Monday, July 15, 2013
GIVEAWAY: Win A SIGNED ADVANCE READING COPY of Brandon Sanderson’s “Steelheart”!
Read An Excerpt HERE
Read FBC’s
Review of “Steelheart”
Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a
burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The
awed public started calling them Epics.
But Epics are no friend of man. With
incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his
wills.
Nobody fights the Epics . . . nobody but
the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives
studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.
And David
wants in. He wants Steelheart—the
Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning—and he has something they need.
Not an object, but an experience.
He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge…
In support of Brandon Sanderson’s appearance at this
year’s Comic-Con in San Diego where the
#1 New York Times-bestselling author
will be discussing his upcoming novel Steelheart
(On sale September 24, 2013) and much more, Fantasy Book Critic and Delacorte
Press is giving away ONE ADVANCE
READING COPY of Steelheart SIGNED by Brandon Sanderson!!! To enter, please send an email to fbcgiveaway@gmail.com with your Name,
Mailing Address, and the subject: STEELHEART.
Giveaway has ended. Thank you for entering and Good Luck!
GIVEAWAY RULES:
1) Open To Anyone Worldwide
2) Only One
Entry Per Household (Multiple Entries Will Be Disqualified)
3) Must Enter Valid
Email Address, Mailing Address + Name
4) No Purchase
Necessary
5) Giveaway has ended
6) Winners Will
Be Randomly Selected and Notified By Email
7) Personal
Information Will Only Be Used In Mailing Out the Prizes to the Winners
12:00 PM | 
Posted by
Robert |
Read
An Excerpt HERE
Read
FBC’s
Review of “The Rithmatist”
ABOUT STEELHEART: Ten years ago, Calamity
came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary
powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.
But
Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And
to rule man you must crush his wills.
Nobody
fights the Epics . . . nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary
humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and
then assassinating them.
And
David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be
invincible. The Epic who killed David's
father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's
been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but
an experience.
He's
seen Steelheart bleed. And he
wants revenge…
FORMAT/INFO: Steelheart is 400 pages
long and is the first volume in a new YA series. September 24, 2013 marks the North American Hardcover publication
of Steelheart via Delacorte
Press. The UK version (see below) will be published on September 26, 2013 by Gollancz.
ANALYSIS: Steelheart is Brandon
Sanderson's latest foray into the world of young adult fantasy, and like
with The Rithmatist, he nails it.
David, our protagonist, bears
some similarity to Joel in The Rithmatist (Reviewed HERE), mostly in his tone—and also that he's
fearsomely clever, nerdy despite himself, and desperately wants to be taken on
as an apprentice. That's pretty much where the similarity ends.
Steelheart is essentially a
post-apocalyptic superhero novel, where the superheroes called “Epics” are
really more like supervillains, and the Epic Steelheart rules Chicago, which he has turned completely to steel
and had his henchman shroud completely in night. Chicago is now called “Newcago,”
which irritated me a bit, but I loved all the superhero names, especially the
ones that were deliberately awkward.
The
setting is compellingly drawn, and Sanderson
pays attention to the details that do more than help it feel realistic;
they also do double-duty fleshing out characters. The arguments David and Megan got into about the relative merits of rifles and pistols were
great for example. I especially loved David's
bizarre metaphors and all the jokes about his failure to make any that make
sense, except for when he's trying to do them badly.
Sanderson deals with most of the
problems of physics by hanging a lampshade on them, which worked for me for a
while, but eventually I wanted a more concrete answer or for the text to stop
drawing attention to the ways physics are only sometimes relevant. Mostly,
though, I look forward to learning more about this “Calamity” phenomenon.
Steelheart came full circle with a solution I didn't see coming that was nevertheless absolutely perfect. I love it when a book surprises me. Overall, Brandon Sanderson incorporates differing attitudes about pre- and post-Epic rule, the implications of a world with superheroes, the ethics of surviving dictatorship, and other similarly weighty topics while maintaining a fast pace and a plain fun read.
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Bites” & “Magic Burns”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Strikes” & “Magic Mourns”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Bleeds” & “A Questionable Client”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Slays” & “Magic Dreams”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of "Retribution Clause" & "Magic Tests"
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Gunmetal Magic" & "Magic Gifts"
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of "Retribution Clause" & "Magic Tests"
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Gunmetal Magic" & "Magic Gifts"
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Interview with Ilona Andrews
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for the husband-and-wife writing team of Ilona Gordon & Andrew Gordon. Together, Andrew andIlona are the co-authors of the New York Times bestselling Kate Daniels urban fantasy series and the romantic urban fantasy novels of The Edge. They live in Texas with their children.
OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.
Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord havew asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…
FORMAT/INFO: Magic Rises is 368 pages long divided over fifteen chapters, and an epilogue. In this book, narration is in the first-person, exclusively via Kate Daniels. There's also a short story included; "An Ill-Advised Rescue" which serves as a prequel to the events of this book. Magic Rises has a self-contained plot but features many characters and plot arcs from previous books therefore it would very inadvisable to jump in to the series from this point.
July 30, 2013 marks the North American Mass Market Paperback publication of Magic Rises via Ace Books. Cover art provided by Juliana Kolesova.
