OVERALL RATING: THREE STARS
The Kingdom of Alson is a quaint and peaceful place, it's king is greedy and selfish, but he rules his people well, leaving them to pursue their lives in relative peace. Jarom, who serves as the Farson of Diln, is quite content to be left alone and enjoys the quiet life of his small village. He has no plans of great adventure, just his imagination and his best friend, Allion; he is content and happy. But all of that changes when a dark wizard invades with conquest in his heart. Soric is cruel and vicious. His assassination of King Sorl throws the country into turmoil and Jarom is forced from his home, set on a quest by his father to find aid from the bordering nation of Kuuria. Jarom is reluctant to go, but sets off on an adventure with Allion that is full of peril and danger. What's more, Jarom discovers things about himself that he doesn't like: there are mysteries and secrets surrounding his past, birthrights and heritages that need to be addressed . . .
Yet the invasion of Soric soon proves to the least of Jarom's concerns, for the wizard isn't the only terror that's stirring. For with his arrival wakens an ancient evil, a demon queen who has slumbered for millennia. She perceives the weakness in the world of man, she deems it ripe to fall. An ancient dragon is woken, the last scion of the race who warred with the Finlorrians, the people who once forged the world with the help of the Ceilhigh and Jarom knows that only one thing can save Alson: he has to seek the Crimson Sword, an ancient talisman of infinite power. But at what cost is power obtained? What price must be paid for things that are best left alone? The demon queen was not the only menace to sleep and what Jarom unleashes is worse than anybody could have ever imaged. The illysp do not sleep, they do not feel or show mercy to others. They enslave and they burn. They raze the world around them and deal only in death. Jarom must find a way to stop them. Enemies surround him on every side, he learns of betrayal and pain. He struggles to full fill a destiny he had never asked for . . .
Book 1: The Crimson Sword
Book 2: The Obsidian Key
Book 3: The Divine Talisman
The Good
The Legend of Asahiel is a fast-paced, exciting series and Eldon Thompson has clearly let his imagination run wild writing it. It's full of magic, epic battles, betrayal and death, leaving little to be wanted by the reader. In fact, all three books in the series are among those rare 'page-turners' that will keep you up well into early of the hours of the morning and are very difficult to put down. This is largely due to Thompson's ability to develop the sense of peril in each book and he really gives you a sense of what will be lost, should his heroes fail. Furthermore, the fact that Thompson has created a relatively contained island-continent means that his map is smaller than in many other works of fantasy, which allowed him to cut down on the chapters of arduous travelling from place to place so he could maintain the pace of his story. His prose reads like cheesy, old-school fantasy as well, which I quite enjoyed more than anything, and his characters are lively and almost jump out of the pages. Many readers will also appreciate the fact that Thompson has several very strong, female characters that dominate parts of the story and are hugely influential protagonists, which is something that even a lot of modern fantasy novels lack.
The Bad
As good as it was, The Legend of Asahiel did have a few bugs that really bothered me. The main one, was actually with Jarom's character and he is a thoughtful, docile man who is quick to forgive and very hard to anger. While there is nothing wrong with these personality traits in real-life or in fiction, they become slightly absurd as the series progresses: firstly, despite the fact that Jarom's whole continent is being burnt to ashes around him, with everyone he ever knew facing imminent death, he never becomes angry and instead only understands and sympathises with his enemies. Secondly, it's very odd when such a passive, peaceful man sudden becomes this vicious, hardened warrior whenever he leaps into battle and starts hacking scores of his enemies down, left right and centre. Sadly, I think Jarom's character is quite implausible and it's hard to believe him as a real person. It wouldn't be such a problem if Jarom wasn't the series main character and Thompson should either have made him much harder or changed his story-arch, perhaps making Jarom a general or something instead of a warrior.
The second issue that I had with the series as a whole, was the stereotypical nature of Thompson's villains. Pre-ASoIaF, this wouldn't really have bothered me and I might not have noticed, but GRRM's writing has shown me the importance of developing antagonists that are true to life as well as protagonists. People are rarely evil in real life for the sake of 'being evil' and, although their actions may harm people, they're usually done for selfish reasons like gaining power, killing for revenge, hatreds or feuds or stealing to feed oneself and family. Thus, it becomes slight absurd and quite irritating when Thompson's villains 'snicker' and 'smirk' every time they kill someone or destroy a village. Although, to be fair on Thompson, this was remedied to a degree in The Divine Talisman, it detracted from the story as a whole and weakened his vision somewhat.
Final Thoughts
Overall, though, The Legend of Asahiel is a great series and I had a lot of fun reading it. It's fast-paced, full of excitement, danger and has more magic bursting out of its pages than the Lord of the Rings! Although I wouldn't call this series a definite must read, I certainly recommend that you add it to your reading list and get round to it at some point - it may not be the best series you've ever read, but I guarantee you'll enjoy it!
N.B. It's also worth noting that Thompson has also written a short story featuring Kylac, one of the series main characters, which is published in Unfettered by Shawn Speakman et al.
Showing posts with label Three Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Three Stars. Show all posts
Sunday, 29 January 2017
Friday, 22 July 2016
Crossroads of Twilight - Robert Jordan
RATING: THREE STARS
Elaine Trakand has yet to secure the Lion Throne and her rivals are moving about her, gathering allies and swaying major houses to support their claim. She is desperate to attain the throne that was her mother's, the throne that his hers by right. She is determined to win the Kingdom of Andor for herself and is still angry at Rand al'Thor for offering the throne to her. Elaine means to have it without his help, both from a sting of pride and from a desire not to be known as a queen who's in the pocket of the Lord of the Morning, the Dragon Reborn. The fact that she carries Rand's child is still a closely guarded secret and any that knew would find ways to use it against her. All of them, including her competitors, the agents of the Black Ajar she has sworn to hunt down and the Darkfriends that move in the deepest shades of secrets about her.
Meanwhile, Egwene al'Vere has problems of her own. She is still one of two who have declared for the Amrylin Seat and remains labelled as a rebel to the Aes Sedai. The White Tower is still broken, but Eqwene's war for her seat is coming to a head. With the help of her general, Lord Gareth Bryne, she has amassed a sizeable army. With the use of Travelling, a Skill still forgotten by Elaida's loyalists, Eqwene's army has laid siege to Tar Valon. Yet Egwene is loath to spill Aes Sedai blood and still hasn't moved. Her reluctance is beginning to be seen as weakness and, even within her own camp, there are those who are beginning to see her as a stooge-Amrylin once again . . . Time is short and Egwene knows she will lose all if she doesn't move soon.
The Good and the Bad
Once again Robert Jordan tells a story of epic proportions, one that is filled with magic and darkness. He was woven the threads of his story arcs together masterfully and simultaneously tells the tales of a number of his main protagonists. These stories are interesting, but once again their slow pace fails to carry the story forward much (which is why I have combined my customary 'good' and 'bad' headings into one for better discussion). Despite Crossroads of Twilight being another mammoth tome, very little actually happens in the book aside from talking and I was a bit disappointed when all of the characters and their storylines were in pretty much the same place at the end of the book as they were at the beginning. I can't help but think back to the epic climaxes I fell in love with in the earlier books in the series and I think that Jordan slowing the series pace down is largely responsible for my disappointment. For, despite my criticism, the book wasn't actually boring and I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I just think it's time for him to pick up the pace a bit and get the story moving again.
The book barely mentioned Rand, who is arguably the centrepiece of the saga, who got one or two insignificant chapters at most towards the end. Matt and Perrin probably accomplished the most in the novel, yet their positions have still barely changed from when it begun. Likewise, little has happened to carry Elaine's and Egwene's struggle to secure their power and the Forsaken have dropped into the background, doing little at the moment that's worth mentioning . . .
I hope that the pace of the series picks up in the next instalment, which it logically should since the end is drawing ever closer! Because don't get me wrong, I'm still adamant that The Wheel of Time is a masterpiece of fantasy and Jordan has created something that's truly special. His characterisation remains as fantastic as ever, his world is still deeply populated with danger and mythology and he has created an iconic version of magic that works well for his story. It's just a shame that his pacing is letting him down and it's something he can very easily remedy . . .
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Crossroads of Twilight is a great read and, although I've only given it three stars, it should be born in mind that I'm comparing the novel to the previous books in The Wheel Time saga and it's still much better read than many other works of fantasy, especially with the wealth of world building Jordan has already sunk into the ten books I've read so far. The only thing that has let it down it the fact that pretty much nothing of consequence happens in almost a thousand pages, but his writing, character development and ability to describe impending doom are still as brilliant as ever.
Elaine Trakand has yet to secure the Lion Throne and her rivals are moving about her, gathering allies and swaying major houses to support their claim. She is desperate to attain the throne that was her mother's, the throne that his hers by right. She is determined to win the Kingdom of Andor for herself and is still angry at Rand al'Thor for offering the throne to her. Elaine means to have it without his help, both from a sting of pride and from a desire not to be known as a queen who's in the pocket of the Lord of the Morning, the Dragon Reborn. The fact that she carries Rand's child is still a closely guarded secret and any that knew would find ways to use it against her. All of them, including her competitors, the agents of the Black Ajar she has sworn to hunt down and the Darkfriends that move in the deepest shades of secrets about her.
Meanwhile, Egwene al'Vere has problems of her own. She is still one of two who have declared for the Amrylin Seat and remains labelled as a rebel to the Aes Sedai. The White Tower is still broken, but Eqwene's war for her seat is coming to a head. With the help of her general, Lord Gareth Bryne, she has amassed a sizeable army. With the use of Travelling, a Skill still forgotten by Elaida's loyalists, Eqwene's army has laid siege to Tar Valon. Yet Egwene is loath to spill Aes Sedai blood and still hasn't moved. Her reluctance is beginning to be seen as weakness and, even within her own camp, there are those who are beginning to see her as a stooge-Amrylin once again . . . Time is short and Egwene knows she will lose all if she doesn't move soon.
The Good and the Bad
Once again Robert Jordan tells a story of epic proportions, one that is filled with magic and darkness. He was woven the threads of his story arcs together masterfully and simultaneously tells the tales of a number of his main protagonists. These stories are interesting, but once again their slow pace fails to carry the story forward much (which is why I have combined my customary 'good' and 'bad' headings into one for better discussion). Despite Crossroads of Twilight being another mammoth tome, very little actually happens in the book aside from talking and I was a bit disappointed when all of the characters and their storylines were in pretty much the same place at the end of the book as they were at the beginning. I can't help but think back to the epic climaxes I fell in love with in the earlier books in the series and I think that Jordan slowing the series pace down is largely responsible for my disappointment. For, despite my criticism, the book wasn't actually boring and I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I just think it's time for him to pick up the pace a bit and get the story moving again.
