Malekith Novel

[Darthvegeta800]

Is it worthwhile ordering the Malekith novel? How decently is the char explored? Is it part 1 of another trilogy?
And where does it end? With him becoming the Witch King or does it go even further down the timeline?

[Nathaneal_deathchaser]

It is worth getting. I bought the book and i ended up reading it about ten times! It is a great book, and yes it is the start if aa trilogy; the next book is called the SHadow King and the last one is called Aenoriean.

As for how it ends, you have to read it. It starts after Aenoriean died.

[Drainial]

It is a decent book, perhaps worth ordering if you are low on reading material. Character exploration is (in my opinion at least) lacking.

The problem is the time span, the book takes a massive chunk of time beginning as it does at the election of Bel Shannar and ending just before the beginning of the civil war (I will go into no further detail).

In such a small book it is difficult to simply get in the basic plot, Malekith as a lord and a warrior is explored, Malekith the politician is explored a little; but Malekith the person, with motives and purpose and genuine relationships? Not much in evidence.

Now don't let me put you off, if you are interested in Malekith then by all means read it, likewise if you want an airport fantasy flick it will do the job admirably, but if you want character exploration and development then you are largely out of luck.

[Babnik]

Easy reading novel, simple story and poor scene description. Such a shame when we know Malus Darkblade saga. Much better than our witch king novel!

[Carron]

The book is not bad and not great either, it is somewhere inbetween a disapointing medium. The biggest problem for me was that the first half of the book was good, describing the first contact between dwarfs and elfs, Malekiths relationship with them and their High King (forgot his name) and so on and ends with the death of the high king.

After that the book took a dissapointing turn downhill as it depictaed Malekuth as a rather naivee and easily manipulated guy. In the end I was glad it was finished as Malekith was starting to annoy me, not sure if I will get the next one if there is going to be another one...

[Dalamar]

Shadow King is the next one, followed by Caledor after that.

[Shrike]

Aenerion, you mean...

[Dalamar]

No, I mean Caledor.
the elven trilogy is:
Malekith
Shadow King
Caledor

Aenarion was before Malekith and there isn't a book for it in plan as far as I know.

[Gav thorpe]

No book planned for Aenarion, but there is an audiobook out later in the year.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-product ... arion.html

Check out Jon Sullivan's fantastic cover...

http://blacklibraryblog.blogspot.com/20 ... ugnir.html

There is one other Sundering-related title that'll be announced soon. I think the folks on Druchii.net will be liking that one in particular.

GAV

[Bies]

The Times of Legends are a strange set.

Rise of Nagash - really liked
return of the Nagash (whatver it's called) - not actually about Nagash and okish I was slightly disapointed in the strange time leaps and unfinished stories (like what happens between Khalida and Neferata).

Sigmar - really liked
Sigmar Mk2 - also really liked

Malekith - was pretty cool, the whole exploration part of the novel was fun to read as it reminded me of that Jacob fluff character from 6th that they had stories about in the 6th rule book and current TK book (the Empire archaeologist).
Shadow King - I quite enjoyed this. Again like all the above, time jumps around and sometimes is very disconnected, othertimes you just want the damn book to move along.

Of course you need to remember that these are little pieces of fan fiction and aren't the best of authors (usually) but they're cheap and quick to read and pass the time. And IMO anything to increase the fluff value of Fantasy is worth spending time on.

[Shrike]

Awesome, thanks for clarfying chaps

[Assassination nation]

yeah was coming on here to ask about this book. looks like ill give it a shot. thanks guys

[Minos]

I've recently finished that book and my feelings are the sames as many here.

On the one hand, I was pleased to see a powerful Malekith in battle and to visit Nagarythe. Murders, treasons, that's fine ! So Druchii...

But on the other hand, I was desapointed by the depiction of a dumb Malekith. Really, he's like a violent child, and that's all. I was waiting for a master conspirator, a cruel strategist. He's just an idiot without any self control (under Gav's pen : I don't think our king is really like that, I don't want to be sacrified...).

So it's an interesting novel, but very desapointing by many aspects.

[Camaris]

But on the other hand, I was desapointed by the depiction of a dumb Malekith. Really, he's like a violent child, and that's all. I was waiting for a master conspirator, a cruel strategist. He's just an idiot without any self control (under Gav's pen : I don't think our king is really like that, I don't want to be sacrified...).

I just finished the book myself, and I'd have to say that IMO Malekith's personality was represented adequately. Though there is a side of malekith that is a cruel conspirator/master strategist, I think that there is also another side of our king that is a dumb, idiotic, violent child. *dodges a rending star* If you look at our fluff, we've lost a couple wars with Ulthuan because our king got impatient/lost his temper, and ordered the entire army to mad charge.

