internecine conflict! One of the things that set The Unlamented Archpustulent apart was the way it tackled the theological aspects of this particular clan, and there’s scope for lots more in the same vein. I remember reading this story and thinking “I wish this was longer, so it could dig deeper into these ideas”…so let’s have a longer story! I can only imagine how much fun it would be to write something like that – and likewise to read it!
Check out my review of The Unlamented Archpustulent of Clan Morbidus.
The Method of Madness by Peter McLean
I’ve already mentioned that I’m a fan of stories which swap the big battlefields for closer looks at everyday life in the Mortal Realms, and Warcry offers plenty of opportunities for these sorts of stories. Sure, there’s still going to be plenty of violence and action, but they’re inherently smaller-scale, featuring tight-knit groups of characters who have very different perspectives on life to the usual military viewpoints that we see in a lot of Black Library fiction. I’ve read a few Warcry stories so far, including Richard Strachan’s excellent novel Blood of the Everchosen, but in terms of short stories Peter McLean’s The Method of Madness – which to be fair is probably more of a novella, really – stands out as something I’d love to see more of.
I absolutely loved this story, so much so that despite setting out to write my usual quick review I accidentally ended up writing as much as I usually do for a full novel. It does a great job of fleshing out the Cypher Lords as a warband archetype, as Thrallmaster Vignus Daneggia enacts a complex plot designed to take him to the top of Carngrad’s ruling council, not to mention exploring the city to an extent that I hadn’t come across before, but first and foremost it’s a brilliantly character-driven story. Vignus isn’t just a generic evil schemer, he comes across as a flawed but highly capable, devious leader, cleverly pulling the strings as his minions enact a brutal campaign of street-level gang warfare.
McLean has an excellent track record with this sort of story – you should definitely check out his War For the Rose Throne books if you haven’t already – but outside of Necromunda I can’t think of many Black Library stories which take this approach. Whether McLean can be lured away from his own novels to contribute something of this ilk for BL remains to be seen, but there’s so much potential for great storytelling in Vignus and his warband. Carngrad is positively crying out for a novel or three in which it’s fully torn apart by competing warbands, from the gutters all the way to the towers of its ruling council!
Check out my review of The Method of Madness.
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So there you go – my personal choices of Age of Sigmar short stories that I loved reading, and would love to see expanded into novels or more short stories. If you haven’t already, make sure you check out my 40k version of this article too! Like I said last time, I’ve no idea whether any of these stories are likely to become the next big series…but I’d be very happy if they do.
If you’d like to read these stories, four of them are available in the Oaths and Conquests anthology – this is definitely the best way to get them, rather than paying for individual ebooks. The fifth story is available in the Warcry Anthology, alongside a bunch more cool Warcry stories. Click on the links below to buy these anthologies from my Bookshop.org store*, and support local independent bookshops while you’re at it.
What do you think, then? Have you read these stories too – and do you agree with me? Are there other Age of Sigmar short stories that you’re desperate to see more of? Let me know in the comments below, or find me on Twitter and let’s bounce some ideas around!
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