The book barely mentioned Rand, who is arguably the centrepiece of the saga, who got one or two insignificant chapters at most towards the end. Matt and Perrin probably accomplished the most in the novel, yet their positions have still barely changed from when it begun. Likewise, little has happened to carry Elaine's and Egwene's struggle to secure their power and the Forsaken have dropped into the background, doing little at the moment that's worth mentioning . . .
I hope that the pace of the series picks up in the next instalment, which it logically should since the end is drawing ever closer! Because don't get me wrong, I'm still adamant that The Wheel of Time is a masterpiece of fantasy and Jordan has created something that's truly special. His characterisation remains as fantastic as ever, his world is still deeply populated with danger and mythology and he has created an iconic version of magic that works well for his story. It's just a shame that his pacing is letting him down and it's something he can very easily remedy . . .
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Crossroads of Twilight is a great read and, although I've only given it three stars, it should be born in mind that I'm comparing the novel to the previous books in The Wheel Time saga and it's still much better read than many other works of fantasy, especially with the wealth of world building Jordan has already sunk into the ten books I've read so far. The only thing that has let it down it the fact that pretty much nothing of consequence happens in almost a thousand pages, but his writing, character development and ability to describe impending doom are still as brilliant as ever.
Wednesday, 6 July 2016
The Phoenix Reckoning - Richard L. Sanders
RATING: THREE STARS
The Empire is still divided, gripped in a brutal civil war where the heir of the Akiran throne, Queen Kalila, fights for recognition against the ursurping King, Caewyn of House Martel. There has already been a terrible battle that devastated both sides, weakening strength that the Empire sorely needs. For the Rotham are coming and only Kalila and her fleet stands to meet them in the Corridor. If that territory is taken, the Rotham will have free access into human space and will be able to conquer uncontested.
But what's more, the Polarian Dread Fleet is moving. It is a host of ships from the darkest legends, ships that leave every planet they encounter scoured, burned and lifeless. If they truly mean to bring their holy war into human space, then even united we cannot hope to repel them. Kalila needs the throne and she needs to unite humanity against this threat, trusting hope to the efforts of Calvin and his crew aboard the Nighthawk. Kalila doesn't know it, but Calvin has taken his ship deep into Polarian Forbidden Space and means to stop the Dread Fleet at its source. He is adamant that the leaders of the Polarian Faith have been replaced by replicants and, if so, it will reveal that the Phoenix Ring is more powerful an enemy than any have dared to dream . . .
The Good
The Phoenix Reckoning is another action-packed, powerful space opera by Richard L. Sanders. He has written an exciting story that carries the overall plot of the series forward well and he continues to build upon and develop his characters. There are as many battles and webs of intrigue as in the previous instalments and, once again, he has produced a book that is well worth reading.
The Bad
Once again, I found myself a little disappointed at the lack of description in Sanders' prose. He has created a dynamic universe, full and space ships, aliens and thrones, but they are largely left to the reader's imagination. While too much description can be a bad thing that detracts from the story, too little is likewise problematic and it's difficult sometimes to form a clear picture of the character's surroundings.
Final Thoughts
I was impressed with The Phoenix Reckoning and it was great instalment to The Phoenix Conspiracy series. It's fast paced and immersing, being a good example that indie authors can produce science fiction that's well worth reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I'm glad that Sanders decided to split this book into two so he could complete the series in a way that was not rushed and did justice to his story. I recommended giving this series a go and I'm looking forward to concluding the struggles of Captain Calvin Cross and his friends in The Phoenix Requiem soon.
The Empire is still divided, gripped in a brutal civil war where the heir of the Akiran throne, Queen Kalila, fights for recognition against the ursurping King, Caewyn of House Martel. There has already been a terrible battle that devastated both sides, weakening strength that the Empire sorely needs. For the Rotham are coming and only Kalila and her fleet stands to meet them in the Corridor. If that territory is taken, the Rotham will have free access into human space and will be able to conquer uncontested.
But what's more, the Polarian Dread Fleet is moving. It is a host of ships from the darkest legends, ships that leave every planet they encounter scoured, burned and lifeless. If they truly mean to bring their holy war into human space, then even united we cannot hope to repel them. Kalila needs the throne and she needs to unite humanity against this threat, trusting hope to the efforts of Calvin and his crew aboard the Nighthawk. Kalila doesn't know it, but Calvin has taken his ship deep into Polarian Forbidden Space and means to stop the Dread Fleet at its source. He is adamant that the leaders of the Polarian Faith have been replaced by replicants and, if so, it will reveal that the Phoenix Ring is more powerful an enemy than any have dared to dream . . .
The Good
The Phoenix Reckoning is another action-packed, powerful space opera by Richard L. Sanders. He has written an exciting story that carries the overall plot of the series forward well and he continues to build upon and develop his characters. There are as many battles and webs of intrigue as in the previous instalments and, once again, he has produced a book that is well worth reading.
The Bad
Once again, I found myself a little disappointed at the lack of description in Sanders' prose. He has created a dynamic universe, full and space ships, aliens and thrones, but they are largely left to the reader's imagination. While too much description can be a bad thing that detracts from the story, too little is likewise problematic and it's difficult sometimes to form a clear picture of the character's surroundings.
Final Thoughts
I was impressed with The Phoenix Reckoning and it was great instalment to The Phoenix Conspiracy series. It's fast paced and immersing, being a good example that indie authors can produce science fiction that's well worth reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I'm glad that Sanders decided to split this book into two so he could complete the series in a way that was not rushed and did justice to his story. I recommended giving this series a go and I'm looking forward to concluding the struggles of Captain Calvin Cross and his friends in The Phoenix Requiem soon.
Saturday, 25 June 2016
Bane of the Liche Lord - D. P. Prior
RATING: THREE STARS
Silas made a terrible mistake and did not heed the advice of
his friends. They tried to tell him that following the dark arts of Otto
Blightey was folly. He failed to listen. The liche lord destroyed Silas so he
could rise again and recognised Nameless as one who stood against him once in the past. Blightey is determined to have his revenge on the dwarf and intends to
do everything he can to destroy their race forever.
Yet Nameless is first and foremost a warrior. He will not
simply stand by and allow the last vestige of his people to disappear, but he
may not like the choices he has to make to save them. They are not
world-changing decisions, rather they concern himself and any absolution that is
his to claim. Can he forgive himself for the sins of his madness? Can he accept
the friendship, love and trust of his kin in order to destroy the dreaded liche
lord once and for all?
The Good
D. P. Prior has written another fast-paced novella that is
packed with action and adventure. He has let his imagination run wild once
again and I found Bane of the Liche
Lord to be a great ending for the series as a whole. Prior ties up all the
loose ends nicely and manages to set up a chance for the subsequent books without
leaving the core story unfinished.
The Bad
There wasn’t anything that bothered me with this book, aside
from the points I have made in the series previous reviews. As ever, Prior over
uses his fictional profanity ‘shog’ and there are minor grammatical errors
throughout that had my internal editor waving a blue pencil about at time!
Final Thoughts
Overall, though, Bane of
the Liche Lord was an exciting read and ended The Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf well. The book, and series as
a whole, make for quick, easy reading and are perfect for anyone who’s looking
for a bit of light-hearted fantasy that isn’t too heavy in lore and world-building.
Wednesday, 11 May 2016
The Ebon Staff - D. P. Prior
RATING: THREE STARS
Nameless did not expect his reunion with his dwarven kin to go well, and, unsurprisingly, it didn't. After escaping execution at the hands of the sappers with the unlikely help of Nils and Silas, he is forced to flee the dwarven encampment for his life. He has given up on his quest and plans to leave the dangerous dreamland he's led his companions into before more harm can come to them, but Silas has other plans. The sorcerer has become obsessed with Bightey's journal and all of his will is focused on attaining the infamous Ebon Staff. If his companions won't help him unlock the dark powers of the occult willingly, then he will have no choice but to bend their will and force their hands . . .
The Good
The Ebon Staff is as fast-paced as D. P. Prior's other books in the Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf and it did not disappoint me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his characters, which he has continued to develop and deepen, and found it a satisfying penultimate instalment to the series. What's more, the relevance of the Ebon Staff is beginning to become clear and I was pleasantly surprised when I realised that it's probably more important to the overall storyline of the series than Nameless finding his kin, which was established from the go in the first book.
The Bad
Once again, though, I couldn't help but notice a few spelling and grammatical errors in the book. Luckily they weren't too bad and (frustratingly), could have probably been corrected with a little bit more time spent with the editor. Aside from this, there was just my favourite gripe about the series that I should probably mention, which is, of course, the overuse of the word: 'shog.'
Final Thoughts
Overall, however, The Ebon Staff is a great novella of fantasy and action. It's quick to read, easy to relate to the characters and Prior has clearly let his imagination run wild while writing it.
Nameless did not expect his reunion with his dwarven kin to go well, and, unsurprisingly, it didn't. After escaping execution at the hands of the sappers with the unlikely help of Nils and Silas, he is forced to flee the dwarven encampment for his life. He has given up on his quest and plans to leave the dangerous dreamland he's led his companions into before more harm can come to them, but Silas has other plans. The sorcerer has become obsessed with Bightey's journal and all of his will is focused on attaining the infamous Ebon Staff. If his companions won't help him unlock the dark powers of the occult willingly, then he will have no choice but to bend their will and force their hands . . .
The Good
The Ebon Staff is as fast-paced as D. P. Prior's other books in the Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf and it did not disappoint me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his characters, which he has continued to develop and deepen, and found it a satisfying penultimate instalment to the series. What's more, the relevance of the Ebon Staff is beginning to become clear and I was pleasantly surprised when I realised that it's probably more important to the overall storyline of the series than Nameless finding his kin, which was established from the go in the first book.
The Bad
Once again, though, I couldn't help but notice a few spelling and grammatical errors in the book. Luckily they weren't too bad and (frustratingly), could have probably been corrected with a little bit more time spent with the editor. Aside from this, there was just my favourite gripe about the series that I should probably mention, which is, of course, the overuse of the word: 'shog.'
Final Thoughts
Overall, however, The Ebon Staff is a great novella of fantasy and action. It's quick to read, easy to relate to the characters and Prior has clearly let his imagination run wild while writing it.
