Warblade - David Ferring

 Time for a short visit to the Old World, as I've read the final instalment of the Konrad trilogy, Warblade.

And it jumps straight in action from page one, no recapitulation of the previous events, but straight into the Skaven lair under Altdorf.

Picking up with the events of the previous book, Konrad's final adventure begins as he tries to save his companions from the grey seer Graxar, as they are about to be sacrificed.  After overcoming them, he reenters the city and through his sergeant in the Guard, Taungar, comes into contact with Zuntermein.  This sorcerer claims to know the whereabouts of Elyssa, and invites Konrad to a meeting of his group.

Zuntermein actually runs a slaanesh cult, and seems to have Krysten as a captive.  He orders her to kill Konrad, but during the act she reveals to have become a follower of Khorne instead as she attacks him.  They escape, but she dies in his arms as if claimed by the Blood lord as a payment for their escape of the cultists.  But Taungar survives somehow, and tracks Konrad down, having him at swordpoint until a black clad warrior comes to his aid, none other than Wolf it seems.  He had returned to lead Konrad to Galea, a former deamon now seeress whom explains to Konrad his focal point in the events taking place around him.

 

Heading to Marienburg, they meet up with Litzenreich and Ustnar, as it turns out there is no love lost between Wolf and the wizard.  But when Skaven ambush them, they decide to work together as they have parallel running goals involving Altdorf, saving the Emperor, and discovering Konrad's past...

And so i finished the trilogy, the first book was the first one I read in 2021, and fittingly, this is the last book I`m finishing for the year.  One word of grief perhaps in a good series, is that the ultimate conclusion, the face off with Skullface who has hunted him for three volumes... is all wrapped up in less then 5 pages.  Bit anticlimatic for my tastes to be honest.

But it was a good series, and I enjoyed reading it on the bus for sure.