ANALYSIS (Lydia): In the beginning of this installment in the Kate Daniels series, we get a glimpse of routine life at the Keep, as Kate practices sparring with her ward, Julie. I have not yet read the short story featuring Julie (Magic Tests), so it was refreshing to see her healed from the traumatic events of Magic Slays and behaving like a “normal” teen. The calm does not last long, though, as cries for help lead Kate and Julie to the infirmary where both Julie’s best friend and her sister are fighting the physical and mental madness of going loup.
In general, weres in the Kate Daniels world either follow the Code, a strict system of living that allows them to embrace their animal sides in a controlled manner, never letting go of their humanity, or they turn loup, rampage violently and go cannibalistic. Because of the danger, weres who go loup are killed. Unfortunately, there are certain times when weres don’t have a choice whether or not they go loup: at birth (if naturally born to the condition), after being turned into a were through a bite, or during puberty. The body’s systems go haywire at these times, and it is chance, not a matter of control, that determines which way things will go. There is no certain cure once a were goes completely loup, but there is a remedy called panacea that works 50% of the time. It is prohibitively expensive and extremely difficult to obtain because the makers guard their secrets for profit reasons. As a result, numerous young weres die every year, and this grim fact weighs heavily on all members of the Pack, especially its leaders.
When Kate’s significant other, Curran, the Beast Lord of the largest pack in the US, is asked to moderate a dispute between three European packs, the payment offered is a stockpile of panacea. Even though Kate and Curran are both certain that the request is a trap of some kind, they cannot rebuff the chance to save so many lives. They obtain a ship from a somewhat surprising source, gather a formidable team to accompany them (including familiar faces such as Andrea, Raphael, Aunt B, Derek, and not-so-familiar ones, as well, like the werebuffalo, Eduardo, and Jim’s sister, Keira), and head off to face who knows what.
It doesn’t take long before they have to deal with strange and unexpected obstacles, like assassin weredolphins (which is something that only Ilona Andrews could make believable)! However, physical confrontations – while present - take the backseat to the emotional turmoil that Kate faces throughout this book. As the only human in their delegation and one of few at the stronghold where they are housed with the other packs, she is less than a misfit; she is virtually nothing in the eyes of those she encounters. No one hesitates to express their disdain, or the fact that she is less than an optimal mate for the Beast Lord. Also, while Curran is immersed in politics and power struggles, she has the task of protecting a very pregnant, and high-strung werewolf named Desandra, and this keeps her quite busy. Kate has to persevere through several vicious attempts on Desandra’s life, figure out who and what is responsible for the attacks, and deal with the looming threat of their outwardly benevolent host. Kate and Curran have few opportunities to communicate, and Kate is left to wonder if either they or their relationship will survive.
While I could not put it down once I started, this book is a tad bit stressful because of both the physical and emotional dangers they faced throughout the story. While I was somewhat prepared for it based on blog posts made by the authors as they wrote and edited the book, it did not make it any easier. Similar to the description of a favorite character as being more “grim,” this tale definitely lacks some of the levity included in other books. It seems that the light-hearted or funny moments feature new characters, mostly, and for me, that further highlights the low points for the characters I already love in this series. The introduction and addition of new characters to their entourage will be interesting, and has likely been done to augment the spin-off that is coming in the future.
I see the necessity in all (or most) of what happens in this book, as the groundwork for the upcoming battle with the big bad of this series, Roland, is evident. Also, I feel like this is a book that I will probably enjoy more when I re-read it, since I already know the outcome. If you are a Kate Daniels fan already, this book absolutely should not be missed. If not, read the first book! You’ll be hooked long before you get to this one!
ANALYSIS (Mihir): Magic Rises is the sixth book of the Kate Daniels series and previously was going to be the penultimate volume of the series. However earlier this year the authors posted about the need for going beyond their seven book series plan and thus with the accord of their editor and publishers, the new plan is to have the KD series run for a total of ten books. I for one was extremely glad to hear of it as when I had read the earlier draft of this book, I was worried as to how the story would end in seven books. But now I think we are in for a great ride.
Magic Rises also contains the short story An Ill-Advised Rescue and it's very pertinent that readers read that story before starting Magic Rises. The reason being it fills in a crucial background plot and explains some of the happenings in this book. My thoughts on it can be read over here. As Lydia recounted extensively, the story takes Kate and company beyond their shores all the way across the Atlantic. This was a good way to give a different feel to the story after the last 6 books that have been set in Atlanta and have explored several fascinating aspects about it. With this book the authors showcase their skills in the Eastern European front and we get a bit more fun this side of the trans-Atlantic divide. As with all the previous books, characterization remains a strong suit for Ilona Andrews as after Andrea’s turn at the POV helm we are back to Kate who remains smart, strong and deadly all the same. This time around the side character cast is widened beyond the regular folks and we get introduced to a couple of new characters as well as a few other ones get more face time. People have talked about how this might be in line for the sequel/spin-off reasons, whatever those reasons might be, its quite fun for the readers.
In regards to the big bad villain of this book, the identity is a bit of a surprise though looking back, there are quite a few hints laced in the previous books. Kudos to the author for making the villain much more than a one-dimensional mouth piece and now it remains to be seen how far the consequences go for Kate and Curran. There are quite a few things revealed about Roland’s past and the whole magic coming back scenario. As a fan of the series I loved how the authors are hinting at the bigger picture while keeping the narrative tightly focussed on a few characters. Series readers will pick up some more clues in regards to Roland and what truly is out there. The action sequences as always do not disappoint and again a hat tip to the author for further indulging their were-creature classification to bring out new deadlier stuff. All in all I can safely say that this book hits all the right spots for returning readers and preps up the sequel volume nicely as there a few deaths and status quo changes that will have far-reaching consequences down the line.