Sunday, 17 April 2016
The Scout & the Serpent - D. P. Prior
RATING: THREE STARS
The unlikely adventurers' continue their journey through the dreamland created by a demented god and Nameless must use all of the powers contained in the Axe of the Dwarf Lords if he is find the last remnants of his people. But even with all of this power, he is helpless to aid his friends when they are scattered by a pack of werewolves. Trapped on a small island with only Ilesa for company, Nameless must defeat a terrifying serpent if he is to escape and find his people; his companions.
For Nils is alone and surrounded by goblins, alone except for an injured scout who knows exactly where the dwarves are . . .
The Good
I'm pleased to say that D. P. Prior is writing in proper sentences again, which makes the book much more fluid and easy to read. This really adds to the excitement and adventure in the book, and it's every bit as action-packed as its predecessors in the Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf.
Another aspect of the book I liked was Prior's continued development of the protagonists other than Nameless and it's nice to start to see the dwarf's companions really start to come into their own, with their own personalities, issues and motivations. This helps to add depth to a somewhat superficial story and I hope it continues throughout the series future instalments!
The Bad
There are still editorial mistakes dotted throughout the book that I picked up on and, as I've said in previous reviews, Prior heavily overuses the fictional word 'shog' as a profanity. The editorial mistakes are noticeably less frequent than in the other books, which is good, and although the swear word still becomes a bit annoying at times, I think I'm finally beginning to accept its use and it hasn't irked me as much in The Scout & the Serpent as it has previously.
Final Thoughts
Overall, The Scout & the Serpent is a decent book and I enjoyed it as much as I have the others in the series. Prior has kept true to his earlier works and the story is every bit as gristly, faced-paced and exciting. It's a perfect time killer for that short commute or spare few hours!
The unlikely adventurers' continue their journey through the dreamland created by a demented god and Nameless must use all of the powers contained in the Axe of the Dwarf Lords if he is find the last remnants of his people. But even with all of this power, he is helpless to aid his friends when they are scattered by a pack of werewolves. Trapped on a small island with only Ilesa for company, Nameless must defeat a terrifying serpent if he is to escape and find his people; his companions.
For Nils is alone and surrounded by goblins, alone except for an injured scout who knows exactly where the dwarves are . . .
The Good
I'm pleased to say that D. P. Prior is writing in proper sentences again, which makes the book much more fluid and easy to read. This really adds to the excitement and adventure in the book, and it's every bit as action-packed as its predecessors in the Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf.
Another aspect of the book I liked was Prior's continued development of the protagonists other than Nameless and it's nice to start to see the dwarf's companions really start to come into their own, with their own personalities, issues and motivations. This helps to add depth to a somewhat superficial story and I hope it continues throughout the series future instalments!
The Bad
There are still editorial mistakes dotted throughout the book that I picked up on and, as I've said in previous reviews, Prior heavily overuses the fictional word 'shog' as a profanity. The editorial mistakes are noticeably less frequent than in the other books, which is good, and although the swear word still becomes a bit annoying at times, I think I'm finally beginning to accept its use and it hasn't irked me as much in The Scout & the Serpent as it has previously.
Final Thoughts
Overall, The Scout & the Serpent is a decent book and I enjoyed it as much as I have the others in the series. Prior has kept true to his earlier works and the story is every bit as gristly, faced-paced and exciting. It's a perfect time killer for that short commute or spare few hours!
Tuesday, 5 April 2016
The Axe of the Dwarf Lords - D. P. Prior
RATING: THREE STARS
With only his trusty companions at his side: Nils, Silas and Ilesa, the Nameless Dwarf continues his search for the last remnants of his people. His quest takes him deep into the dreamland of a demented god, a strange world that is apt to change and filled with terror. From flesh-eating zombies to an unstoppable horror that destroyed the dwarves of old, Nameless finds his skills with an axe are needed as much as ever if he is to succeed and keep his friends alive.
But the axe he has now is an unremarkable and common weapon, unable to defeat everything that stands in his path. If Nameless is ever going to find the vestige of his people, he needs to forgive himself and concede to magic. He needs to take up the Axe of the Dwarf Lords and accept the power of the Immortals that runs through his veins . . .
The Good
Once again D. P. Prior has produced a fast-paced and exciting story. It's fun to read and is fairly immersing, being filled with fights and humour. Prior has added a new element to this story as well, which he achieves by separating many of the main characters. This provides a few more story arcs to The Axe of the Dwarf Lords so he is able to explore and develop his protagonists more fully.
The Bad
One of the issues I had with book was Prior's sudden aversion to using words like 'the' or 'a' at the start of sentences. I didn't pick up on this in A Dwarf With No Name, so I'm not sure whether it was done less often or if it's a new technique Prior is working with. Either way, it means many of his sentences start in odd places and they don't really flow correctly, with the following quote being a good example: "Whole leg was rot all the way to the knee, which was about as far as he could see from his belly." This didn't really spoil my enjoyment of the story, but it broke the natural flow of my reading and required a bit of thought to get through some paragraphs, not to mention the effort of ignoring my internal editor!
Aside from this, the issues I mentioned in my review of A Dwarf With No Name are still present and I couldn't help but notice the odd spelling or grammatical mistake dotted throughout the book, not to mention the continued overuse of the word 'shog!'
Final Thoughts
Despite a few flaws and problems here and there, The Axe of the Dwarf Lords is a good sequel to its predecessor and I enjoyed it. Prior's writing makes for fun, easy-going fantasy and certainly doesn't lack for excitement!
With only his trusty companions at his side: Nils, Silas and Ilesa, the Nameless Dwarf continues his search for the last remnants of his people. His quest takes him deep into the dreamland of a demented god, a strange world that is apt to change and filled with terror. From flesh-eating zombies to an unstoppable horror that destroyed the dwarves of old, Nameless finds his skills with an axe are needed as much as ever if he is to succeed and keep his friends alive.
But the axe he has now is an unremarkable and common weapon, unable to defeat everything that stands in his path. If Nameless is ever going to find the vestige of his people, he needs to forgive himself and concede to magic. He needs to take up the Axe of the Dwarf Lords and accept the power of the Immortals that runs through his veins . . .
The Good
Once again D. P. Prior has produced a fast-paced and exciting story. It's fun to read and is fairly immersing, being filled with fights and humour. Prior has added a new element to this story as well, which he achieves by separating many of the main characters. This provides a few more story arcs to The Axe of the Dwarf Lords so he is able to explore and develop his protagonists more fully.
The Bad
One of the issues I had with book was Prior's sudden aversion to using words like 'the' or 'a' at the start of sentences. I didn't pick up on this in A Dwarf With No Name, so I'm not sure whether it was done less often or if it's a new technique Prior is working with. Either way, it means many of his sentences start in odd places and they don't really flow correctly, with the following quote being a good example: "Whole leg was rot all the way to the knee, which was about as far as he could see from his belly." This didn't really spoil my enjoyment of the story, but it broke the natural flow of my reading and required a bit of thought to get through some paragraphs, not to mention the effort of ignoring my internal editor!
Aside from this, the issues I mentioned in my review of A Dwarf With No Name are still present and I couldn't help but notice the odd spelling or grammatical mistake dotted throughout the book, not to mention the continued overuse of the word 'shog!'
Final Thoughts
Despite a few flaws and problems here and there, The Axe of the Dwarf Lords is a good sequel to its predecessor and I enjoyed it. Prior's writing makes for fun, easy-going fantasy and certainly doesn't lack for excitement!
Wednesday, 16 March 2016
A Dwarf With No Name - D. P. Prior
RATING: THREE STARS
When Nils is sent to meet a renown mage by his father, the head of the nefarious Night Hawks, he does not expect the simple introduction he was paid to facilitate to go wrong. The mage quickly proves unreasonable and decides that there is much more money to be had in robbing Nils and the hapless dwarf. Yet the dwarf is nameless for a reason, and is none other than the dreaded madman that destroyed his kingdom as he attempted to burn the world to ashes around him. The so-called 'Nameless Dwarf' has no fear of the mage and will not let one man cease his search for the vestige of his race. His adventure will continue, with the few new friends he makes that will be essential if he is to succeed in his quest and survive the terrible city of the Ant-Man.
The Good
A Dwarf With No Name is an interesting spin on the dwarvish race, telling the story from the perspective of a warlord that was driven mad with power and is now looking for absolution. It's short length enables D. P. Prior to keep the story moving at a fast pace, meaning that it never lacks for action! It's pretty much just a book of the dwarf fighting and killing people, but Prior doesn't go too over the top and it makes for fairly entertaining, superficial reading.
The Bad
One of the main issues I had with A Dwarf With No Name was its grammar and my internal editor cried out at times and wanted me to get scribbling with a blue pencil. It wasn't really a huge issue, but Prior got tenses and clauses muddled up on more than a few occasions and used writing tricks such as adding an 'sh' into the middle of words to signify that a character was drunk and slurring their speech. If you read a lot of my reviews you probably already know that I'm a big advocate against tricks like this and I think the cheap trick detracts from writing and gives the book a slightly amateurish feel. When have GRRM, Patrick Rothfuss or Robin Hobb ever used such a technique?
Another of the qualms I had with the book was Prior's use of swearing. Just like its use in real life, swearing has to be done properly or it just looks foolish. Throughout the book, Prior uses the word 'shog' in various tenses as a generic insult. I have the feeling this insult has been created to avoid offending the reader or as an attempt at world-building, such as how Battlestar Galactica uses 'frack' instead of, well, you know . . . This works in BSG because 'frack' sounds so similar to the word it's used to replace and is used in the same contexts as Western Cultures use it so we can relate to it. 'Shog' doesn't really sound like existing profanity and just makes me think of 'slog,' which isn't offensive in the slightest and makes the word's use a bit ridiculous really.
Final Thoughts
A Dwarf With No Name is a fair read overall and I enjoyed it. The pacing and excitment of the story made up for any issues there were with the actual prose and the fact that I read it in about an hour probably helped as well. It's a perfect time-killer for that short bus ride and is certainly a good example of easy-to-read fantasy that doesn't take a few weeks to work through.
