World Famous Comics: The Blood Bowl Omnibus (Blood Bowl)
The Blood Bowl Omnibus (Blood Bowl)
By: Matt Forbeck Publisher: Games Workshop Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Games Workshop Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 768 Publication Date: November 27, 2007
Product Description: Welcome to the world of Blood Bowl ? football played fantasy-style, where teams can be human, orcs and ogres, and players are as likely to throw a goblin as a ball! These three stories follow the career of Dunk Hoffnung, as he works his way up from unemployed adventurer to star player with the Bad Bay Hackers.
The first three books in the Blood Bowl saga. 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.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