Although to be fair, the book does have a few things that are left unexplained and this can cause some consternation amid series fans. For the latter half of the book, the authors incorporate quite a few new elements but adequate information (about them) isn't revealed entirely. Another part that I thought could have helped was a POV from Curran in the latter half of this book. As there are many events happening when Kate isn't around and we get to hear what happened from others later on. In this regard a Curran POV and especially in the climax would have made this book that much more solid. Lastly there’s the ending which will be spot on for some and not so bright for others. The reason for this is that while there are events of both good and sad tidings, people might not like how it's all tied up together. All in all this is a book with some great ideas and equally good execution that makes it one of the better volumes of the series so far.
CONCLUSION: Magic Rises is a good book and while it's not in the same league as Magic Strikes or Magic Bleeds. It's a book that heralds an epic upcoming confrontation and perhaps even more horrific aftermath to follow. Give it a read to know why Ilona Andrews are one of the best author duos around and why the Kate Daniels series will be hailed a future urban fantasy classic!
OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.
Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord havew asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…
FORMAT/INFO: Magic Rises is 368 pages long divided over fifteen chapters, and an epilogue. In this book, narration is in the first-person, exclusively via Kate Daniels. There's also a short story included; "An Ill-Advised Rescue" which serves as a prequel to the events of this book. Magic Rises has a self-contained plot but features many characters and plot arcs from previous books therefore it would very inadvisable to jump in to the series from this point.
July 30, 2013 marks the North American Mass Market Paperback publication of Magic Rises via Ace Books. Cover art provided by Juliana Kolesova.
ANALYSIS (Lydia): In the beginning of this installment in the Kate Daniels series, we get a glimpse of routine life at the Keep, as Kate practices sparring with her ward, Julie. I have not yet read the short story featuring Julie (Magic Tests), so it was refreshing to see her healed from the traumatic events of Magic Slays and behaving like a “normal” teen. The calm does not last long, though, as cries for help lead Kate and Julie to the infirmary where both Julie’s best friend and her sister are fighting the physical and mental madness of going loup.
In general, weres in the Kate Daniels world either follow the Code, a strict system of living that allows them to embrace their animal sides in a controlled manner, never letting go of their humanity, or they turn loup, rampage violently and go cannibalistic. Because of the danger, weres who go loup are killed. Unfortunately, there are certain times when weres don’t have a choice whether or not they go loup: at birth (if naturally born to the condition), after being turned into a were through a bite, or during puberty. The body’s systems go haywire at these times, and it is chance, not a matter of control, that determines which way things will go. There is no certain cure once a were goes completely loup, but there is a remedy called panacea that works 50% of the time. It is prohibitively expensive and extremely difficult to obtain because the makers guard their secrets for profit reasons. As a result, numerous young weres die every year, and this grim fact weighs heavily on all members of the Pack, especially its leaders.
When Kate’s significant other, Curran, the Beast Lord of the largest pack in the US, is asked to moderate a dispute between three European packs, the payment offered is a stockpile of panacea. Even though Kate and Curran are both certain that the request is a trap of some kind, they cannot rebuff the chance to save so many lives. They obtain a ship from a somewhat surprising source, gather a formidable team to accompany them (including familiar faces such as Andrea, Raphael, Aunt B, Derek, and not-so-familiar ones, as well, like the werebuffalo, Eduardo, and Jim’s sister, Keira), and head off to face who knows what.
It doesn’t take long before they have to deal with strange and unexpected obstacles, like assassin weredolphins (which is something that only Ilona Andrews could make believable)! However, physical confrontations – while present - take the backseat to the emotional turmoil that Kate faces throughout this book. As the only human in their delegation and one of few at the stronghold where they are housed with the other packs, she is less than a misfit; she is virtually nothing in the eyes of those she encounters. No one hesitates to express their disdain, or the fact that she is less than an optimal mate for the Beast Lord. Also, while Curran is immersed in politics and power struggles, she has the task of protecting a very pregnant, and high-strung werewolf named Desandra, and this keeps her quite busy. Kate has to persevere through several vicious attempts on Desandra’s life, figure out who and what is responsible for the attacks, and deal with the looming threat of their outwardly benevolent host. Kate and Curran have few opportunities to communicate, and Kate is left to wonder if either they or their relationship will survive.
While I could not put it down once I started, this book is a tad bit stressful because of both the physical and emotional dangers they faced throughout the story. While I was somewhat prepared for it based on blog posts made by the authors as they wrote and edited the book, it did not make it any easier. Similar to the description of a favorite character as being more “grim,” this tale definitely lacks some of the levity included in other books. It seems that the light-hearted or funny moments feature new characters, mostly, and for me, that further highlights the low points for the characters I already love in this series. The introduction and addition of new characters to their entourage will be interesting, and has likely been done to augment the spin-off that is coming in the future.