When Nils is sent to meet a renown mage by his father, the head of the nefarious Night Hawks, he does not expect the simple introduction he was paid to facilitate to go wrong. The mage quickly proves unreasonable and decides that there is much more money to be had in robbing Nils and the hapless dwarf. Yet the dwarf is nameless for a reason, and is none other than the dreaded madman that destroyed his kingdom as he attempted to burn the world to ashes around him. The so-called 'Nameless Dwarf' has no fear of the mage and will not let one man cease his search for the vestige of his race. His adventure will continue, with the few new friends he makes that will be essential if he is to succeed in his quest and survive the terrible city of the Ant-Man.
The Good
A Dwarf With No Name is an interesting spin on the dwarvish race, telling the story from the perspective of a warlord that was driven mad with power and is now looking for absolution. It's short length enables D. P. Prior to keep the story moving at a fast pace, meaning that it never lacks for action! It's pretty much just a book of the dwarf fighting and killing people, but Prior doesn't go too over the top and it makes for fairly entertaining, superficial reading.
The Bad
One of the main issues I had with A Dwarf With No Name was its grammar and my internal editor cried out at times and wanted me to get scribbling with a blue pencil. It wasn't really a huge issue, but Prior got tenses and clauses muddled up on more than a few occasions and used writing tricks such as adding an 'sh' into the middle of words to signify that a character was drunk and slurring their speech. If you read a lot of my reviews you probably already know that I'm a big advocate against tricks like this and I think the cheap trick detracts from writing and gives the book a slightly amateurish feel. When have GRRM, Patrick Rothfuss or Robin Hobb ever used such a technique?
Another of the qualms I had with the book was Prior's use of swearing. Just like its use in real life, swearing has to be done properly or it just looks foolish. Throughout the book, Prior uses the word 'shog' in various tenses as a generic insult. I have the feeling this insult has been created to avoid offending the reader or as an attempt at world-building, such as how Battlestar Galactica uses 'frack' instead of, well, you know . . . This works in BSG because 'frack' sounds so similar to the word it's used to replace and is used in the same contexts as Western Cultures use it so we can relate to it. 'Shog' doesn't really sound like existing profanity and just makes me think of 'slog,' which isn't offensive in the slightest and makes the word's use a bit ridiculous really.
Final Thoughts
A Dwarf With No Name is a fair read overall and I enjoyed it. The pacing and excitment of the story made up for any issues there were with the actual prose and the fact that I read it in about an hour probably helped as well. It's a perfect time-killer for that short bus ride and is certainly a good example of easy-to-read fantasy that doesn't take a few weeks to work through.
Tuesday, 29 December 2015
H10N1 - M. R. Cornelius
RATING: THREE STARS
The world has been thrown into disarray by a coordinated terrorist attack that unleashed the deadly Korean Influenza virus, H10N1, across the globe. Not even the terrorists could have predicted just how destructive the virus would be and humans have been all but eradicated. There are just a few thousand left across the world and civilisation has ended. There are no workers to produce new foods, medicines and electricity. The lucky survivors are fighting for whatever is left, desperate for help from the scant few hospitals that are still able to provide it.
Dr. Taeya Sanchez is one such medic and works in one of America's last remaining hospitals. The staff there are overworked and the only way they are able to help their patients is through assisted suicide, making the pain of H10N1 disappear forever. When Taeya finally has enough and speaks out against the new regime, she is forced to flee her sanctuary at the hospital. She is plunged into a brave new world that is ruled by the gun, surviving only because of the help of an unlikely alliance with a defecting supply gather, Rick DeAngelo.
The Good
M. R. Cornelius has done a fair job with this story and both of the main protagonists are interesting, telling the story from different mindsets. They quickly form a love-hate relationship which Cornelius develops throughout the book as their friendship turns into something more, despite both of them not really wanting it to and disbelieving that the other likes them in a romantic way.
The story itself is also exciting, with lots of action and surprise events, but Cornelius has stayed away from the traditional viewpoints of post-apocalyptic worlds. The book isn't all about violence and people fighting for resources, which features in the book only as pivotal events. Instead, the book is more of a journey of self-redemption, love and survival, which is nicely refreshing.
The Bad
Sadly, some of the characters in H10N1 are a bit bland and stereotypical. Some of them are villains for no real reason and do things which don't actually benefit anyone, even the antagonist themselves. This does make the book slightly implausible at times and, as a reader, I just had to suspend my disbelief and roll with it.
Cornelius' prose it also lacking in description and focuses more on events and dialogue. This does help keep the story moving at quite a fast pace, but it's difficult to imagine the world around the characters some of the time and he often uses generic description to set the scene, such as 'cars pulling up in a forest.'
My Thoughts
Overall though, H10N1 was an interesting read and I enjoyed it. It was more of a story about love and redemption than a grisly post-apocalyptic horror of murder and violence and M. R. Cornelius has a few nice ideas about what living in such a world would be like.
The world has been thrown into disarray by a coordinated terrorist attack that unleashed the deadly Korean Influenza virus, H10N1, across the globe. Not even the terrorists could have predicted just how destructive the virus would be and humans have been all but eradicated. There are just a few thousand left across the world and civilisation has ended. There are no workers to produce new foods, medicines and electricity. The lucky survivors are fighting for whatever is left, desperate for help from the scant few hospitals that are still able to provide it.
Dr. Taeya Sanchez is one such medic and works in one of America's last remaining hospitals. The staff there are overworked and the only way they are able to help their patients is through assisted suicide, making the pain of H10N1 disappear forever. When Taeya finally has enough and speaks out against the new regime, she is forced to flee her sanctuary at the hospital. She is plunged into a brave new world that is ruled by the gun, surviving only because of the help of an unlikely alliance with a defecting supply gather, Rick DeAngelo.
The Good
M. R. Cornelius has done a fair job with this story and both of the main protagonists are interesting, telling the story from different mindsets. They quickly form a love-hate relationship which Cornelius develops throughout the book as their friendship turns into something more, despite both of them not really wanting it to and disbelieving that the other likes them in a romantic way.
The story itself is also exciting, with lots of action and surprise events, but Cornelius has stayed away from the traditional viewpoints of post-apocalyptic worlds. The book isn't all about violence and people fighting for resources, which features in the book only as pivotal events. Instead, the book is more of a journey of self-redemption, love and survival, which is nicely refreshing.
The Bad
Sadly, some of the characters in H10N1 are a bit bland and stereotypical. Some of them are villains for no real reason and do things which don't actually benefit anyone, even the antagonist themselves. This does make the book slightly implausible at times and, as a reader, I just had to suspend my disbelief and roll with it.
Cornelius' prose it also lacking in description and focuses more on events and dialogue. This does help keep the story moving at quite a fast pace, but it's difficult to imagine the world around the characters some of the time and he often uses generic description to set the scene, such as 'cars pulling up in a forest.'
My Thoughts
Overall though, H10N1 was an interesting read and I enjoyed it. It was more of a story about love and redemption than a grisly post-apocalyptic horror of murder and violence and M. R. Cornelius has a few nice ideas about what living in such a world would be like.
Friday, 14 August 2015
The Chronicles of Riddick: Ghosts of Furya - Angela B. Marcala-Guajardo
RATING: THREE STARS
Left for dead in the ruins of a desolate world, Richard B. Riddick is alone and wild. He is little more than a child who survives in the brutal rainforests of Furya. His people would not be cowed by the Necromongers and fought until the last, until nothing remained except a newborn babe who was strangled by his own umbilical chord during his birth and left for dead.
Riddick was alone, until Waters and her team managed to find him. An elite squad of marines sent from Earth to investigate the rumours surrounding Furya's fall, they decide to bring Riddick back to their home when they finally return. Riddick is quickly pushed into the marines by Waters, whose unparalleled physical abilities quickly turn those he trains with against him . . .
The Good
Angela B. Marcala-Guajardo has done a fair job with this work of fan fiction and has created an interesting story into Riddick's origins, although I'm not sure whether these are her own ideas or if she has merely pieced a story together from what the creators of the Riddick franchise have already established. Regardless, the story paints an interesting picture of the Furyan's early life and I enjoyed reading about a man who, after watching the films, has become my favourite anti-hero protagonist.
The story is far from a long one and it probably didn't take much more than an hour for me to read on and off, but it has a good pace for a novella and Marcala-Guajardo has a good balance between descriptive prose, dialogue and events so the book was never stale.
The Bad
Sadly, Ghosts of Furya falls into the classic pitfall of many indie books and is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors. While this isn't a major issue, there were too many to be overlooked. I am an indie writer myself (publishing works under the name of Taylor P. Davidson), which may have made me a little pedantic about this and I found the mistakes subtracted from the story at times.
Another aspect with the book I didn't like was Marcala-Guajardo's use of words such as 'gonna' and 'gimme' in her normal prose. I'm not really a fan of authors doing this and, although I hate to say it, believe it makes for bad writing. It's reflective of how people speak so I can see why it's used, but Marcala-Guajardo over did it and I think such a technique has no place in descriptive prose, which quickly became old and irritating.
My Thoughts
Despite a few flaws that affected my enjoyment of Ghosts of Furya, it was a good read and provides an interesting look into Riddick's early years. It's a short book that is quick to read, making it perfect for any Chronicles of Riddick fan who's looking to kill a bit of time.
Left for dead in the ruins of a desolate world, Richard B. Riddick is alone and wild. He is little more than a child who survives in the brutal rainforests of Furya. His people would not be cowed by the Necromongers and fought until the last, until nothing remained except a newborn babe who was strangled by his own umbilical chord during his birth and left for dead.
Riddick was alone, until Waters and her team managed to find him. An elite squad of marines sent from Earth to investigate the rumours surrounding Furya's fall, they decide to bring Riddick back to their home when they finally return. Riddick is quickly pushed into the marines by Waters, whose unparalleled physical abilities quickly turn those he trains with against him . . .
The Good
Angela B. Marcala-Guajardo has done a fair job with this work of fan fiction and has created an interesting story into Riddick's origins, although I'm not sure whether these are her own ideas or if she has merely pieced a story together from what the creators of the Riddick franchise have already established. Regardless, the story paints an interesting picture of the Furyan's early life and I enjoyed reading about a man who, after watching the films, has become my favourite anti-hero protagonist.
The story is far from a long one and it probably didn't take much more than an hour for me to read on and off, but it has a good pace for a novella and Marcala-Guajardo has a good balance between descriptive prose, dialogue and events so the book was never stale.
The Bad
Sadly, Ghosts of Furya falls into the classic pitfall of many indie books and is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors. While this isn't a major issue, there were too many to be overlooked. I am an indie writer myself (publishing works under the name of Taylor P. Davidson), which may have made me a little pedantic about this and I found the mistakes subtracted from the story at times.
