Warhammer is a huge fandom and has a vast array of tie in media via the Black Library. I have to say while I am a fan I had not heard of this horror Warhammer novel, by Anna Stephens no less so I was more than excited when I was given a chance to review it.

Now while I have not read all of the novels in the Age of Sigmar series I am happy to report that this can be read standalone. Yes it may help to know a bit of the world and history but it’s not necessary to enjoy the novel at all. I will also say that I am a bit of a Stephens fan so I knew I would likely enjoy this one and I was not disappointed.

There is a perfect mix, for me at least, of horror, action and characters. That’s to say we get characters who are fleshed out and each have their own motivations and secrets. We have enough action and horror to keep me invested as well. As a lover of both fantasy and horror I adore when these are merged together and I have to say Stephens knows what she is doing.

As with some fantasies there is a lot going on but I didn’t find it too hard to follow or keep up with at all. I think this is perfect for fans new and old of Warhammer and particularly horror fans. But I do also think this can appeal to those who enjoy fantasy or horror and have not yet ventured into the Black Library.

As always thank you to Black Library for the copy to review. My review is always honest and truthful.

Really enjoyable gothic dark fantasy. While it is part of an ongoing and humongous series in the Warhammer universe, it functions really well as a standalone novel. Very readable with great characyers.

Excellent! I’m a huge Warhammer fan. There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not doing something Warhammer related. This whole series has been incredible. The action, the storytelling, everything. It’s phenomenal.

When a merchant decides not to take cover after hearing the hell hound the canine beast soon has him and his sights even though he hears gunshots and people running from Gothle manner by the time they appear it will be too late for the merchant.When they bring the merchants corpse into the manner Edrea Gothle was curious to investigate the body despite her father Eric‘s chastising. He was always overprotective of her but this time Edrea Will seek her own answers and in the end she will know her long lost mother much better but will not like everything she finds. While this is going on a fierce Hunter and his group is all trying to find the hell hound and by the time it’s over not all of them will see it till the end. If you like Gothic para-normal mysteries with a little necromancy then you will definitely love the story I read it a while back and yesterday wanted to read it again I was so happy to find out there’s other books. This is a series and I cannot wait to read the next one. I want to thank the publisher for my free ARC copy via NetGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Thanks Black Library and Netgalley for the ARC of Gothgul Hollow which is the the first in the Warhammer series and I have to say... what a book!


I really loved the character building, and the gothic feel of this the horror/fantasy and the fact that this is a series.

I loved the eerie world, Endrea and I am scouring the Internet for the rest of the series.

I cannot fault perfection.

This book was brilliant! My first warhammer horror novel and won't be my last! Loved Edrea's character and all the adventure, right from the start!

This books pulls you into an amazing world, it grips you and makes you not be able to put the book down. Great characters and growth between then, i enjoyed this book. you will not be disappointed if you were to read this.

This book read like a mix between the exorcist, poltergeists, and a classic gothic ghost story. The story and characters were a bit bland, and character development was almost non existent. I did enjoy the authors descriptive style and the battle sequences, which showed her talent. But the plot and everything else was just not unique enough to really grab my attention.

It’s a decent Warhammer horror novel but there are better ones out there in the Warhammer universe. Also the book ending on a cliff hanger with no evidence of a sequel bothers me a bit.

Gothghul Hollow is another of Black Libraries Horror series of novels. Set in the Age of Sigmar Realm of Shyish; where death reigns supreme. The Hollow, a small town, is both haunted and hunted by a horrific entity. A beast of such magnificent proportions that the inhabitants turn to the Lord of Gothghul Manor for help.

Coming from the Warhammer Horror line, you know that this book isn’t going to be one for the faint-hearted. There are graphic depictions of violence and gore right from the first chapter – which sets the tone expertly for the rest of the novel. There’s a fast pace to the first section of the novel which introduces us to the main character, Runar and his band of bounty hunters; men hired to track down a vicious beast that is assailing The Hollow and the citizens within. Where they face their own trials with the devil-dog and the scene is set for the dire situation they all face.

The cast of characters is generally strong, I feel like we still have more to learn about each of them and hope that they’re further developed in future instalments in the series. I fully confess, I am non-to-fond on female leads that feel like they have to go above and beyond in order to prove themselves worthy against a backdrop of strong male characters. Edrea did dip into this territory a little too much for me. She came across as a pushy, bossy, know-it-all that could do no wrong. I didn’t take to her as much as I’d hoped. However, as this was her intended character, she is well-written in this regard.

Her father, Aaric was an interesting character. He had secrets upon secrets that were great to see revealed as the story progressed. His overbearing protective stance was understandable when the truth started coming out and seeing him develop as the pages passed was a delight. So was Tiberius, Edrea’s uncle and Priest of Sigmar; who acted as a go-between when the father/daughter relationship broke down. Runar as a lead and as a romantic interest helped to add another layer to the characters and seeing them all working with and against one another as the story progressed was wonderful.