I see the necessity in all (or most) of what happens in this book, as the groundwork for the upcoming battle with the big bad of this series, Roland, is evident. Also, I feel like this is a book that I will probably enjoy more when I re-read it, since I already know the outcome. If you are a Kate Daniels fan already, this book absolutely should not be missed. If not, read the first book! You’ll be hooked long before you get to this one!
ANALYSIS (Mihir): Magic Rises is the sixth book of the Kate Daniels series and previously was going to be the penultimate volume of the series. However earlier this year the authors posted about the need for going beyond their seven book series plan and thus with the accord of their editor and publishers, the new plan is to have the KD series run for a total of ten books. I for one was extremely glad to hear of it as when I had read the earlier draft of this book, I was worried as to how the story would end in seven books. But now I think we are in for a great ride.
Magic Rises also contains the short story An Ill-Advised Rescue and it's very pertinent that readers read that story before starting Magic Rises. The reason being it fills in a crucial background plot and explains some of the happenings in this book. My thoughts on it can be read over here. As Lydia recounted extensively, the story takes Kate and company beyond their shores all the way across the Atlantic. This was a good way to give a different feel to the story after the last 6 books that have been set in Atlanta and have explored several fascinating aspects about it. With this book the authors showcase their skills in the Eastern European front and we get a bit more fun this side of the trans-Atlantic divide. As with all the previous books, characterization remains a strong suit for Ilona Andrews as after Andrea’s turn at the POV helm we are back to Kate who remains smart, strong and deadly all the same. This time around the side character cast is widened beyond the regular folks and we get introduced to a couple of new characters as well as a few other ones get more face time. People have talked about how this might be in line for the sequel/spin-off reasons, whatever those reasons might be, its quite fun for the readers.
In regards to the big bad villain of this book, the identity is a bit of a surprise though looking back, there are quite a few hints laced in the previous books. Kudos to the author for making the villain much more than a one-dimensional mouth piece and now it remains to be seen how far the consequences go for Kate and Curran. There are quite a few things revealed about Roland’s past and the whole magic coming back scenario. As a fan of the series I loved how the authors are hinting at the bigger picture while keeping the narrative tightly focussed on a few characters. Series readers will pick up some more clues in regards to Roland and what truly is out there. The action sequences as always do not disappoint and again a hat tip to the author for further indulging their were-creature classification to bring out new deadlier stuff. All in all I can safely say that this book hits all the right spots for returning readers and preps up the sequel volume nicely as there a few deaths and status quo changes that will have far-reaching consequences down the line.
Although to be fair, the book does have a few things that are left unexplained and this can cause some consternation amid series fans. For the latter half of the book, the authors incorporate quite a few new elements but adequate information (about them) isn't revealed entirely. Another part that I thought could have helped was a POV from Curran in the latter half of this book. As there are many events happening when Kate isn't around and we get to hear what happened from others later on. In this regard a Curran POV and especially in the climax would have made this book that much more solid. Lastly there’s the ending which will be spot on for some and not so bright for others. The reason for this is that while there are events of both good and sad tidings, people might not like how it's all tied up together. All in all this is a book with some great ideas and equally good execution that makes it one of the better volumes of the series so far.
CONCLUSION: Magic Rises is a good book and while it's not in the same league as Magic Strikes or Magic Bleeds. It's a book that heralds an epic upcoming confrontation and perhaps even more horrific aftermath to follow. Give it a read to know why Ilona Andrews are one of the best author duos around and why the Kate Daniels series will be hailed a future urban fantasy classic!
Let’s take a step back to December 2011 or so. I was feeling pretty good at the time. After endless writing and re-writing, and even more endless waiting for queries to come back, I had an agent who was enthusiastic about The Thousand Names and thought we had a good chance of selling. Not a book deal, yet, but definitely progress. After doing an edit based on his advice, I thought we were pretty close to a submission. The last thing he needed, he told me, was a synopsis of the rest of the titles in the series.
Oh, I thought. Hrm.
The Thousand Names was always intended to be the beginning of a series. Like many fantasy readers, I cut my teeth on these epic sagas, and I could think of nothing more exciting than to start constructing something grand. (I think of this genre as “doorstop fantasy,” where it’s not a real book unless you could use it to deflect small-arms fire.) But the actual writing of the book had occupied most of my time, so I had only the vaguest mental sketch of what the series would look like. It would be a trilogy, because everyone seems to like trilogies, and I knew more or less where I wanted it to end and a couple of cool things that would happen along the way. But that was about it.
Writing these synopses, therefore, was not a trivial undertaking, because it meant, essentially, deciding on the plot for all the rest of the books. But having come so far, I couldn't exactly turn back, so over my Christmas vacation I plunged into them as best I could.
Doing the outline for a book—a practice I used to hate, but I have since come around to—is a strange process. In some ways it feels harder than actually writing the book. A lot of the heavy lifting in writing (for me, anyway) is making decisions about where things should go, and worrying about whether those decisions fit together neatly. When you’re making these decisions as they come up in the plot (I tend to write novels straight through, from beginning to end) you've got some time between important choices, and when you make one you can follow it along for a while before you have to start thinking hard again.
Oh, I thought. Hrm.
The Thousand Names was always intended to be the beginning of a series. Like many fantasy readers, I cut my teeth on these epic sagas, and I could think of nothing more exciting than to start constructing something grand. (I think of this genre as “doorstop fantasy,” where it’s not a real book unless you could use it to deflect small-arms fire.) But the actual writing of the book had occupied most of my time, so I had only the vaguest mental sketch of what the series would look like. It would be a trilogy, because everyone seems to like trilogies, and I knew more or less where I wanted it to end and a couple of cool things that would happen along the way. But that was about it.