Another aspect with the book I didn't like was Marcala-Guajardo's use of words such as 'gonna' and 'gimme' in her normal prose. I'm not really a fan of authors doing this and, although I hate to say it, believe it makes for bad writing. It's reflective of how people speak so I can see why it's used, but Marcala-Guajardo over did it and I think such a technique has no place in descriptive prose, which quickly became old and irritating.
My Thoughts
Despite a few flaws that affected my enjoyment of Ghosts of Furya, it was a good read and provides an interesting look into Riddick's early years. It's a short book that is quick to read, making it perfect for any Chronicles of Riddick fan who's looking to kill a bit of time.
Sunday, 2 August 2015
The Obsidian Key - Eldon Thompson
RATING: THREE STARS
When Soric, an insidious and conquering sorcerer, declared war on Alson less than a year earlier, Jarom was forced into a birthright he had never asked for. Torn from his quiet life as the Farson of Diln, he soon found himself floundering as the new king following his father's brutal assassination. Jarom's quest to defeat Soric and an awakened demon queen from a bygone age drove him to seek out the fabled Crimson Sword, the magic of which promised to be Alson's salvation. But the talisman was more than just hidden away and served as a key, locking a more dangerous enemy than anyone could imagine in the astral plane they come from.
The Illysp rose on mass when Jarom took the Crimson Sword and began, in secret, a new invasion of Pentania. It is not long before the new king learns of the Illysp and he embarks upon a dangerous quest to the distant shores of Yawacor. Legends say that the remnants of Finlorians, elves who are ancient and wise in the use of magic, fled to the most inexcessible regions of the far continent after their civilisation on Pentania collapsed. The Finlorians, who had once pervailed over the Illysp and locked them away. Jarom must find them if he is to save his country and friends. He must speak with their elders and learn their dearest secrets,
The Good
The Obsidian Key is fast-paced and exciting, being full of the same gripping danger and strife that made The Crimson Sword so exhilarating. Many of the enemies Jarom made in the first book resurface and Eldon Thompson has managed to end many of the story arcs that were left open in favour of new ones that should develop interestingly.
The Bad
Once again, Jarom's character was one of the worst things about the book and he was understanding and docile to the point that it wasn't plausible or reflective of real life. No matter what happened to him, he never became angry or hurt over events or betrayals and worked things through logically so he could emphasise with that person. Even the nicest and wisest people in real life aren't that understanding and forgiving, which added an unbelievability to an already bland character, Furthermore, it rendered Jarom's acts of violence slighty absurd when he suddenly dove into battle and began hacking down enemies left, right and centre.
As in the series first book, The Obsidian Key is full of extremely stereotypical villains and cheesy mannerisms. They 'snicker' and 'smirk' over the 'evil' things they do at every chance, which, again, is slightly unrealistic. Criminals in real life commit crimes and hurt people because it works to benefit them in whatever way, rarely because they enjoy being 'evil.' A man doesn't 'smirk' and 'snicker' when he robs or store or shoots someone dead, and I find it a bit unplausible when Thompson's antagonists do this.
My Thoughts
Overall though, The Obsidian Key was a good read and was a nice instalment to The Legend of Asahiel. I enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to finishing the trilogy in The Divine Talisman sometime soon.
When Soric, an insidious and conquering sorcerer, declared war on Alson less than a year earlier, Jarom was forced into a birthright he had never asked for. Torn from his quiet life as the Farson of Diln, he soon found himself floundering as the new king following his father's brutal assassination. Jarom's quest to defeat Soric and an awakened demon queen from a bygone age drove him to seek out the fabled Crimson Sword, the magic of which promised to be Alson's salvation. But the talisman was more than just hidden away and served as a key, locking a more dangerous enemy than anyone could imagine in the astral plane they come from.
The Illysp rose on mass when Jarom took the Crimson Sword and began, in secret, a new invasion of Pentania. It is not long before the new king learns of the Illysp and he embarks upon a dangerous quest to the distant shores of Yawacor. Legends say that the remnants of Finlorians, elves who are ancient and wise in the use of magic, fled to the most inexcessible regions of the far continent after their civilisation on Pentania collapsed. The Finlorians, who had once pervailed over the Illysp and locked them away. Jarom must find them if he is to save his country and friends. He must speak with their elders and learn their dearest secrets,
The Good
The Obsidian Key is fast-paced and exciting, being full of the same gripping danger and strife that made The Crimson Sword so exhilarating. Many of the enemies Jarom made in the first book resurface and Eldon Thompson has managed to end many of the story arcs that were left open in favour of new ones that should develop interestingly.
The Bad
Once again, Jarom's character was one of the worst things about the book and he was understanding and docile to the point that it wasn't plausible or reflective of real life. No matter what happened to him, he never became angry or hurt over events or betrayals and worked things through logically so he could emphasise with that person. Even the nicest and wisest people in real life aren't that understanding and forgiving, which added an unbelievability to an already bland character, Furthermore, it rendered Jarom's acts of violence slighty absurd when he suddenly dove into battle and began hacking down enemies left, right and centre.
As in the series first book, The Obsidian Key is full of extremely stereotypical villains and cheesy mannerisms. They 'snicker' and 'smirk' over the 'evil' things they do at every chance, which, again, is slightly unrealistic. Criminals in real life commit crimes and hurt people because it works to benefit them in whatever way, rarely because they enjoy being 'evil.' A man doesn't 'smirk' and 'snicker' when he robs or store or shoots someone dead, and I find it a bit unplausible when Thompson's antagonists do this.
My Thoughts
Overall though, The Obsidian Key was a good read and was a nice instalment to The Legend of Asahiel. I enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to finishing the trilogy in The Divine Talisman sometime soon.
Monday, 13 April 2015
Messenger's Legacy - Peter V. Brett
RATING: THREE STARS
Peter V. Brett continues The Demon Cycle and the story Mudboy (which was first published in Unfettered in 2013). Messenger's Legacy is set just after the events of The Daylight War and introduces a new character to the series, Briar Damaj. Born as a son of two people's, Briar Damaj is only a child when a tragic accident sees his family killed in a vicious Coreling attack. But rather than accept the help of his village, Briar flees into the wilderness and makes his home amidst a refuse dump where he must hone his physical and mental skills if he hopes to survive the demons that hunt there . . .
The Good
Messenger's Legacy provides an interesting insight into one of the series new characters and develops his background well, using the fact he personally knows Ragan, Arlen's mentor, to help develop his history in the story, rather than just introducing him as a random person. As well as this, Brett uses the story to reveal more about demon behaviour and introduces some new ways of fighting them in circumstances where warded weapons are not available.
The Bad
Sadly, Messenger's Legacy isn't quite as exciting as the other intermediary novellas Brett has written for The Demon Cycle and I would have liked to have read more about Arlen's past than anything (as in The Great Bazaar and Brayan's Gold). The story is lacking the same excitement seen in the others and, since many of the characters are new, it's hard to engage with them in the same way because the story isn't long enough for them to be developed fully.
My Thoughts
Messenger's Legacy is an interesting introduction for who is clearly going to be a prominent character in the later books of The Demon Cycle. It's definitely worth a read for any fan of the series and has really wet my appetite for The Skull Throne, which is due to be released on 9th April 2015 in the UK!
Peter V. Brett continues The Demon Cycle and the story Mudboy (which was first published in Unfettered in 2013). Messenger's Legacy is set just after the events of The Daylight War and introduces a new character to the series, Briar Damaj. Born as a son of two people's, Briar Damaj is only a child when a tragic accident sees his family killed in a vicious Coreling attack. But rather than accept the help of his village, Briar flees into the wilderness and makes his home amidst a refuse dump where he must hone his physical and mental skills if he hopes to survive the demons that hunt there . . .
The Good
Messenger's Legacy provides an interesting insight into one of the series new characters and develops his background well, using the fact he personally knows Ragan, Arlen's mentor, to help develop his history in the story, rather than just introducing him as a random person. As well as this, Brett uses the story to reveal more about demon behaviour and introduces some new ways of fighting them in circumstances where warded weapons are not available.
The Bad
Sadly, Messenger's Legacy isn't quite as exciting as the other intermediary novellas Brett has written for The Demon Cycle and I would have liked to have read more about Arlen's past than anything (as in The Great Bazaar and Brayan's Gold). The story is lacking the same excitement seen in the others and, since many of the characters are new, it's hard to engage with them in the same way because the story isn't long enough for them to be developed fully.
My Thoughts
Messenger's Legacy is an interesting introduction for who is clearly going to be a prominent character in the later books of The Demon Cycle. It's definitely worth a read for any fan of the series and has really wet my appetite for The Skull Throne, which is due to be released on 9th April 2015 in the UK!
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
The Crimson Sword - Eldon Thompson
RATING: THREE STARS
Although King Sorl has driven Alson into the dust financially, it was a quiet and peaceful place. Jarom loved his life as the Farson of Diln and relished in the responsibilities of protecting his village. But the peace and tranquillity Jarom loves is shattered when an evil wizard invades Alson and lays siege to Kyrnwall. Even as the wizard's mercenaries raid and plunder the surrounding countryside, Jarom is charged with a great mission and, along with Allion, his best friend, heads to Kuuria to beg help from their aged emperor.
Yet things do not plan and a terrible evil has woken from its two thousand year slumber. A demon queen, forgotten by the ages, sees only weakness in the island continent of Pentania and decides the Age of Man is all but over. Her armies of dragonspawn ride out to bring the continent to its knees and Jarom knows that only one thing has the power to stop her - the fabled Crimson Sword, one of the great talismans the Ceilhigh Avatars used to forge the world . . .
The Good
Eldon Thompson has managed to create a story that is full of peril and adventure, which reads like cheesy, old-school fantasy (despite being written in the 2000's). I really enjoyed this 'feel' to the book and it was nice to read about a hero embarking on an epic quest to slay evil and save his home. The small size of Thompson's map also helps because it cuts down on the long, arduous travelling that fills many works of fantasy, allowing him to greatly increase the pace of the story so it's pretty much non-stop action all of the way through!
The Bad
I'm not going to say that The Crimson Sword is a bad book and I certainly enjoying reading it, but it did have a few problems that detracted from my enjoyment of the story. The first, and probably the worst one of these, was with Jarom, one of the main protagonists. Jarom's character was very passive, thoughtful and forgiving, which didn't really fit with him becoming a great hero and vicious warrior. Despite all that was happening to Pentania, he never really got angry about it and his motives for trying to save it were pretty much just to be noble and fulfil what he perceived to be his destiny. I found this slightly odd and didn't really think it was believable - anybody would be raging if their country has been assailed by armies of darkness that are going about slaughtering people and burning settlements to the ground!
