Blood Bowl Books

A sports book for the fantasy genre is a novelty and a treat! A real fun read, lots of clever witticisms and great use of tie-ins with modern day professional sports and advertising.

The evil sorcerer, Schlechter Zauberer, has managed to steal the Chaos Cup from the current winning team. Unfortunately for the team members, they noticed the sorcerer and tried to stop him; thus the team exists no more. The huge Chaos Cup may be a trophy made from what appears to be skulls, but it is also so much more. By possessing it, Zauberer has unlimited dark magic. And Zauberer has plans of vengeance on Blood Bowl player Dunk Hoffnung (with the Bad Bay Hackers). To ensure no one kills Dunk before he does, Zauberer lets everyone knows that anyone that harms even a hair on Dunk's head will be immediately executed by black lightning. It does not take long to make everyone believe it either!

Captain Pegleg is thrilled by the easy touchdowns. The fans and advertisers are not. Since Pegleg will not allow Dunk to sit out of the games, Dunk does everything he can to make sure no one is stupid enough to get near him. (Because we all know that Pegleg makes sure Dunk has the ball constantly.) But it is all about to come to a head when Zauberer zaps the entire stadium of the final Blood Bowl game to the demonic realm. Dunk and the rest of the Bad Bay Hackers must play not only to win the championship, but also to keep the entire kingdom from the Blood God's grasp.

***** Author Matt Forbeck does an outstanding job bringing all his characters to vivid, breathing, heart beating life. This includes the undead characters! Listening to Bob Bifford (vampire) and Jim Johnson (ogre) narrating all the Blood Bowl games are some of the best sections of the entire trilogy. The sport of Blood Bowl has often been described as "nearly-organized chaos" by its many critics; they are right on target too. Here, in book three, readers learn all about the backgrounds of Dunk and Pegleg. The author throws in some surprising characters as well. Very highly recommended. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Book One: BLOOD BOWL

Welcome to a twisted fantasy world where humans, elves, goblins, ogres and all other species work out their aggressions on the football field instead of the battlefield. It is called BLOOD BOWL! (Actually, the sport began under a different name, but everyone just began calling the sport after the most important match, Blood Bowl.) In this game, it is only cheating if you get caught or forget to bribe the referee (or the other team's bribe is higher). Murder happens in almost every game and only illegal in rare instances. In fact, murder and maiming is encouraged!

Dunkel "Dunk" Hoffnung grew up in Altdorf, the capital city of the Empire, in a privileged home. Things went down hill when his family fell from grace. Dunk's luck begins to change when a halfling, Slick Fullbelly, sees him bring down a chimera with a spear from a hundred paces. Turns out that Slick is a talent scout for the Bad Bay Hackers. It is not long before Dunk finds himself trying out for the position of back-up thrower. Dunk also comes face-to-face with his brother, Dirk. The brothers have not seen each other in over three years.

Dirk is now the Reikland Reavers' team captain. After three years on the Reavers' team, Dirk has become wealthy and famous. But the reunion is anything but sweet for the brothers. They must settle their differences, on and off the field. Once done, being brothers does not mean going easy on each other whenever they are on the field. Dirk's lovely teammate, Spinne Schönheit, almost succeeds in killing Dunk, even though she and Dunk had recently become lovers. And Dunk has made the tiny best friends list of a huge ogre named M'Grash K'Thragsh, his team's best blitzer. Good thing too, because in the game of Blood Bowl, anything goes!

***** Matt Forbeck's name will forever be linked to the game of Blood Bowl. In fact, this title (the first of a series) probably made the author's career. Personally, I am not a football fan, but I am now a die-hard Blood Bowl fanatic and can hardly wait to begin the next book of the series. I never dreamed a ball could have spikes or be hidden in chests that could explode in your face. This game is full of violent carnage, a lot of fun, and highly recommended! *****


Book Two: DEAD BALL

Dunk Hoffnung, with the Bad Bay Hackers, returns for a starring role in Book Two of the Blood Bowl Trilogy.

Without enough teammates to continue playing the sport of Blood Bowl, Coach Pegleg's team sets sail for Far Albion. Spike! Magazine sends reporter Lästiges Weibchen with them to make a documentary of anything special that may occur; after all, chaos just seems to follow this particular team around more than any other. Pegleg wants to hunt down the location of the legendary Far Albion Cup trophy and retrieve it in hopes that the myth surrounding it is true. The legend states that the team with this cup in its possession will be unbeatable.

Olsen Merlin (an elf) is a former team wizard of the Notting Knights. His own fate is linked with the Far Albion Cup, so of course Olsen steps forward to help the Hackers get the cup. While doing so, Dunk and the (few) teammates left run into trouble. Bandits, a diseased cult, and even a treeman (which are all but extinct) are just the beginning of the mess the legendary cup gets them into.

