Ulrika the Vampire

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A spinoff series from the Gotrek & Felix series, it follows a Kislevite Boyaress who was turned into a Vampire by an evil Von Carstein Lahmian male (a rarity) who was killed by the former protagonists and the Vampire Villain's former Master Vampire. They leave her with Master Vamp, despite intense reservations (particularly from the Dwarfs present). This series takes place over three books, which are all generally well-received by fans. Nathan Long does a pretty decent job of including interesting sequences and adding some fun lore tidbits, especially for Vampire Counts fans. Readers have also praised his illustration of the cities of the Empire, and inclusion of interesting side characters. Probably the biggest critique of the series is it's protagonist. His portrayal of Ulrika isn't bad by any means, in fact she's quite likeable at many points in the story. Her presence is also certainly more engaging than her appearance in the Gotrek and Felix novels (which isn't saying much, since she was thrust in the middle of a pretty uninteresting story arc and had a lame ambivalent romance with Felix before just hanging out with Max most of the time she was present), but the way she's presented is oddly stagnant. Between Ulrika never progressing very much as a character, making some similar mistakes throughout the whole series, and switching sides so many times that Tretch Craventail would consider spitting on her, it feels a little bit disjointed. It doesn't help that some of the decisions she makes throughout the series really test the line between "brave/honorable" and "straight up retarded".

Bloodborn

The first book in the series picks up a few weeks after Ulrika's last appearance in the Vampireslayer novel. It's more heavy on the mystery elements, and fans of detective stories or whodunnit themes will have a good time here, though there are plenty of exciting moments and fast-paced fights. Overall, it's a good light read.

The novel starts with Ulrika, overtaken by her blood craving, running naked through a forest on all fours, much the same way a /tg anon might run to his local convenience store at 3am. As it turns out, Ulrika is having a hell of a time adjusting to her new dietary preferences as a vampire, and is only stopped by her mistress, Gabriella von Nachthafen, and her champion Rodrik. Ulrika is taken back to the castle by Gabriella, her teacher and new mentor in the ways of the vampire. Gabriella strikes Ulrika as a honorable woman, for a vampire, and she possesses uncanny charisma and diplomatic skill. She attempts to teach Ulrika to control her cravings, and induct her into the Lahmian fold. We are told she would have spent at least a year on training Ulrika before loosing her, but since this book needs to have an actual plot, Gabriella is called by the Silver Tower to investigate some strange goings-on in Nuln, and reluctantly takes Ulrika with her.

When they get to Nuln, they meet up with Hermione, another Lahmian vampire who is in the process of getting interviewed by some Witch Hunters. Hermione is making a complete ass of herself, making us wonder how she's survived this long as a vampire. Luckily Gabriella steps in and diffuses the situation. Afterwards, we are informed that two of the undercover Lahmians in Nuln have been brutally attacked, with their shattered corpses staked through and left on display for all to see, fueling a general vampire panic in the city and humiliating the Lahmians. It becomes apparent pretty quickly that internal politics will hamper the investigation greatly. Hermione has little interest in working with Gabriella, fearing Neferata sent her to supplant Hermione's position. Ulrika also meets Famke, a young shy vampiress who hates men. The two become instant friends.

Gabriella sends Ulrika to look for clues as she gets set up in the city. In the process, Ulrika runs into a Witch Hunter named Holzman or Holman or something who is also determined to get to the bottom of the attacks, though he doesn't recognize Ulrika as a vampire (as if the fangs and walking around the pitch black dark without a light wasn't a dead giveaway. I guess the Witch Hunters aren't as well trained as they'd like us to believe we have taken in the abomination who wrote that comment for holy Sigmar. Now, go about your day, citizen). They agree to hunt together, further complicating things for Ulrika.

Hermione is distraught, and accuses Mathilda, a fellow Lahmian who runs a swindlers den of the killings. She brings Dagmar, the last Lahmian vampire in Nuln to be accounted for, with her and together they head to Mathilda's lair. Hermione continues to be smooth brained by accusing her of murdering her own sisters and fueling the city's vampire panic with no proof. Gabriella, who is unconvinced of her sisters' guilt intervenes, and with her silver tongue is able to get Hermione to back down.