The second issue I had with the novel was with its villains, who were very stereotypical. Thompson frequently had them being evil just for the sake of being evil, which authors such as George R. R. Martin have made me sceptical about by showing me that evil actions are usually committed due to a person acting in their own self interests rather than to harm people. In addition to this, all of his antagonists were frequently described as 'smirking,' 'sneering' and 'snickering.' This got old quite fast and I don't really think these expressions are ever much use in trying to portray wickedness in a character. No matter how evil someone is, would they really smirk after they've burnt down a village and slaughtered it's inhabitants? Would they really snicker when people are captured to be fed alive to dragonspawn? Sadly, I think this easily avoidable mistake made the story's antagonists pretty bland and unremarkable.
My Thoughts
Eldon Thompson has really let his imagination go wild when writing The Crimson Sword and has created an epic story where light faces darkness. The novel is fast-paced, exciting and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an immersing read. I can't wait to continue Jarom's adventures in the next book in The Legend of Asahiel, The Obsidian Key!
Although King Sorl has driven Alson into the dust financially, it was a quiet and peaceful place. Jarom loved his life as the Farson of Diln and relished in the responsibilities of protecting his village. But the peace and tranquillity Jarom loves is shattered when an evil wizard invades Alson and lays siege to Kyrnwall. Even as the wizard's mercenaries raid and plunder the surrounding countryside, Jarom is charged with a great mission and, along with Allion, his best friend, heads to Kuuria to beg help from their aged emperor.
Yet things do not plan and a terrible evil has woken from its two thousand year slumber. A demon queen, forgotten by the ages, sees only weakness in the island continent of Pentania and decides the Age of Man is all but over. Her armies of dragonspawn ride out to bring the continent to its knees and Jarom knows that only one thing has the power to stop her - the fabled Crimson Sword, one of the great talismans the Ceilhigh Avatars used to forge the world . . .
The Good
Eldon Thompson has managed to create a story that is full of peril and adventure, which reads like cheesy, old-school fantasy (despite being written in the 2000's). I really enjoyed this 'feel' to the book and it was nice to read about a hero embarking on an epic quest to slay evil and save his home. The small size of Thompson's map also helps because it cuts down on the long, arduous travelling that fills many works of fantasy, allowing him to greatly increase the pace of the story so it's pretty much non-stop action all of the way through!
The Bad
I'm not going to say that The Crimson Sword is a bad book and I certainly enjoying reading it, but it did have a few problems that detracted from my enjoyment of the story. The first, and probably the worst one of these, was with Jarom, one of the main protagonists. Jarom's character was very passive, thoughtful and forgiving, which didn't really fit with him becoming a great hero and vicious warrior. Despite all that was happening to Pentania, he never really got angry about it and his motives for trying to save it were pretty much just to be noble and fulfil what he perceived to be his destiny. I found this slightly odd and didn't really think it was believable - anybody would be raging if their country has been assailed by armies of darkness that are going about slaughtering people and burning settlements to the ground!
The second issue I had with the novel was with its villains, who were very stereotypical. Thompson frequently had them being evil just for the sake of being evil, which authors such as George R. R. Martin have made me sceptical about by showing me that evil actions are usually committed due to a person acting in their own self interests rather than to harm people. In addition to this, all of his antagonists were frequently described as 'smirking,' 'sneering' and 'snickering.' This got old quite fast and I don't really think these expressions are ever much use in trying to portray wickedness in a character. No matter how evil someone is, would they really smirk after they've burnt down a village and slaughtered it's inhabitants? Would they really snicker when people are captured to be fed alive to dragonspawn? Sadly, I think this easily avoidable mistake made the story's antagonists pretty bland and unremarkable.
My Thoughts
Eldon Thompson has really let his imagination go wild when writing The Crimson Sword and has created an epic story where light faces darkness. The novel is fast-paced, exciting and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an immersing read. I can't wait to continue Jarom's adventures in the next book in The Legend of Asahiel, The Obsidian Key!
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
Series Review: The Rain Wild Chronicles - Robin Hobb
RATING: THREE STARS
Once, dragons ruled the world. Their majesty was everywhere and humans lived in awe. Many chose to serve the dragons and were rewarded for their loyalty with long life and good health. Elderlings, as they were called, enjoyed the changes dragons wrought upon them and became more like lizards then men. They were powerful in magic and used their gifts to create Kelsingra - a city that was wondrous to behold and existed only to serve dragons and tend for their health.
But those days past. Dragons died away and the grand cities Elderlings built passed in legend, crumbling into ruin and disrepair. It is in the Rain Wilds - dangerous swamps that once boasted forests and vast swathes of fertile land - that these cities were found. The Traders that lived there excavated the ruined cities and, there, found a single dragon that still contained life: Tingalia, a dragon queen. When Tingalia hatched as a serpent, she swam to the ocean where she dwelt for many years until it was time to change into her adult, dragon form. It was then she found others of her race - eggs that she nurtured until they hatched and made their own journey to the ocean.
But the dragons that returned were not what she hoped when they emerged from their cocoons. They were weak, stunted and deformed. Such dragons were not meant to survive, but they were all that was left of the once noble race. Tingalia brokered a deal with the Traders of Trehaug and those who lived there agreed to care for the dragons so Tingalia could leave and seek others of her kind. The arrangement worked at first, but feeding growing dragons is expensive and the creatures are dangerous in the best of moods.
It was decided that the dragons had to leave and the Trader's Council assigned keepers to each one, sending them on a quest upriver to find Kelsingra so all could live in peace. The expedition would be far from easy and the Rain Wilds are an unforgiving place. Its very waters are acidic. Food and supplies are scare. Storms frequently barrage the swamp and the dragon's keepers are little more than children - those unlucky enough to be born so mutated that they are shunned by the Traders and condemned to a life of derogatory exile. Few think the expedition could be successful, but the riches it could bring to Trehaug merited the risk. The expedition set forth and, soon, the keepers and Captain Leftrin (who is employed as a guide and logistics) realise just what dire straights they are in . . .
Book 1: The Dragon Keeper
Book 2: Dragon Haven
Book 3: City of Dragons
Book 4: Blood of Dragons
The Good
The Rain Wild Chronicles is well written and exciting. Robin Hobb does a superb job of bringing her characters to life and many of them feel like real people, having developed lives, emotions and motivations behind their actions as we do. She has managed to create a rich world for the series that is full of problems and it's extremely interesting to read about.
Robb also tweaked dragon lore slightly and the dragons in the book are slightly unconventional. They have very complex life cycles and actually begin their existence as aquatic serpents that live in the oceans. It's only when they reach adulthood that they spin cocoons from mud and their saliva and become fully-fledged dragons that spit acid and are able to influence humans through their 'glamour'. These changes do make her dragons less formidable than those of other authors, but they are enjoyable to read about and Hobb really links their life-cycle to the story, which is largely responsible for many of the problems the dragons have in the book.
Robb also tweaked dragon lore slightly and the dragons in the book are slightly unconventional. They have very complex life cycles and actually begin their existence as aquatic serpents that live in the oceans. It's only when they reach adulthood that they spin cocoons from mud and their saliva and become fully-fledged dragons that spit acid and are able to influence humans through their 'glamour'. These changes do make her dragons less formidable than those of other authors, but they are enjoyable to read about and Hobb really links their life-cycle to the story, which is largely responsible for many of the problems the dragons have in the book.
The Bad
Although developed characters are a good thing in any book, Hobb did overdo it a bit and The Rain Wild Chronicles is essentially four books of one of the keepers - Thymara - whining about relationships and losing her virginity. This added a realism to her character at first, since these are issues we all worry about, but became extremely annoying by the end and ruined the book a bit, making it hard for me to like Thymara (who is actually one of the main PoV characters)!
My Thoughts
Overall though, The Rain Wild Chronicles is a pretty decent series and should make your 'to read' list. It's imaginative, well written and full of characters that can really touch your heart. It's a superb example of fantasy at its best and shows that the genre is far from stale!
Monday, 10 November 2014
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne
RATING: THREE STARS
When a mysterious sea creature appears and begins terrorising shipping routes, the world renown marine biologist Dr. Pierre Aronnax joins an expedition to find and slay the beast. Yet Pierre's ship meets the same fate as so many before it and he finds himself aboard the Nautilus in the custody of the strange and elusive Captain Nemo. Along with his friends - his faithful manservant, Conseil, and Ned Land, the famous Canadian whaler - Pierre embarks on a journey of discovery that shows just how little he actually knows about the ocean and the wonders within it.
The Good
One of the best things about Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was how Jules Verne managed to instil such an air of mystery over something so simple as a submarine journey. Submarines had yet to take to the seas when the book was written (and might not even have been conceived of!) and the idea of men travelling around under water was a novelty in itself. But Verne improved on this by making the world unaware of Captain Nemo's visionary breakthrough and never let slip what Nemo planned or what would happen next. This makes the book a remarkable story of adventure that few authors have matched since.
The Bad
One of the biggest surprises Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea had for me was in how little actually happens! Considering it's a science fiction classic, I was expecting it to be much more exciting than it was and the book is filled with pages upon pages of Verne describing marine creatures and their taxonomy. This could have been interesting if it was in smaller doses, but was pretty boring and bulked out a book that should really have been written as a novella.
I complain about this, but Verne's description of the ocean world might have been much more impressive when the book was first published. Obviously, many people were not educated as we are now and they didn't have the documentaries, textbooks and photographs that we have today, allowing free access to information about these creatures. Maybe this was the worth of the book, rather than its plot and excitement; maybe Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea allowed people to glimpse a world they would never know or see . . .
My Thoughts
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was much longer than it needed to be, which did make it a bit boring in places and it certainly wasn't a page turner (and I actually took quite a while to finish it). That being said, it was a story ahead of its time and really captures Verne's remarkable imagination.
When a mysterious sea creature appears and begins terrorising shipping routes, the world renown marine biologist Dr. Pierre Aronnax joins an expedition to find and slay the beast. Yet Pierre's ship meets the same fate as so many before it and he finds himself aboard the Nautilus in the custody of the strange and elusive Captain Nemo. Along with his friends - his faithful manservant, Conseil, and Ned Land, the famous Canadian whaler - Pierre embarks on a journey of discovery that shows just how little he actually knows about the ocean and the wonders within it.