***** Not as many Blood Bowl games in this, the second book of the trilogy, than the first. However, author Matt Forbeck keeps things entertaining with his twisted imagination, funny dialogue, and lots of action. I can hardly wait to dive into the third installment. BRAVO! *****


Book Three: DEATH MATCH

The evil sorcerer, Schlechter Zauberer, has managed to steal the Chaos Cup from the current winning team. Unfortunately for the team members, they noticed the sorcerer and tried to stop him; thus the team exists no more. The huge Chaos Cup may be a trophy made from what appears to be skulls, but it is also so much more. By possessing it, Zauberer has unlimited dark magic. And Zauberer has plans of vengeance on Blood Bowl player Dunk Hoffnung (with the Bad Bay Hackers). To ensure no one kills Dunk before he does, Zauberer lets everyone knows that anyone that harms even a hair on Dunk's head will be immediately executed by black lightning. It does not take long to make everyone believe it either!

Captain Pegleg is thrilled by the easy touchdowns. The fans and advertisers are not. Since Pegleg will not allow Dunk to sit out of the games, Dunk does everything he can to make sure no one is stupid enough to get near him. (Because we all know that Pegleg makes sure Dunk has the ball constantly.) But it is all about to come to a head when Zauberer zaps the entire stadium of the final Blood Bowl game to the demonic realm. Dunk and the rest of the Bad Bay Hackers must play not only to win the championship, but also to keep the entire kingdom from the Blood God's grasp.

***** Author Matt Forbeck does an outstanding job bringing all his characters to vivid, breathing, heart beating life. This includes the undead characters! Listening to Bob Bifford (vampire) and Jim Johnson (ogre) narrating all the Blood Bowl games are some of the best sections of the entire trilogy. The sport of Blood Bowl has often been described as "nearly-organized chaos" by its many critics; they are right on target too. Here, in book three, readers learn all about the backgrounds of Dunk and Pegleg. The author throws in some surprising characters as well. Very highly recommended. *****


EXTRA NOTE: If you are wild about this trilogy as I am, then be sure to look for more. Book Four: RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE is already out. (ISBN: 1844165175) A fifth and sixth book are due within the next year.

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

The Bad Bay Hackers are in bliss. They have won the Spike! Magazine tournament. Blood Bowl is still the most violent, and favorite, sport known. Dunk Hoffnung, the star thrower, has seen many teammates die while playing the game they love so much. Spinne is still Dunk's girlfriend, as well as the team's best catcher. His brother, Dirk, and his two friends M'Grash (an ogre) and Edgar (a treeman) are still alive and playing the game with him.

After the latest game, a lovely and sturdy woman invites them to take on the undefeated Amazons in the Tobazco Bowl. The woman is named Enojaha (Ay-No-Ha-Da), ace promoter for the Lustrian Lusties. The stadium for the Tobazco Bowl is formed in the natural crater in the top of a dormant volcano. However, during the game the volcano will no longer be dormant. (It adds to the fun of the game.) Coach Pegleg is determined not to travel all the way to the land of Lustria. Yet Dunk and Dirk are just as determined to go. Enogaha has proof that Kirta (their long thought dead sister) is on the Amazonian team - seems playing Blood Bowl runs in the family.

Smooth sailing is not in the forecast. They must fight off amorous fishwomen (mermaids), zombies, "pirates", a giant whirlpool, and even cannibalistic pygmy halflings before they even reach Lustria. Surely the worst is over ...

***** I am absolutely thrilled that author Matt Forbeck has published some fresh blood of the Blood Bowl saga. Personally, I am not a football fan, yet I am totally hooked on Blood Bowl. Just goes to show that you do not have to be a sports fan to thoroughly enjoy this fantasy series. The action begins in the very first paragraph. From then on it is non-stop action, adventure, humor, and blood. Author Matt Forbeck seems to have a warped sense of humor that he can make ooze from his poisonous pen and into his stories. Even during the darkest parts of this story I kept finding myself laughing out loud (and ignoring the curious glances from those around me at the time). Amazing! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I very much enjoyed this book. I am a Blood Bowl fan, so I may be somewhat biased. If you are not a Blood Bowl fan, you will still enjoy this book because it is humorous and fun to read. There are some creepy parts, and some adult concepts, so I would not recommend this for a child or early teen.

I'm glad to see Black Library is publishing more of these stories. I am excited to read the next installment.

Dunk Hoffnung, with the Bad Bay Hackers, returns for a starring role in Book Two of the Blood Bowl Trilogy.

Without enough teammates to continue playing the sport of Blood Bowl, Coach Pegleg's team sets sail for Far Albion. Spike! Magazine sends reporter Lästiges Weibchen with them to make a documentary of anything special that may occur; after all, chaos just seems to follow this particular team around more than any other. Pegleg wants to hunt down the location of the legendary Far Albion Cup trophy and retrieve it in hopes that the myth surrounding it is true. The legend states that the team with this cup in its possession will be unbeatable.