Writing these synopses, therefore, was not a trivial undertaking, because it meant, essentially, deciding on the plot for all the rest of the books. But having come so far, I couldn't exactly turn back, so over my Christmas vacation I plunged into them as best I could.
Doing the outline for a book—a practice I used to hate, but I have since come around to—is a strange process. In some ways it feels harder than actually writing the book. A lot of the heavy lifting in writing (for me, anyway) is making decisions about where things should go, and worrying about whether those decisions fit together neatly. When you’re making these decisions as they come up in the plot (I tend to write novels straight through, from beginning to end) you've got some time between important choices, and when you make one you can follow it along for a while before you have to start thinking hard again.
When outlining, on the other hand, you do nothing but make important decisions, because that’s all the outline is—a skeleton, built out of all the biggest choices you've made, with all the bits that might be easier to write left out. You don’t have to worry about sentence-level writing, which can be a relief, but what you’re left with is an experience that can best be described as “intense.” For me it feels like compressing weeks of writing into days; it’s exhausting.
But—and this is the key—it’s hugely helpful. I figured out more thing about The Shadow Campaigns during those few weeks than I had in the previous five years, simply because I had no choice but to sit down and write them out. It changed massively from my original vague conception, even the parts where I thought I knew what I wanted. It also became five books instead of three, because as I wrote out the plot it was clear it simply wouldn't all fit into a trilogy.
And, one I had the series plot in place, it helped me improve The Thousand Names as well. Some of it was world-building—in order to get the series plot to work, I had to work out a much more detailed map and chronology, which helps add some richness to the background. Some of it, though, involved changes to the plot and characters in order to set up future events for a better payoff, or to plant those little seeds that people will (hopefully) remember when I come back to them two books later.
The result, I think, is a book that both stands on its own merits and serves as a foundation for the next step. Book Two is still in editing, but I’m already eager to get it finished; both so I can show everybody what happens next, so I can start work on Book Three…
But—and this is the key—it’s hugely helpful. I figured out more thing about The Shadow Campaigns during those few weeks than I had in the previous five years, simply because I had no choice but to sit down and write them out. It changed massively from my original vague conception, even the parts where I thought I knew what I wanted. It also became five books instead of three, because as I wrote out the plot it was clear it simply wouldn't all fit into a trilogy.
And, one I had the series plot in place, it helped me improve The Thousand Names as well. Some of it was world-building—in order to get the series plot to work, I had to work out a much more detailed map and chronology, which helps add some richness to the background. Some of it, though, involved changes to the plot and characters in order to set up future events for a better payoff, or to plant those little seeds that people will (hopefully) remember when I come back to them two books later.
The result, I think, is a book that both stands on its own merits and serves as a foundation for the next step. Book Two is still in editing, but I’m already eager to get it finished; both so I can show everybody what happens next, so I can start work on Book Three…
Check out the rest of Django Wexler’s blog tour for the inside scoop on The Thousand Names, Book One of The Shadow Campaigns:
• Recruitment: Introducing the cast of The Thousand Names, featuring excerpts! over at I Smell Sheep
• Training: Using History to Build a Fantasy Society over at SF Signal
• Deployment: We've Come a Long Way over at The Qwillery
• Reconnaissance: Point of View as a Precious Resource over at Anne Lyle's blog
• March!: Maintaining Forward Momentum, Or, Things Should Happen In Books over at The Book Smugglers
• The Day of Battle: Writing Battle Scenes over at Suvudu
• The Pursuit: Planning a Series over at Fantasy Book Critic
• The Butcher's Bill: Kill Your Darlings, featuring an exclusive excerpt! over at SciFiChick
• Recruitment: Introducing the cast of The Thousand Names, featuring excerpts! over at I Smell Sheep
• Training: Using History to Build a Fantasy Society over at SF Signal
• Deployment: We've Come a Long Way over at The Qwillery
• Reconnaissance: Point of View as a Precious Resource over at Anne Lyle's blog
• March!: Maintaining Forward Momentum, Or, Things Should Happen In Books over at The Book Smugglers
• The Day of Battle: Writing Battle Scenes over at Suvudu
• The Pursuit: Planning a Series over at Fantasy Book Critic
• The Butcher's Bill: Kill Your Darlings, featuring an exclusive excerpt! over at SciFiChick
Author Information: Django Wexler graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with degrees in creative writing and computer science, and worked for the university in artificial intelligence research. Eventually he migrated to Microsoft in Seattle, where he now lives with two cats and a teetering mountain of books. When not planning Shadow Campaigns, he wrangles computers, paints tiny soldiers, and plays games of all sorts.
