Drekki Flynt, swashbuckler extraordinaire. A Kharadron privateer, he captains Aelsling, the fastest sky-cutter in the Skyshoals and named for his wife . . . er ex-wife, whom he hopes will return to him soon. He and his fellow skyfarers have come to the filthy, lawless Bavardia to meet with his former father-in-law who has a long tally of grudges against Drekki. (Not least of which is that Drekki stole his daughter and his ship.) But if Drekki accepts this venture, Throkki will wipe the slate clean and stop sending assassins to kill Drekki.

Such an offer tempts Drekki as much as treasure for the taking. Of course, there has to be a catch. Nothing comes easily for him and his fellow skyfarers. This time around, he is chosen for this venture because he is the best and he is expendable should things go awry (which is a given when Drekki is involved). Lady Sanahsa Lerarus, a human mage, must retrieve the last Talisman of Achromia before the current one protecting the old empire’s surviving city against daemons and other dark magic fails.

Naturally, they will not be the only ones searching for the Talisman and some will try to stop them. Oh, did I mention that the hidden vault that holds the Talisman is located somewhere in a derelict city infested with grots, the ancestral enemies of duardins, which is what Drekki and many of his skyfarers are? Nor is the vault simply a vault; it has special powers such as turning intruders into stone. Not only can’t Drekki refuse this job; there also is no aether-gold for him and his fellow skyfarers. But fear not, Drekki has ways and means of finding treasure in the least likely of places.

He also has a knack for finding trouble, and this time around trouble abounds. There are gargantuan squigs, snotlings, daemons, witch hunters, screamers, disc riders, unnatural storms, harkraken, a shipwreck, and Kaptain Blackheart who dares to fly the Jolly Orruk! Not to mention a spy aboard Drekki’s vessel, or the immense vortex that is slowly pulling them inside.

In the true fashion of swashbuckling novels of yore, The Arkanaut’s Oath takes readers on a breathtaking, daring adventure reminiscent of the largest, twistiest, and most exhilarating roller coaster imaginable. The imagery of Drekki’s world is masterfully drawn with words that are far better than the poetic verses crafted by Drekki’s ship’s poet. Interwoven with serious topics of war and strip-mining are humorous episodes, such as the security guard who also collects autographs. This may be Drekki Flynt’s first full-length novel, but I certainly hope it will not be his last. He may be used to being unpopular, but he’s also one of a kind and he and his fellow skyfarers are just the right sort to have with you when things get dicey.

-- Cindy Vallar, Editor of Pirates and Privateers
Review found online here: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Haley.html

Super good. Warhammer is always good. Loved everything about it. Great way to relax after work. More please

This was a very fun little novel and what I hope is the start of a series featuring Drekki Flynt and his crew of mercenaries. There's just something alluring to me about nautical novels which apparently translates equally alluringly when it comes to sky-fairing novels as well.

The Age of Sigmar setting usually struggles to suck my attention in. This one, however, did that masterfully. The only real complaint I have is that, if I had to hear 'Because I'm Drekki Flynt!' one more time, I may well have thrown the book at a wall hard enough to break the wall. 

The writing, as ever with Guy Haley, is wonderful. He tells a story with enough meat on the bones that it keeps the reader interested beyond the typical lure of hack and slash goodness you'd expect from Warhammer novels. You actually (at least I did) find yourself caring about the characters and their lives more so than you might in other works from the franchise.

Overall, despite the fact that the character of Drekki can be insufferably annoying due to the fact he seems to think the sun shines to please him, this novel is incredibly enjoyable. The cast of characters crafted by the author are varied and eclectic, and the story they find themselves in is very engaging. I'll certainly be checking out any future novels in this series.

Received as an ARC from Netgalley:

DAMN do I love Guy Haley. His writing is always filled with such vibrant character and Arkanaut's Oath lived up to my admittedly high expectations going in.

This is the first full non-genre Age of Sigmar book I've read in full (read a Warhammer horror book last year) and I was a bit worried that maybe I'd be lost as I didn't really have a full understanding of the setting, luckily it is all laid out exceptionally well, and I wasn't lost at all.

Drekki Flynt is my favourite type of main character, a loveable scoundrel who when it comes down to it makes the right decisions, even though doing so it costs him.

This is yet another book I've read in a row that has a Dwarf proudly standing on a ship (just finished Pinquickle's Folly) but this time it's a ship that flies through the sky, not the ocean.

A really great adventure that gets five stars because it brings some really strong character work in the final act of the book.

Fantastic starting out point for Age of Sigmar as it deals with the more unsavoury elements of the world in a way that instantly made me want to know more.

Enjoyable tale of the profit driven dwarves that populate the Age of Sigmar in Games Workshop's game and many Black Library titles.
I was unfamiliar with Drekki previously but was very familiar with Guy Haley and enjoy his tales. Overall, this was a delightful book that kept the action moving forward, developed characters that you care about and keeps you asking for more. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment of Drekki Flynt's adventures and more on the Kharadon culture.
If you are interested in the Age of Sigmar, and not just Stormcast Eternals, this is a great way to be introduced to other factions in the universe.

This book reads like an edge of your seat adventure novel. The action starts early and doesn’t let up till the very end. The characters are fun, and the banter between them is enjoyable. The story, though basic , is still enjoyable. Guy Haley is one of my favorite black library authors and he does not disappoint in this novel.

Overall the book is like a cross between treasure planet, Atlantis, and around the world in 80 days. It borrows a lot of elements from classic adventure stories but they work well in the age of sigmas setting. I found the world the story is set in very unique as well and the descriptions made it come to life.

Honestly, even if you don’t like age of sigmar or Warhammer, this is just a good, enjoyable read all on its own.

Great book. I loved reading it. The characters were well-fleshed out and seemed alive to me. I can't wait to see if there are any more books about these characters.

This book was such a thrilling read. I enjoyed it from first page to the last page. This is a book that is going to stick with me for some time

Drekki Flynt is my new role model, I want to be just like him! This book is so funny and just so damned good!!