After some time with little to no leads, Ulrika picks up the trail again following another fortuitous meeting with Holmann, and romantic feelings bloom between the two. They follow an assortment of clues to a graveyard tended by the priests of Morr, where they are attacked by ghouls. In the ensuing fight, Ulrika saves Holmann's life, but reveals herself as a vampire to the Witch Hunter in doing so, who in enraged and clumsily attacks her. Ulrika can't bring herself to kill him, and flees in shame and disgust.

She gets back to Gabriella's manor, only to find the monster and the sorcerer that guides him have attacked, and is in the process of ripping the countess a new asshole. Ulrika arrives just in time, but even together they are no match for the monster who beats them both up badly, until Gabriella stabs him with a hidden silver dagger and drives it off. The sorcerer had cast an unnatural darkness which hid the monster from their sight, and even though they survived, they are no closer to learning the true killer's identity. Luckily, both are healed up after drinking from the household maid, and head for Hermione's house after hearing Dagmar has been killed, making Hermione, Mathilda, and Gabriella the last 3 Lahmians in Nuln.

Hermione takes another level in jerkass by accusing Gabriella of the murders, and feeding on her knight Rodrik, turning him into her swain. Ulrika and Gabriella barely fight their way out, and proceed to go on the run, having burned their previous manor to cover their tracks.

The city of Nuln is now in a full-on vampire fear frenzy, with the townsfolk beating up, torturing, or killing innocent women that display even the slightest hint of what they see as vampiric tendencies. They narrowly escape a group of witch hunters, including Holmann, who has revealed Ulrika's vampiric nature to his fellow Witch-Hunters. After a series of narrow escapes, Gabriella sends Ulrika to the graveyard again, desperate for proof of the real killer, while she goes to Hermione's country estate to smooth things over as much as possible.

Ulrika heads back to the graveyard, and finds Holmann there yet again. Despite his fervor and her inner conflict, there is genuine affection between the two, and they agree to put aside their differences to hunt the killer. They find the lair of the beast and the sorcerer, and Ulrika finds several notes informing the killers of the vampiress' movements, though the killers themselves are not there. The last note reveals they they have headed to Hermione's country household. Alarmed, she grabs a horse with Holmann, and flies towards the estate, ditching the Witch Hunter on the way.

At the estate, Hermione has Gabriella and Mathilda on their knees, ready to execute them for their supposed betrayal. Ulrika makes her way in and presents the note. It turns out it was Hermione's maid, Otilia, who had been informing them, angry that Hermione had not given her the blood kiss. How she was able to betray her when Hermione had presumably been feeding on her (which ensures loyalty) is anyone's guess, but our heroes had no time to think about this potential plot hole, as the beast and sorcerer made their way into the estate. The beast turned out to be a gigantic Strigoi vampire, misled into believing that the Lahmians were responsible for his tortures.

They have a monumental fight that shattered the estate, with Rodrik, Ulrika, and Mathilda taking on the Strigoi, while Gabriella engages the sorcerer in a magical duel. Nothing they do can seem to bring the Strigoi down. The only thing that even hurts him is Gabriella's silver dagger. Rodrik manages to kill the sorcerer before dying himself, but the battle turns against them as the Strigoi flings Gabriella around like a childs toy, wounds Mathilda, and floors Ulrika with a mighty blow to her back. Ulrika is on the ropes, stunned, as the beast makes to finish her off. Just then, a pistol shot cracks out of nowhere, saving her life. It was templar Holmann, who walked all the way to the estate, intent on finishing the killer. With Holmann's help, Ulrika manages to drive the Strigoi off the roof, where it dies.

Finally, the other witch hunters show up, summoned by Otilia, who has made her getaway. Ulrika is prepared to kill them all, but Gabriella drives them off with a masterful display of speechcraft and quick thinking. She blames the vampire attacks on the Strigoi, and invents explanations for all the previous events that have taken place throughout the book. This, along with Holmann's word, is enough to to get the witch hunters to retreat.

Ulrika takes Holmann upstairs and binds his wounds. Holmann is distraught at breaking his vows to his captain and to himself, musing on leaving the empire. He is certain he can no longer be a witch hunter. Ulrika leaves him, blaming herself, only to run smack into Gabriella who tells her she must make him her blood-swain, or kill him. Ulrika tries to argue, but it's no use. He knows too much. Ulrika is unwilling to turn Holmann into a fawning swain, the book ends when Gabriella feeds on him and snaps his neck while Ulrika sobs.