Official Author Website
Order the book HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Thousand Names and The Penitent Damned
Enter to win 2 signed ARCs of the The Thousand Names (Worldwide)
Read the prologue and chapter one HERE
Order the book HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Thousand Names and The Penitent Damned
Enter to win 2 signed ARCs of the The Thousand Names (Worldwide)
Read the prologue and chapter one HERE
NOTE: Author picture courtesy of M.L. Brennan. All other pictures courtesy of the author.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
The Thousand Names by Django Wexler w/ bonus review of The Penitent Damned (Reviewed by Liviu Suciu & Mihir Wanchoo)
Official Author Website
Order the book HERE
Enter to win 2 signed ARCs of the The Thousand Names (Worldwide)
Read the prologue and chapter one HERE
Author Information: Django Wexler graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with degrees in creative writing and computer science, and worked for the university in artificial intelligence research. Eventually he migrated to Microsoft in Seattle, where he now lives with two cats and a teetering mountain of books. When not planning Shadow Campaigns, he wrangles computers, paints tiny soldiers, and plays games of all sorts.
OFFICIAL BLURB: Captain Marcus d’Ivoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empire’s colonial garrisons, was resigned to serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost. But that was before a rebellion upended his life. And once the powder smoke settled, he was left in charge of a demoralized force clinging tenuously to a small fortress at the edge of the desert.
To flee from her past, Winter Ihernglass masqueraded as a man and enlisted as a ranker in the Vordanai Colonials, hoping only to avoid notice. But when chance sees her promoted to command, she must win the hearts of her men and lead them into battle against impossible odds.
The fates of both these soldiers and all the men they lead depend on the newly arrived Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich, who has been sent by the ailing king to restore order. His military genius seems to know no bounds, and under his command, Marcus and Winter can feel the tide turning. But their allegiance will be tested as they begin to suspect that the enigmatic Janus’s ambitions extend beyond the battlefield and into the realm of the supernatural—a realm with the power to ignite a meteoric rise, reshape the known world, and change the lives of everyone in its path.
FORMAT/INFO: The Thousand Names is 528 pages long divided over twenty-seven numbered chapters with a prologue and epilogue that are divided into three parts. Narration is in third-person by Marcus d’Ivoire, Winter Ihernglass, and Jaffa-Dan-Iln. The Thousand Names is the opening volume of The Shadow Campaigns.
July 2, 2013 marked the e-book and paperback publication of The Thousand Names by Roc books (Penguin) in the US and by Del Rey UK across the Atlantic.
Order the book HERE
Enter to win 2 signed ARCs of the The Thousand Names (Worldwide)
Read the prologue and chapter one HERE
Author Information: Django Wexler graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with degrees in creative writing and computer science, and worked for the university in artificial intelligence research. Eventually he migrated to Microsoft in Seattle, where he now lives with two cats and a teetering mountain of books. When not planning Shadow Campaigns, he wrangles computers, paints tiny soldiers, and plays games of all sorts.
OFFICIAL BLURB: Captain Marcus d’Ivoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empire’s colonial garrisons, was resigned to serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost. But that was before a rebellion upended his life. And once the powder smoke settled, he was left in charge of a demoralized force clinging tenuously to a small fortress at the edge of the desert.
To flee from her past, Winter Ihernglass masqueraded as a man and enlisted as a ranker in the Vordanai Colonials, hoping only to avoid notice. But when chance sees her promoted to command, she must win the hearts of her men and lead them into battle against impossible odds.
The fates of both these soldiers and all the men they lead depend on the newly arrived Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich, who has been sent by the ailing king to restore order. His military genius seems to know no bounds, and under his command, Marcus and Winter can feel the tide turning. But their allegiance will be tested as they begin to suspect that the enigmatic Janus’s ambitions extend beyond the battlefield and into the realm of the supernatural—a realm with the power to ignite a meteoric rise, reshape the known world, and change the lives of everyone in its path.
FORMAT/INFO: The Thousand Names is 528 pages long divided over twenty-seven numbered chapters with a prologue and epilogue that are divided into three parts. Narration is in third-person by Marcus d’Ivoire, Winter Ihernglass, and Jaffa-Dan-Iln. The Thousand Names is the opening volume of The Shadow Campaigns.
July 2, 2013 marked the e-book and paperback publication of The Thousand Names by Roc books (Penguin) in the US and by Del Rey UK across the Atlantic.
ANALYSIS: I had first heard of Django Wexler’s debut The Thousand Names a few months earlier. The blurb really sounded interesting and the book was an enticing one. Liviu was really excited about it and even spoke about it in his post about highly expected series debuts. Liviu was very much impressed by it, going as far as to call it “a very impressive and very polished series debut that covers everything one wants in an epic fantasy and a top 25 of mine for sure with the sequel being a huge ASAP book” and you can read his entire review over at Goodreads. After reading all of Liviu’s thoughts, I got hold of an ARC and dove in to an epic fantasy debut with very high expectations.
The story of The Thousand Names begins with the prologue, that ironically focuses on the “Other side”. We are introduced to Jaffa-Dan-Iln the grand justice of the ruling city of Ashe-Katarion in the land of Khandar. Who is trying to get a coalition of The Redeemers, a fanatic religious order that has risen to rule Khandar. The Redeemer group are led by Yatchick-Dan-Rahksa and are at odds with General Khotba who leads the Khandar auxiliary forces. Lastly there’s Maalik-Dan-Belial also known as the Steel Ghost, leader of the Desoltai tribe raiders. They are trying to figure out the best way to rule however their alliance is fraught with jealousy and squabbling. Their opponents are the Vordanai empire colonial garrisons stationed at a desert outpost.