The Good
One of the best things about Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was how Jules Verne managed to instil such an air of mystery over something so simple as a submarine journey. Submarines had yet to take to the seas when the book was written (and might not even have been conceived of!) and the idea of men travelling around under water was a novelty in itself. But Verne improved on this by making the world unaware of Captain Nemo's visionary breakthrough and never let slip what Nemo planned or what would happen next. This makes the book a remarkable story of adventure that few authors have matched since.
The Bad
One of the biggest surprises Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea had for me was in how little actually happens! Considering it's a science fiction classic, I was expecting it to be much more exciting than it was and the book is filled with pages upon pages of Verne describing marine creatures and their taxonomy. This could have been interesting if it was in smaller doses, but was pretty boring and bulked out a book that should really have been written as a novella.
I complain about this, but Verne's description of the ocean world might have been much more impressive when the book was first published. Obviously, many people were not educated as we are now and they didn't have the documentaries, textbooks and photographs that we have today, allowing free access to information about these creatures. Maybe this was the worth of the book, rather than its plot and excitement; maybe Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea allowed people to glimpse a world they would never know or see . . .
My Thoughts
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was much longer than it needed to be, which did make it a bit boring in places and it certainly wasn't a page turner (and I actually took quite a while to finish it). That being said, it was a story ahead of its time and really captures Verne's remarkable imagination.
Monday, 20 October 2014
Series Review: The Left Hand of God - Paul Hoffman
OVERALL RATING: THREE STARS
The Church of the Hanged Redeemer bought Thomas Cale when he was just a boy. They treated him cruelly, punished him and moulded his young mind for the brutality of war. He was little more than a slave and they turned him into a weapon, into one of the greatest soldiers alive. Thomas is as lethal with his hands as he is with blades and crossbows. His mind plans tactics and strategies that even the most experienced generals cannot see. He has been trained to perfection and will lead the Hanged Redeemers in their jihad to purify the world.
Yet for all their planning and training, the Hanged Redeemers failed to understand that Thomas also has plans for the course of his life. Setting out with Vague Henry and Kleist, his most trusted friends, Thomas flees the Sanctuary and sets his eyes on a life of freedom, away from the Redeemers brutal religion. His adventures take him to Memphis, where he quickly finds himself in political crossfire. The Redeemers are eager to reclaim the 'incarnation of God's Wrath' and hunt him zealously. Thomas is literally caught between a cross and a hard place and turns to the only thing he truly knows to save him: his great prowess in violence.
Book 1: The Left Hand of God
Book 2: The Last Four Things
Book 3: The Beating Of His Wings
The Good
The Left Hand of God is a remarkable series and Paul Hoffman has really let his imagination run lose, developing a sinister religion (which is essentially a very dark form of Christianity), a complex host of characters and a world with its own society and problems.
The series is written in a strange, slightly quirky style and I haven't read another Dystopia quite like it. It's certainly unique, and is full of danger and battles that will keep you captivated throughout its three instalments. Hoffman address the problems with religion well and how it can be used to justify terrible acts of evil, epically wrapping up Thomas Cale's terrible story at the series end.
The Bad
I really enjoyed The Left Hand of God (series), but it did have a few problems that were never resolved and ruined my enjoyment of the books slightly. The main one of these was the fact that Hoffman doesn't include a map of this world and never bothers to establish its geography. The fact that he uses real place names, such as Memphis and Cyprus, only makes this worse and it's difficult to get a feel for the story's setting. For example, Hoffman may be talking about an army that's approaching one city from another, but it didn't mean much to me because the cities could be 50 miles apart or 500. This made it hard for Hoffman to build tension in places and I think it's a real shame because he could have rectified it so easily!
My Thoughts
Despite a few little things that make it hard to follow, The Left Hand of God series is an excellent read. It's a strange mix of fantasy and Dystopia, being dark and brutal in a way that few books are. Hoffman's world is developed and complex, and his characters are fun to read about. It's one of the most unique fantasies I've read in a long time and I highly recommend it for your reading list!
The Church of the Hanged Redeemer bought Thomas Cale when he was just a boy. They treated him cruelly, punished him and moulded his young mind for the brutality of war. He was little more than a slave and they turned him into a weapon, into one of the greatest soldiers alive. Thomas is as lethal with his hands as he is with blades and crossbows. His mind plans tactics and strategies that even the most experienced generals cannot see. He has been trained to perfection and will lead the Hanged Redeemers in their jihad to purify the world.
Yet for all their planning and training, the Hanged Redeemers failed to understand that Thomas also has plans for the course of his life. Setting out with Vague Henry and Kleist, his most trusted friends, Thomas flees the Sanctuary and sets his eyes on a life of freedom, away from the Redeemers brutal religion. His adventures take him to Memphis, where he quickly finds himself in political crossfire. The Redeemers are eager to reclaim the 'incarnation of God's Wrath' and hunt him zealously. Thomas is literally caught between a cross and a hard place and turns to the only thing he truly knows to save him: his great prowess in violence.
Book 1: The Left Hand of God
Book 2: The Last Four Things
Book 3: The Beating Of His Wings
The Good
The Left Hand of God is a remarkable series and Paul Hoffman has really let his imagination run lose, developing a sinister religion (which is essentially a very dark form of Christianity), a complex host of characters and a world with its own society and problems.
The series is written in a strange, slightly quirky style and I haven't read another Dystopia quite like it. It's certainly unique, and is full of danger and battles that will keep you captivated throughout its three instalments. Hoffman address the problems with religion well and how it can be used to justify terrible acts of evil, epically wrapping up Thomas Cale's terrible story at the series end.
The Bad
I really enjoyed The Left Hand of God (series), but it did have a few problems that were never resolved and ruined my enjoyment of the books slightly. The main one of these was the fact that Hoffman doesn't include a map of this world and never bothers to establish its geography. The fact that he uses real place names, such as Memphis and Cyprus, only makes this worse and it's difficult to get a feel for the story's setting. For example, Hoffman may be talking about an army that's approaching one city from another, but it didn't mean much to me because the cities could be 50 miles apart or 500. This made it hard for Hoffman to build tension in places and I think it's a real shame because he could have rectified it so easily!
My Thoughts
Despite a few little things that make it hard to follow, The Left Hand of God series is an excellent read. It's a strange mix of fantasy and Dystopia, being dark and brutal in a way that few books are. Hoffman's world is developed and complex, and his characters are fun to read about. It's one of the most unique fantasies I've read in a long time and I highly recommend it for your reading list!
Monday, 8 September 2014
Blood of Dragons - Robin Hobb
RATING: THREE STARS
The Kelsingra expedition has found the ancient, lost city they seek but the river is as high as it was when they first found it and is as inaccessible as ever. The warm waters the dragons seek are tauntingly close - water that will heal their deformities and strengthen their bodies if they could only reach them! The keepers to are desperate to reach the city, seeking the secrets it holds about their past and the fabled Silver wells which are the source of the magic they they need for their future.
The dragons are determined to learn how to fly and reach the city, but their need is more urgent then they know. The Duke of Chalced is growing more fervent for his desire for the medicines that can only be made from dragon parts and using Sedric, his captive Elderling, is no longer enough! Tingalia has been attacked and is dying, flying back to Kelsingra so she can heal and wreak her vengeance on the city that has dared to harm her . . .
The Good
Blood of Dragons provides a satisfying conclusion to Robin Hobb's Rain Wilds Chronicles and she ties up the various story arcs and loose ends nicely. Her characterisation is as good as ever and she has managed to create a convincing ensemble of people that seem real. Their hopes, ambitions and motivations are explored and not all of these are for an honest purpose!
The Bad
I’ll admit that I was slightly disappointed with Blood of Dragons and it did have a few problems that detracted from my enjoyment of it. The main issue I had with is was Thymara's continuous whining! Thankfully, she has moved on about whinging about losing her virginity, but Hobb has simply replaced this with which man Thymera wants to go out with! The whining went on and on throughout the entire book and got extremely irritating by the end!
Another problem with the book is Hobb didn't focus on the battles and main events of the book, describing them only briefly and explaining what happened at the end ad hock! This was a shame because the story could have been very exciting, but the way it was told diminished the action and the scenes didn't really stand out from the rest of the book.
Another problem with the book is Hobb didn't focus on the battles and main events of the book, describing them only briefly and explaining what happened at the end ad hock! This was a shame because the story could have been very exciting, but the way it was told diminished the action and the scenes didn't really stand out from the rest of the book.
My Thoughts
Blood of Dragons was pretty good overall and the series is certainly very imaginative and provides a novel view of the abilities of dragons. That being said, it's not a must-read and isn't a series you will lose sleep over if you skip it.
Friday, 5 September 2014
Wolves of the Calla - Stephen King
RATING: THREE STARS
Lying in a sheltered valley on the outer edge of Mid-World is Calla Bryn Sturgis, a quiet farming town that was forgotten by civilisation even when Gilead still stood and gunslingers policed the world in force. The valley is beautiful and serene, but it's overshadowed by Thunderclap - a towering mountain that is forever under storm and serves as the home for terrible evil.
Once every few generations, the Wolves ride forth from Thunderclap and sweep through the valley. Clad in green and riding grey horses, they are child snatchers and take one from each pair of prepubescent twins (which are the normal method of giving birth for the folken). The children are taken to the mountain and are changed there, returning months later as adults with simple minds and youthful natures.
When Andy, a robotic relic from the world before it moved on, foretells another coming of the Wolves, the denizens of Calla Bryn Sturgis decide that they've finally had enough and will not so willingly allow their children to be taken. But what can simple farmers do to resist such evil when their hands have only ever held hoes and churned soil? They can look to the ka-tet of gunslingers that have wandered into their lands for aid . . . but will Roland turn aside from his path to the Dark Tower?
The Good
Wolves of the Calla is as well written as any of the books in The Dark Tower and Stephen King has gone all out in creating a rich town and developing the lives and cultures of the farmers that live there. Calla Bryn Sturgis is like something plucked straight out of the historical Wild West as it was in real life and King has really managed to capture airs of anger and sadness about the evil of their children being stolen.
The book is also in 'real time' again and actively continues the series, which I really enjoyed. I did like Wizard and Glass, but the story of Roland's past went on for a bit too long and the quest for the Dark Tower barely advanced through the entire book! I think this would have been better as a companion to the series (like The Wind Through the Keyhole is) and it was nice to have the story moving forward again!