Olsen Merlin (an elf) is a former team wizard of the Notting Knights. His own fate is linked with the Far Albion Cup, so of course Olsen steps forward to help the Hackers get the cup. While doing so, Dunk and the (few) teammates left run into trouble. Bandits, a diseased cult, and even a treeman (which are all but extinct) are just the beginning of the mess the legendary cup gets them into.

***** Not as many Blood Bowl games in this, the second book of the trilogy, than the first. However, author Matt Forbeck keeps things entertaining with his twisted imagination, funny dialogue, and lots of action. I can hardly wait to dive into the third installment. BRAVO! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

This book is a quick, fun read. It is well paced, easy to follow, and normally enjoyable. I can't say I've laughed out loud about anything, but I am a fan of Blood Bowl, so it is nice to immerse myself in the setting for a while.

I play a lot of BloodBowl. I run a local league. I go to tourneys. I play online. Everyone I talked to who had read this book (or any in the series) said it was awful. I wasn t ready to pass judgement. The game is intended to be light-hearted, very tongue in cheek fantasy sports action. Kinda hard to screw that up.

So I got a copy of this book for free at a Games Workshop sponsored event (even signed). And I read it. Or at least tried to. It was every bit as awful as I had heard and worse.

The writing is amateurish at best. The story horrid. The pacing terrible. Everything about the book is abominable.

Now, mind you, gamers hate this book. Gamers are used to the very low standard of mass produced GW fluff books, WotC D&D campaign setting hacks
and a thousand poorly conceived Star Wars/Trek pastiches. To turn them off takes a powerfully bad book.

Do not buy this book. Seriously.

This was a pretty fun book, with non-stop action and blood bowl hijinks...which is what you are looking for, right? But I was hoping for a little more humor. This is definately not Terry Pratchett.

I saw one reviewer lay down five stars for this title. Unbelievable. This book written specifically for fans of the Games Workshop universe and for lovers of the game Blood Bowl, in particular. For everyone else it's a two or three-star read at best.

That's not to say the book is completely awful. The writer does a pretty good job of capturing the essence of the game (which has been adequately described in other reviews) and working it into a story line. However, he sometimes reaches too far for the NFL puns. For instance, the main character plays for the Bad Bay Hackers whose colors happen to be green and yellow (sound familiar?). That's swell. But check out this bit of dialogue from when he first meets the team:

"The first mate welcomed Dunk and Slick aboard as they led their mounts up the gangplank. 'The name is Cavre,' he said, pronouncing it 'carve.'"

Okay, I get it, he's punning on Brett Favre's name. Everybody in the American sports world has made a crack about Favre's name at some point. The difference is that anyone who isn't hung over from too many pints of grog would know you can't hear spelling. How would Dunk know it's spelled Cavre when the guy didn't pronounce it that way?

It's a silly error, and it's not the only one. Black Library, the press title under which all the GW fiction is published, is also notorious for poor editing, and this book is no exception.

Having taken a lead pipe to the kneecaps of this book, I will say that I enjoyed it as a pulp piece written for a particular fantasy niche market.

Welcome to a twisted fantasy world where humans, elves, goblins, ogres and all other species work out their aggressions on the football field instead of the battlefield. It is called BLOOD BOWL! (Actually, the sport began under a different name, but everyone just began calling the sport after the most important match, Blood Bowl.) In this game, it is only cheating if you get caught or forget to bribe the referee (or the other team's bribe is higher). Murder happens in almost every game and only illegal in rare instances. In fact, murder and maiming is encouraged!

Dunkel "Dunk" Hoffnung grew up in Altdorf, the capital city of the Empire, in a privileged home. Things went down hill when his family fell from grace. Dunk's luck begins to change when a halfling, Slick Fullbelly, sees him bring down a chimera with a spear from a hundred paces. Turns out that Slick is a talent scout for the Bad Bay Hackers. It is not long before Dunk finds himself trying out for the position of back-up thrower. Dunk also comes face-to-face with his brother, Dirk. The brothers have not seen each other in over three years.

Dirk is now the Reikland Reavers' team captain. After three years on the Reavers' team, Dirk has become wealthy and famous. But the reunion is anything but sweet for the brothers. They must settle their differences, on and off the field. Once done, being brothers does not mean going easy on each other whenever they are on the field. Dirk's lovely teammate, Spinne Schönheit, almost succeeds in killing Dunk, even though she and Dunk had recently become lovers. And Dunk has made the tiny best friends list of a huge ogre named M'Grash K'Thragsh, his team's best blitzer. Good thing too, because in the game of Blood Bowl, anything goes!

***** Matt Forbeck's name will forever be linked to the game of Blood Bowl. In fact, this title (the first of a series) probably made the author's career. Personally, I am not a football fan, but I am now a die-hard Blood Bowl fanatic and can hardly wait to begin the next book of the series. I never dreamed a ball could have spikes or be hidden in chests that could explode in your face. This game is full of violent carnage, a lot of fun, and highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Review.