Among them are our two main POV protagonists, first is Winter Ihernglass, a woman masquerading as a man and who has escaped a turbulent past to become a successful soldier but disliked by her compatriots for her aloof behavior (as she tries to minimize chances of her gender being recognized). Then there’s captain Marcus D’Ivoire, a simple man with honest ideals and more than a capable mind who will be forced to deal with a colonel that will test his patience, his mental acuity and his loyalty towards his friends, and country. Lastly there’s Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich who doesn't get a POV but serves a fascinating character in himself with shades of a military version of Sherlock Holmes or agent A.X.L. Pendergast for those acquainted with Preston & Child’s most famous creation.
Firstly beginning with why this book created such a big impression on me, even though it’s a debut, the main plot is very well structured and the readers are gradually introduced to the world as well as the characters. The story is a slow one to start as the reader is immersed into the world of the Vordanai soldiers especially with Winter and Marcus. Both are very different individuals but as POV characters go they are gems to read about. Both these characters are evolving throughout the entire story and the readers get a perfect view into this metamorphosis. Here’s what I liked about both characters, even though they adhere to fantasy soldier tropes, the author gives them very discerning personas. Thereby making them very intriguing POV characters and fun ones to root for as well. With Winter we get get to see her evolution from a common foot soldier into a higher rank and along the way we get to witness her bravery, compassion and decency. I admit as female POV characters go, she was one of the best ones I've read about and she was the emotional focus of this story and my favorite character as well.
Marcus is more of a simple soldier who is beholden to his values but as the campaign progresses, he's rather forced to take sides and still uphold his values. His struggles are rather competently portrayed and you can't but cheer both Winter and Marcus as both strive to do what's right for their regiment and their cause. Besides these POV characters, there is a considerably wide character cast that is featured in this story chief among this is Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich who is vastly Holmes-like in matters of strategy and behavior. A formidable character and one who is seen only through Marcus’ POV, however I hope he gets a POV turn in the future books. Then there’s the crew serving with Winter who are an equally interesting and fun group. All in all there are quite a few characters whom the readers will be delighted to know and can hope for a POV cast status in the future books.
Going on to the world setting, this is another solid point in favor of the author. The world of Khandar is a desert-oriented setting (picture any middle -Eastern country in the 17th or 18th century) and the author brilliantly portrays a frayed Vordanai force that is forced to stay in an alien country as per the bidding of their emperor. The countryside is very colorfully described as the Vordanai army begins its march towards Ashe-Katarion as the author has built this story around the army’s march. Another fascinating aspect is the author's description of the army life, marching details as well as the battle sequences (featuring guns). Django Wexler seems to have truly done some extensive research as his action sequences as well as story minutiae help in making this story a rich one and very easy to visualize.
The story also has a good pace throughout but takes nearly 100 pages in the start to get truly going. The story also focuses quite a bit on the turmoil that goes on in a country that has recently undergone a revolution. This aspect of the story is especially reminiscent of the current situation in many of the Middle Eastern countries. I don’t think the author intentionally went for that angle but it works a bit to his advantage here. Lastly there’s the magic system which is only just unveiled in this book. As the book moves to its climax, we get to see what lies ahead and it will be fascinating to see how the author explores it in the sequels (The Penitent Damned also shines a further light on the Vordanai magic system and will come more into focus as the series progresses).
Some points about this book might not endear itself to everyone. The first one (like I mentioned previously) is that the book’s plot takes a while to get going. The first few chapters serve as introduction to the characters as well the world, so for those readers expecting action and intrigue from page one will not find it to their liking. I would hope that they persevere as the remaining part of the story delivers on an epic scale. The book also plays around with tropes about racism, imperialism and colonial attitudes. In bits and pieces here and there, the author showcases how life is for both the invaders and residents but for the sake of the story doesn't go too deep into it. Another point I must bring up is that the conflict portrayed is predictable as to what race is appearing to be the technologically superior one but since this is book one of five, judgment should be reserved until the series is finished. Also in regards to certain character and situational cliches, there is a fair amount of predictable outcomes but to be fair there are also some twists that are truly out of the left field.
CONCLUSION: The Thousand Names is a spectacular epic fantasy debut that heralds Django Wexler as a talented author and The Shadow Campaigns series as a future flintlock fantasy classic. I was thoroughly impressed with this debut and kudos to Penguin for unearthing another gem of a debut after last year’s Daughter Of The Sword. The Thousand Names is a must read because of its plus points and in spite of its few flaws, be sure to get a copy and keep an eye for Django Wexler in the future.
The story of The Thousand Names begins with the prologue, that ironically focuses on the “Other side”. We are introduced to Jaffa-Dan-Iln the grand justice of the ruling city of Ashe-Katarion in the land of Khandar. Who is trying to get a coalition of The Redeemers, a fanatic religious order that has risen to rule Khandar. The Redeemer group are led by Yatchick-Dan-Rahksa and are at odds with General Khotba who leads the Khandar auxiliary forces. Lastly there’s Maalik-Dan-Belial also known as the Steel Ghost, leader of the Desoltai tribe raiders. They are trying to figure out the best way to rule however their alliance is fraught with jealousy and squabbling. Their opponents are the Vordanai empire colonial garrisons stationed at a desert outpost.