I did have a few complaints, the main one being that it was a bit condensed, as it showed a 1000 year time period, but that probably couldn't be helped. However, on the whole, I thought the book was fairly good, and I would recommend it if you're looking for a entertaining light read. (I think I might actually try to field our king in a game or two! )

[Ramaj]

I didn't think Malekith was stupid, rather he let his emotions get the best of him. Remember elves have human emotions, but these are dialed up to '11'! No sorcerer of his caliber gets there by forgetting to put his thinking cap on. Malekith's inherent flaws were also his undoing, namely his arrogance and pride. He was cast down because he thought that his considerable power would bear him through that one test as it had through others in the past.

After traveling to the chaos wastes, defeating a shoggoth etc. who could blame him entirely? Another thing that people forget is that patience has it's limits and that Malekith played petty political games (which he initially despised) for millenia. After all his hard work Bel-Shanaar saw fit to name Imrik his successor instead. Furthermore he expected Malekith to voice his support of him in the council! No "I know this is hard for you and if you feel a need to keep silent as a sign of protest, you are in your right to do so." If that is not the ultimate slap in the face I don't know what is, I think I would have 'lost it' too.

[Camaris]

After traveling to the chaos wastes, defeating a shoggoth etc. who could blame him entirely? Another thing that people forget is that patience has it's limits and that Malekith played petty political games (which he initially despised) for millenia. After all his hard work Bel-Shanaar saw fit to name Imrik his successor instead. Furthermore he expected Malekith to voice his support of him in the council! No "I know this is hard for you and if you feel a need to keep silent as a sign of protest, you are in your right to do so." If that is not the ultimate slap in the face I don't know what is, I think I would have 'lost it' too.

While this is true, I think he was dumb in the sense that he actually expected his hard work to result in him getting the command:

"Bel-Shanar, I have allowed the cults to come back once more, and things have gotten so out of hand that I got kicked out of Nagarythe. In fact, I haven't really done anything right in the past couple of years. Anyway, could you be a dear and please sign over the elven army to me?"

What sane person would say yes to that? lol. I'm not saying that he's a complete incompetent. After all, he is the foremost elven battle mages out there, and an elven battle mage is probably the equivalent to getting a PHD in Astrophysics, but like Astrophysicists, I suspect that elven battle mages are better at studying/practicing lore than they are at playing politics.

[Ramaj]

To be fair, not all the blame for the mess in Nagarythe can be put on Malekith's doorstep either. I mean Morathi is a schemer the likes of which the Warhammer world has rarely seen before. Malekith should have put his family loyalty aside and slain her when he had the chance. Listening to her advice brought him and his province nothing but grief. He had done a decent job of expending elvish colonies in the Old World and fostering trade which indicates he possessed above average leadership skills, even when left to his own devices.

[De_te]

I personally think that Malekith is a great book. I like how the book transforms him into the King we know him as. All the betrayal and hate ... <3

Having read Shadow King as well I am looking forward to the next book

[Hainzy]

Personally I loved the Malekith novel!

Since I've read all the fluff for the darkies over their three army books I just enjoyed the book for what it is; a story of Malektith.

Now it may not be up there with those famous novel's whose names I cannot remember right now, but its still really enjoyable!

If people want a Druchii history lesson then perhaps they should google Druchii or have a look through past and present army books.

And for all those people who say "this is supposed to happen here and why has this character not been developed more there blah, blah, blah".

I think there's an over analysis of facts in realation to the the history of the Druchii and people need to relax and just read the book and enjoy it for what it is.

If not then perhaps you need a holiday...

But I have enjoyed this book and I know I certainly couldn't ever write anything like this...

Well Done Gav!

Cheers!
H

[Sweeping death]

The book is a fun, simple and fast read and ok if your goal is to increase your knowledge about druchii background and warhammer history in general, but don´t expect great literature out of it.

Personally, I got a little disappointed. I find the character often shallow and underdeveloped, for the milenia old great heir of Aenarion. And the jump from the hard as nails naggarythe general and conquerer of the first part of the book to the madman and cult supporter of the end of the book was too drastic and unconvincing for my taste. He is all rage about the cults and suddenly changes just because of talking with Morathi and realising the cults utility as political tool.

It´s not that the coup-d´état in itself is unconvincing (as someone said above, he waited over 1000 years for his time and worked hard enough for it), but the way it happens.

Also, I missed some development of other aspects of the character besides power politics and war. Yes, that´s the focus, as it should be with the Prince of Naggarythe, but Malekith didn´t have even one sole romantic relation in milenia??? The exploitation of his friendship with the dwarven High King and with his lieutenents is good, but dont´get the weigh they deserve.