The fun of this novel is in the tension and the action. When there is emotional drama between the lead characters, discovering and questioning the motivations of one another. I also found the inclusion of a romantic subplot didn’t annoy me as it has done in other novels, here it made the characters feel more human and relatable. Warhammer Romance line, here we come!!

The story ramped up the tension as is continued and the drama was certainly high. Many clues were given throughout as to who and what haunted Gothghul Hollow and its denizens. But never was the big reveal at the end of the novel given away. There were times when the story felt a little repetitive and the pacing could have been a bit quicker.

I found myself wanting the story to ‘get on with it’ in places, as it started to drag. This felt especially apparent towards the end of the story where it all seemed to get a little repetitive before the mask was off. I have a bit of a gripe about the ending of this book. Whereas others praised the mystery and the reveal, I disliked it. I felt tricked into reading a genre of book that I generally avoid and I’d love to rant about it. But I also don’t want to write too much and spoil it for future readers. It was a strange choice as though the author had written themselves into a corner and looked for a bit of hype in order to write themselves out of it again.

Although there are certain scenes from a horror novel within Gothghul Hollow, I once again question the Warhammer Horror series of books. What makes this story any more horrific than any other book set in the Realm of Shyish, where death is prevalent in day to day life? Other than a few graphic murder scenes, not all that much. I am waiting for a Warhammer Horror novel to truly terrify me; as this book didn’t come close. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good book, with some interesting characters and a decent plot, but it just didn’t tick the horror boxes for me.

As an Age of Sigmar novel, it’s isolated in its own little pocket of the Shyish Realm. While there is a lot more to the Age of Sigmar setting the wider world wasn’t touched upon here. This is a good thing for newer readers of the Warhammer Fantasy line as the story explains the Realmworlds and setting making it understandable without being overwhelming. But it does little to illustrate just how vast the world can be. Gothghul Hollow works well for both newcomers to the setting and older AoS fans alike. Yet, It can leave those familiar with the setting wanting more from it.

This is a pretty well put together gothic horror/romance, and there is good and bad that goes along with that. There's a good sense of foreboding and atmosphere. The characters and dialogue left a little to be desired for me. Warhammer has breech-loading rifles and revolvers now?

It isn't a bad book. I don't know that its much of a good book either.

Mysteries surround a creature that sucks the essence of an individual and brings terror to a region. It will be up to one titled lady to find the source and defeat it while discovering secrets that surround her own life. 
I'm not a big horror fan, but the description of this story intrigued me. I love paranormal stories that house mystery. This story fit the bill perfectly. The writing was intense and brings to life the story as though one is actually there. Spellbinding could be the perfect word for this as I found myself unable to stop reading. I had to go on to the next chapter and then the next to see what would happen in the next few pages. Would they find it? What was it? Why did it….? Well, that is all I can say on that without noting spoilers. 
Many times, I read with a pounding heart and swore I felt the sweep of an unknown entity as it passed by me. The imagery is nearly flawless as the author brings to life an intricate plot as well as strong characters. The main character has the hurt soul of a child but the determination of a powerful sorceress. The supporting characters are flawed but have strong beliefs that drive them forward and stand beside her. 
A great read that I highly suggest if you like intense stories with magic and mystery.

Received as an ARC from Netgalley:

This was absolutely outstanding. I adored the writing and the characters.

A tight gothic thrillride with monsters, ghosts, and interdimensional beings.

Heavy influence from old school Hammer horror films with a magic system that is mysterious but makes sense at the same time. A hard line to walk.

I've never read any Warhammer fantasy books before and knew next to nothing about the world but that didn't prevent me from understanding the story. A great introduction.

Warhammer Horror continues to be outstanding.

What a letdown. Gothgull Hollow started strong and I was enjoying reading it, but when the second needless fight happened, I lost my interest. I originally received a copy through NetGalley but I also bought a paperback edition, which I read for the majority.

Now, what’s so very wrong about this novel? Although it’s 300 pages long, very little happens. The story is comprised of long paragraphs describing fights, rituals, or even dialogue in far too much detail. Scenes are repeated. For instance, two fights happen with the same creature where the outcome is exactly the same, and then two characters chase a ghost right after another. I’m not sure if the author was aware of that, but surely an editor should have noticed?

I also didn’t like that characters were talking to themselves or that the glorious, amazing fighter called Hephzibah, his wife, “Zib”. The horror element mainly relied on gore and the book wasn’t “chilling” (as promised in the blurb). It was more of a fantasy story with a very small target audience. I’m not a huge Warhammer fan, but I do know some things about the universe, and I was sure I was going to like this novel. What a shame!

I chose this because I was drawn to the cover design and illustration.

This was a fantasy horror novel, and it was pretty good. The writing itself had a dark tone, but that suited my reading mood at the time. It was a horror story, but there wasn't any content that was overly graphic or disturbing. I also found that this story had a Gothic feel, which was something that I appreciated, as I really like Gothic fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Anna Stephens is an author I have great respect for and it was interesting to see her write for BL, I did not really find myself that enthusiastic about the characters apart from the last reveal at the end which should be more forthcoming in Black Eyed Saint, a good read