Short Fiction from Black Library by Eric Gregory & Evan Dicken

I like short fiction, so this week I thought I’d branch out a little and review two of Black Library’s short stories from their previous releases.

Regular readers of Woehammer will know that I love Goblins and Grots and will read almost anything that includes them… so both my short stories this week are about the diminutive little devils.

Bossgrot – by Eric Gregory

This book can be picked up on E-Book from Black Library.

Unfortunately the price point for these stories is high (£1.99) for a story that can be read in an hour… still it lasts slightly longer than a pint of beer!

Gribblak is having a rough time. A disastrous battle against a Khornate horde has robbed his skrap of its morale (not to mention two dozen Fanatics, two troggoths and a gargant called Hurg). Worst of all, when he fled from the blood-soaked ‘umie boss, Gribblak lost his dignity, his pride and the respect of his grots. He needs to get them back, and draw the attention of the Loonking if he is to achieve his goal of being the most powerful bossgrot ever. He needs to do something magnificent – so he leads his skrap against the most heavily defended enemy outpost in all the Loonking’s lands: the famed Glinty Crown. There’s no way his plan can fail…

This is a great first person view into the strange world of the Loonking’s Skrap, and one of his Loonbosses who has a little bad luck in his battles. Having been scared by a ‘umie Big Boss, and accidentally letting his followers know that he wasn’t a boss, Gribblak then pulls an ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ storyline on us to hear what he Grots think of him.

Their diminished opinion brings him to promise to destroy the Glinty Crown… an enemy outpost which has been built in Grot territory.

This story is a great view of the world of the Grots and their fearless (or should that be hapless) leaders. A great introduction into Age of Sigmar Gloomspite Gitz.

Fangs of the Rustwood – by Evan Dicken

Also available from Black Library as an E-book

I picked this up because of the cover, and the Fangs… who doesn’t love a very large Spider.

Kantus Vallo, witch hunter of the Order of Azyr, escorts a caravan of prisoners back to civilisation for trial. Their path takes them through the Rustwood, a great untamed wilderness, menacing and foreboding. Each prisoner is a suspect in the murder of an influential governor – sorcerer, poisoner and guard captain, each has their means and motives. Vallo’s attempts to discover the truth are derailed when the inhabitants of the Rustwood attack. Enemies quickly become allies, but can Vallo truly trust three potential killers?

So there may not be as Gitz in this one, as it does take place with them threatening to kill Vallo, his soldiers and prisoners. As the Grots and their Spiders emerge from the woods and attack with poisoned arrows, spears and fangs (see AoS rules writers… poison! …) and start to kill the guards. Will Vallo be able to keep his prisoners safe and escape the Rustwood?

Whilst this has limited Gitz background it is good to have a view of the Gitz from the humans and to see what they can do from ambush. A fun read, but difficult to justify at the cost.

— Declan

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