The Bad
Simply put, Wolves of the Calla started to get a bit weird and I feel that King is starting to over do the references to real life. I'm not going to give any examples since they would be spoilers, but you'll know what I mean when (and if) you read the book. King has begun to try too hard in his efforts to link the series with everything and his references to our world are becoming forced and over exaggerated now and are losing the subtly he had in the earlier books.
Other parts of the book began to get a little strange as well, with Susannah's storyline being the main culprit. I always felt that Susannah was one of the best characters of the series, but her scenes were a little cringing and convenient. Sadly, I think this trend is going to continue into the next book and I just hope King tones it down a bit!
My Thoughts
Without giving away spoilers, I can only say that Wolves of the Calla was a little strange and was slightly below the standard of the other books in The Dark Tower series. King has tried too hard to link events and characters to real life and the story does have a slightly 'cheap' feel to it in places. That being said, I still enjoyed the book and I'm looking forward to reading Song of Susannah.
Lying in a sheltered valley on the outer edge of Mid-World is Calla Bryn Sturgis, a quiet farming town that was forgotten by civilisation even when Gilead still stood and gunslingers policed the world in force. The valley is beautiful and serene, but it's overshadowed by Thunderclap - a towering mountain that is forever under storm and serves as the home for terrible evil.
Once every few generations, the Wolves ride forth from Thunderclap and sweep through the valley. Clad in green and riding grey horses, they are child snatchers and take one from each pair of prepubescent twins (which are the normal method of giving birth for the folken). The children are taken to the mountain and are changed there, returning months later as adults with simple minds and youthful natures.
When Andy, a robotic relic from the world before it moved on, foretells another coming of the Wolves, the denizens of Calla Bryn Sturgis decide that they've finally had enough and will not so willingly allow their children to be taken. But what can simple farmers do to resist such evil when their hands have only ever held hoes and churned soil? They can look to the ka-tet of gunslingers that have wandered into their lands for aid . . . but will Roland turn aside from his path to the Dark Tower?
The Good
Wolves of the Calla is as well written as any of the books in The Dark Tower and Stephen King has gone all out in creating a rich town and developing the lives and cultures of the farmers that live there. Calla Bryn Sturgis is like something plucked straight out of the historical Wild West as it was in real life and King has really managed to capture airs of anger and sadness about the evil of their children being stolen.
The book is also in 'real time' again and actively continues the series, which I really enjoyed. I did like Wizard and Glass, but the story of Roland's past went on for a bit too long and the quest for the Dark Tower barely advanced through the entire book! I think this would have been better as a companion to the series (like The Wind Through the Keyhole is) and it was nice to have the story moving forward again!
The Bad
Simply put, Wolves of the Calla started to get a bit weird and I feel that King is starting to over do the references to real life. I'm not going to give any examples since they would be spoilers, but you'll know what I mean when (and if) you read the book. King has begun to try too hard in his efforts to link the series with everything and his references to our world are becoming forced and over exaggerated now and are losing the subtly he had in the earlier books.
Other parts of the book began to get a little strange as well, with Susannah's storyline being the main culprit. I always felt that Susannah was one of the best characters of the series, but her scenes were a little cringing and convenient. Sadly, I think this trend is going to continue into the next book and I just hope King tones it down a bit!
My Thoughts
Without giving away spoilers, I can only say that Wolves of the Calla was a little strange and was slightly below the standard of the other books in The Dark Tower series. King has tried too hard to link events and characters to real life and the story does have a slightly 'cheap' feel to it in places. That being said, I still enjoyed the book and I'm looking forward to reading Song of Susannah.
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Dangerous Women - George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois
RATING: THREE STARS
Dangerous Women is an anthology of short stories that features female characters as its main protagonists. All of its stories have been written by some of the biggest authors in fantasy, being full of darkness and adversity while women struggle to protect themselves and those they love.
The collection also includes a novella based on A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin called The Princess and the Queen! The story is relatively short, but it's full of depth and describes the events of the first Dance with Dragons where two rival factions of House Targaryen go to war for the Iron Throne. GRRM's addition to the book is by far its must read, but many of the other stories in Dangerous Women are extremely enjoyable and its contents are as follows:
Dangerous Women is an anthology of short stories that features female characters as its main protagonists. All of its stories have been written by some of the biggest authors in fantasy, being full of darkness and adversity while women struggle to protect themselves and those they love.
The collection also includes a novella based on A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin called The Princess and the Queen! The story is relatively short, but it's full of depth and describes the events of the first Dance with Dragons where two rival factions of House Targaryen go to war for the Iron Throne. GRRM's addition to the book is by far its must read, but many of the other stories in Dangerous Women are extremely enjoyable and its contents are as follows:
- Some Desperado by Joe Abercrombie
- My Heart Is Either Broken by Megan Abbott
- Nora's Song by Cecelia Holland
- The Hands That Are Not There by Melinda Snodgrass
- Bombshells by Jim Butcher
- Raisa Stepanova by Carrie Vaughn
- Wrestling Jesus by Joe R. Lansdale
- Neighbors by Megan Lindholm (Robin Hobb)
- I Know How To Pick 'Em by Lawrence Block
- Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell by Brandon Sanderson
- A Queen In Exile by Sharon Kay Penman
- The Girl in the Mirror by Lev Grossman
- Second Arabesque, Very Slowly by Nancy Kress
- City Lazarus by Diana Rowland
- Virgins by Diana Gabaldon
- Hell Hath No Fury by Sherrilyn Kenyon
- Pronouncing Doom by S. M. Sterling
- Name the Beast by Sam Sykes
- Caretakers by Pat Cadigan
- Lies My Mother Told Me by Caroline Spector
- The Princess and the Queen by George R. R. Martin
The Good
As said above, The Princess and the Queen is the best story in Dangerous Women and is a must-read for all fans of ASoIaF! GRRM has written it in the beautiful prose I have come to expect of him and it's every bit as detailed as the larger books in his series. It's also extremely interesting to read about the history of Westeros and finally see what fully grown dragons are capable of as cities are burnt to the ground and how armies attempt to defend themselves against devastating attacks from the sky!
It's also nice to read stories where women are cast in strong, independent roles as the heroes (instead of men). Women are every bit as capable of greatness as men and it's refreshing to read about them finding the courage to stand against monsters like in Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell by Brandon Sanderson. I think too many fantasy authors are still casting women in non-roles (which is a shame for this day-and-age) and Dangerous Women goes a long way to help rectify this.
The Bad
As with any short story anthology written by different authors, some of the stories included are much better than others. The Princess and the Queen, Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell and Some Desperado were particularly good, but sadly some of the other stories were actually quite boring. All of the authors included in the book are highly accomplished in the fantasy genre and I think this is a shame since it easily could have been remedied with a bit more imagination and craftsmanship on their parts!
My Thoughts
Dangerous Women is definitely worth a read overall (even if it's only to glimpse a part of Westeros' bloody history) and will make a valuable additional to anybody's bookshelf. It's an entertaining way to spend a few hours and the good stories easily make up for those that are a bit more mundane. The book is a real collection of talent and won't leave many readers feeling cheated!
Sunday, 10 August 2014
Vestige - Chris Roper
RATING: THREE STARS
After banking to avoid a giant asteroid on their return journey to Earth, a small crew of astronauts is lost, drifting further and further away from their home as their fuel and supplies dwindle. NASA decided years ago that a rescue mission was too expensive and would pose to great a risk to the lives of the rescue party and the crew knows that no-one is coming for them.
Yet they do not give and are determined to survive for as long as possible and find a way back home. Their mission is bleak, but the arrive of a strange, alien cube proves to change all that. The cube is europhic and strange, changing their ship as much as it alters their perceptions and minds. Is the cube their salvation? Can it provide a way home? Or it something else, something darker, more sinister and dangerous?
The Good
Vestige is a nice book that makes for light reading. It's not too long and has a nice pace to the story, which builds up the characters before beginning to deal with the major plot events so I could really feel for the characters as the book unfolds.
It's also quite imaginative and Chris Roper and has based the story around the problems with an ever expanding universe - an issue that not many science fiction authors have considered before! Roper really goes into the bleakness that the future will eventually hold for our universe and how this will effect sentient life.
The Bad
There isn't really much description in the book and Roper never actually establishes the appearances of his characters or their surroundings. This is a shame because it left a major facet of his story bare and wouldn't have been too difficult for him to do. Novellas generally contain less description than full novels (due to their shorter length), but that doesn't mean it had to be stripped out altogether.
My Thoughts
Vestige was quite an enjoyable read and was the perfect length for a bit of light reading. It was not dragged out (so the story never became stale) and was fun to read, especially because it was a bit different to most science fictions novels published. Saying that, the book isn't as 'padded out' as it could have been and the lack of description did ruin it a bit for me.
After banking to avoid a giant asteroid on their return journey to Earth, a small crew of astronauts is lost, drifting further and further away from their home as their fuel and supplies dwindle. NASA decided years ago that a rescue mission was too expensive and would pose to great a risk to the lives of the rescue party and the crew knows that no-one is coming for them.
Yet they do not give and are determined to survive for as long as possible and find a way back home. Their mission is bleak, but the arrive of a strange, alien cube proves to change all that. The cube is europhic and strange, changing their ship as much as it alters their perceptions and minds. Is the cube their salvation? Can it provide a way home? Or it something else, something darker, more sinister and dangerous?
The Good
Vestige is a nice book that makes for light reading. It's not too long and has a nice pace to the story, which builds up the characters before beginning to deal with the major plot events so I could really feel for the characters as the book unfolds.
It's also quite imaginative and Chris Roper and has based the story around the problems with an ever expanding universe - an issue that not many science fiction authors have considered before! Roper really goes into the bleakness that the future will eventually hold for our universe and how this will effect sentient life.
The Bad
There isn't really much description in the book and Roper never actually establishes the appearances of his characters or their surroundings. This is a shame because it left a major facet of his story bare and wouldn't have been too difficult for him to do. Novellas generally contain less description than full novels (due to their shorter length), but that doesn't mean it had to be stripped out altogether.
My Thoughts
Vestige was quite an enjoyable read and was the perfect length for a bit of light reading. It was not dragged out (so the story never became stale) and was fun to read, especially because it was a bit different to most science fictions novels published. Saying that, the book isn't as 'padded out' as it could have been and the lack of description did ruin it a bit for me.
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