Finally, I found the book could have described Naggarythe and its culture a lot more. The author writes far more about Tyranoc and Eataine and one learns relatively little about the homeland and character of Aenarion´s people.

All that said, I´ve purchased the next novel of the trilogy and will most probably read the last one too.

[Babnik]

I posted a quite negative comment on Malekith's novel couple of months ago, well since I read half of the Shadow King novel, my opinion changed slightly to a more positive one.

The second book is much better. How the coup was organised by Naggarothi in Tiranoc is simply brilliant. Simple yet clever.

The battle at the swamps when these traitors from Anar house were annihilated is really enjoyable .

I am looking for the third book. Well done Gav!

[Cerelil]

I've recently finished that book and my feelings are the sames as many here.

On the one hand, I was pleased to see a powerful Malekith in battle and to visit Nagarythe. Murders, treasons, that's fine ! So Druchii...

But on the other hand, I was desapointed by the depiction of a dumb Malekith. Really, he's like a violent child, and that's all. I was waiting for a master conspirator, a cruel strategist. He's just an idiot without any self control (under Gav's pen : I don't think our king is really like that, I don't want to be sacrified...).

So it's an interesting novel, but very desapointing by many aspects.

Yeah, but wasn't Malekith ruled by anger until he banished himself to the realm of chaos? Dark Elf army book says "Where before Malekith would have flown into a berserk rage, now he calculates the demise of his enemies with chilling ruthlessness."

[Malus99]

Very true cerelil.

Although I think Gav's book did depict Malekith as rather childishly naive in some places, I don't think he was like a violent child, infact, he was a great ruler, the way he accepted the judgement of the other princes upon the issue of succesion, the way he went out to make a name for himself and prove that he was more than just his father's son, infact, it was Bel shanar's pride and need to hold onto his power that drove Malekith over the edge, although this was helped along the way alot by Morathi, I enjoyed the book, but I think the way Malekith was so easily played by his mother was abit annoying, and the utterly guileless assassination of the phoenix king was off. Yes, Malekith had to be found out to fit with the fluff, but come on! Waltz into a private meeting with the king and come out saying the king has poisoned himself?!? WHAT WAS HE THINKING!!!

I enjoyed the novel, and its more rounded depiction of the witch king, showing so much more character depth than just a stereotypical, power mad, arrogant, ambitious psychopath, but Malekith really did have his daft moments in the book. Personally, I enjoyed shadow-king much more.

[Brad]

Waltz into a private meeting with the king and come out saying the king has poisoned himself?!? WHAT WAS HE THINKING!!!

This particular little nugget of history has, IIRC, been changed in the official background. Originally, in the 4th ed HE army book as I recall, the phoenix king did indeed poison himself, to avoid the shame of suspicion after being accused of being a part of the cult of pleasure. This was then changed in later army books.

Hmm, my 4th ed army book seems to have gone missing. Can anyone else confirm?

[Sweeping death]

I´m reading the Shadow King right now and find it to be waay better than the Malekith novel.

I don´t know if it´s because of the time span or because people find it more difficult to write realistic evel characters, but Gav has done a far better job in putting Alith Anar into life than he did with our King... All of the criticisms I had with the Malekith novel (shallowness and onesided character, shezofrenic jump in his personallity, too few description of Naggarythe and its culture etc.) have been very well worked in the second novel and I´m really enjoying it.

Alith is an interesting and growing character and the contrast of the naggarothi with the other elves is shown in a great way (for example, I particularly liked a part in which Alith compares the real, wild and powerful waterfalls of his homeland with the artificial/arty waterfall in Bel-Shanaar´s palace).

In the end, I think it´s all about the ongoing struggle to (re)define the Dark Elves, which started with the new armybook and its far more brutal and crazied DE version (more similar to Dark Eldar) than the more militaristic/pragmatic DE from the former edition (more similar to Biel-Tan eldar).

In order to keep up with that change of character, the crazied khainite dark elves are more represented by Malekith and its novel, while the more "pure" Naggarythe character of grim determination (occasionaly killing enemies in their sleep) and martial tradition comes more through in "The Shadow King". I guess my disapointment with the Malekith novel and the liking of the "Shadow King" novel may have its deeper roots in that general change of Druchii character, which I still haven´t digested very well.

I´m aware the Druchii are a mixture of both, but I always saw Malekith more on the military/traditional legitimacy side and Morathi on the cults/depravity side and I think the "Malekith" novel didn´t work this contrast too well, with the too abrupt change in Malekith.