Hello and welcome to this Rapid Fire interview here on Track of Words, where I’m very happy to be joined by Black Library author David Guymer to talk about his fantastic Age of Sigmar novel Grombrindal: Chronicles of the Wanderer. Released in October 2023 in audiobook, ebook and hardback (if you’re lucky enough to find one) editions, this is an unusual book in that it actually contains six short stories and a (short) novel, all exploring one of the most famous characters in Warhammer history. I loved it, so I was keen to talk to David about how this book came about, what the writing process was like, and (because I’m mean like that) whether David has a favourite from among these tales of Grombrindal.
Continue readingTag Archives: Fyreslayers
Where to Start With Black Library: Age of Sigmar Grand Alliance Order
Hello and welcome to this instalment of my Where to Start With Black Library article series, where I’m offering suggestions for good entry points into BL’s various ranges, and attempting to demystify Warhammer fiction a little bit. Historically, Black Library hasn’t provided much in the way of guidance regarding its massive range of stories, so I was pleased to see a recent (at the time I’m writing this) Warhammer Community article offering suggestions for where to start with Age of Sigmar books exploring the Grand Alliance Order – the ‘good guys’ (ish) of the Mortal Realms. While I applaud the intentions of this article, I didn’t think it was very thorough, and I didn’t necessarily agree with all of its suggestions, so I’ve put together an article myself on the same topic.
Continue readingHeirs of Grimnir – David Guymer
David Guymer’s three-part Age of Sigmar audio Heirs of Grimnir revisits a character from Realmslayer and explores the dynamic between the quarreling Runesons of the Unbaki. Disaster has struck the lodge, as its Runefather and eldest Runeson have been found murdered and Aruk-Grimnir’s legacy chest – the means for deciding succession – stolen. The Unbaki’s enemies are legion, but only a great power could have committed such a terrible crime. Alongside his remaining brothers and the elderly Battlesmith Firebrand, sixth and youngest Runeson Forn sets out to retrieve the chest, discover who is to become the new Runefather of the Unbak lodge, and take revenge for the dead.
David Guymer and Steve Conlin Talk Dwarfs, Duardin and Heirs of Grimnir
With his latest Black Library audio drama being released as part of the 2019 Black Library Advent Calendar series, I got in touch with author David Guymer to find out a bit more about what we can expect from the three-part Age of Sigmar story Heirs of Grimnir. Seeing as David has written rather a lot about slayers, fyreslayers and various other varieties of dwarfs (and duardin) over the years, I asked if he would also offer some of his thoughts on Age of Sigmar duardin, old-school Warhammer dwarfs, and how this story fits in with the rest of his Realmslayer series.
As you might have guessed from the title of the interview, this also sees the debut appearance on Track of Words of voice actor extraordinaire Steve Conlin. As well as providing the public face of legendary Games Workshop founder James Workshop, Steve plays the lead role in Heirs of Grimnir and an important role in Realmslayer, so it only seemed appropriate that he should contribute…in his own inimitable style…some insights and additional thoughts to the interview. You’ll see some of Steve’s comments scattered throughout, and then a few specific questions for him at the end.
QUICK REVIEW: Blood Gold – Gav Thorpe
A standalone Age of Sigmar short story, Gav Thorpe’s Blood Gold features the Zharrthagi fyreslayers, an unusual clan who can trace their lineage back to before the Age of Chaos. With their mountain lodge besieged by Chaos worshippers, the Zarrthagi march out to confront their enemies. At the behest of one of his warriors, runefather Ungrimmsson Drakkazak looks back to the clan’s earliest days as he tells the tale of the Zarrthagi curse, relating the actions of the clan’s original runefather and the events that led to where and what they are now.
QUICK REVIEW: The Keys to Ruin – David Annandale
David Annadale’s short story The Keys to Ruin is (along with his Shattered Crucible) one of four stories from the Legends of the Age of Sigmar: Fyreslayers anthology, intended to introduce readers to the Fyreslayers as a new faction. Battling through legions of daemons and landscapes twisted against them, the Fyreslayers of the Drunbhold lodge follow a little-known prophecy and march to join with another, long-separated lodge. Leaving the great magmahold of Sibilatus and following the ever-present song of the wind, they seek out a realmgate to speed them towards their prophesied destination.
QUICK REVIEW: Shattered Crucible – David Annandale
One of two David Annandale short stories first published in the Legends of the Age of Sigmar: Fyreslayers anthology, Shattered Crucible follows the Krelstrag Lodge as, guided by a vision of victory and an ancient oath, its armies set out on a perilous journey to bring their wrath to whatever enemies await. Leaving their isolated lodge and crossing molten ocean and Chaos-warped land in search of long-forgotten kin, the Fyreslayers are horrified at the decay and corruption they find all around as they’re tested in both body and spirit.
QUICK REVIEW: Four Thousand Days – David Guymer
In David Guymer’s Age of Sigmar short story Four Thousand Days, a Fyreslayer lodge sets off on an epic quest in search of war, and a return to their ancestral lands, in a journey that will take – as the title suggests – a really long time. Among their number is Dunnegar who, having survived the Trial of Wrath to become a Grimwrath Berserker, hurls himself into the thickest fighting in their numerous battles. As the years pass and their numbers dwindle, the lodge’s identity and purpose is slowly worn away.
QUICK REVIEW: The Volturung Road – Guy Haley
First published within the Fyreslayers anthology before getting the standalone ebook treatment, Guy Haley’s Age of Sigmar short story The Volturung Road has one foot in the Mortal Realms and the other back in the World That Was. As the Slaanesh-worshippers’ siege of his family’s hold approaches its one hundred and first year, runeson Ulgathern grows increasingly concerned, fearing that a prophecy deemed unreliable by most is coming to fruition. When tragedy strikes and his personal circumstances change, he sets out towards the Volturung lodge to reach his people’s ancestral home and escape the fate he sees approaching.