Among them are our two main POV protagonists, first is Winter Ihernglass, a woman masquerading as a man and who has escaped a turbulent past to become a successful soldier but disliked by her compatriots for her aloof behavior (as she tries to minimize chances of her gender being recognized). Then there’s captain Marcus D’Ivoire, a simple man with honest ideals and more than a capable mind who will be forced to deal with a colonel that will test his patience, his mental acuity and his loyalty towards his friends, and country. Lastly there’s Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich who doesn't get a POV but serves a fascinating character in himself with shades of a military version of Sherlock Holmes or agent A.X.L. Pendergast for those acquainted with Preston & Child’s most famous creation.
Firstly beginning with why this book created such a big impression on me, even though it’s a debut, the main plot is very well structured and the readers are gradually introduced to the world as well as the characters. The story is a slow one to start as the reader is immersed into the world of the Vordanai soldiers especially with Winter and Marcus. Both are very different individuals but as POV characters go they are gems to read about. Both these characters are evolving throughout the entire story and the readers get a perfect view into this metamorphosis. Here’s what I liked about both characters, even though they adhere to fantasy soldier tropes, the author gives them very discerning personas. Thereby making them very intriguing POV characters and fun ones to root for as well. With Winter we get get to see her evolution from a common foot soldier into a higher rank and along the way we get to witness her bravery, compassion and decency. I admit as female POV characters go, she was one of the best ones I've read about and she was the emotional focus of this story and my favorite character as well.
Marcus is more of a simple soldier who is beholden to his values but as the campaign progresses, he's rather forced to take sides and still uphold his values. His struggles are rather competently portrayed and you can't but cheer both Winter and Marcus as both strive to do what's right for their regiment and their cause. Besides these POV characters, there is a considerably wide character cast that is featured in this story chief among this is Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich who is vastly Holmes-like in matters of strategy and behavior. A formidable character and one who is seen only through Marcus’ POV, however I hope he gets a POV turn in the future books. Then there’s the crew serving with Winter who are an equally interesting and fun group. All in all there are quite a few characters whom the readers will be delighted to know and can hope for a POV cast status in the future books.
Going on to the world setting, this is another solid point in favor of the author. The world of Khandar is a desert-oriented setting (picture any middle -Eastern country in the 17th or 18th century) and the author brilliantly portrays a frayed Vordanai force that is forced to stay in an alien country as per the bidding of their emperor. The countryside is very colorfully described as the Vordanai army begins its march towards Ashe-Katarion as the author has built this story around the army’s march. Another fascinating aspect is the author's description of the army life, marching details as well as the battle sequences (featuring guns). Django Wexler seems to have truly done some extensive research as his action sequences as well as story minutiae help in making this story a rich one and very easy to visualize.
The story also has a good pace throughout but takes nearly 100 pages in the start to get truly going. The story also focuses quite a bit on the turmoil that goes on in a country that has recently undergone a revolution. This aspect of the story is especially reminiscent of the current situation in many of the Middle Eastern countries. I don’t think the author intentionally went for that angle but it works a bit to his advantage here. Lastly there’s the magic system which is only just unveiled in this book. As the book moves to its climax, we get to see what lies ahead and it will be fascinating to see how the author explores it in the sequels (The Penitent Damned also shines a further light on the Vordanai magic system and will come more into focus as the series progresses).
Some points about this book might not endear itself to everyone. The first one (like I mentioned previously) is that the book’s plot takes a while to get going. The first few chapters serve as introduction to the characters as well the world, so for those readers expecting action and intrigue from page one will not find it to their liking. I would hope that they persevere as the remaining part of the story delivers on an epic scale. The book also plays around with tropes about racism, imperialism and colonial attitudes. In bits and pieces here and there, the author showcases how life is for both the invaders and residents but for the sake of the story doesn't go too deep into it. Another point I must bring up is that the conflict portrayed is predictable as to what race is appearing to be the technologically superior one but since this is book one of five, judgment should be reserved until the series is finished. Also in regards to certain character and situational cliches, there is a fair amount of predictable outcomes but to be fair there are also some twists that are truly out of the left field.
CONCLUSION: The Thousand Names is a spectacular epic fantasy debut that heralds Django Wexler as a talented author and The Shadow Campaigns series as a future flintlock fantasy classic. I was thoroughly impressed with this debut and kudos to Penguin for unearthing another gem of a debut after last year’s Daughter Of The Sword. The Thousand Names is a must read because of its plus points and in spite of its few flaws, be sure to get a copy and keep an eye for Django Wexler in the future.
Read The Penitent Damned for FREE on io9
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Penitent Damned is a prequel short story that was featured for free on io9 and after reading it, I would very much recommend it to readers as well with the caveat that they might enjoy it better after reading The Thousand Names.
The story is set in Vordan and basically is a heist story. The story focuses on Duke Mallus Kengire Orlanko, Royal Minister of Information and leader of the Vordanai secret police, the all-seeing, all-knowing Concordat, Andreas the Concordat assassin and Alex the thief. Alex and her mentor master Metzing have been given a job that is almost impossible to turn down. Andreas warns the duke of an impending heist and so the trap is set. It remains to be seen which side will triumph as both sides have secrets of their own and surprises to spring as well.
I read this short after I had read the book and I’m glad for that as certain things the book illuminates become very easy to understand after reading the climax of The Thousand Names. While I believe most readers will enjoy this story anyway, I think those who read The Thousand Names will be able to discern a few more facts from it and especially the last line gives out a very crucial part that possibly reveals an important clue in regards to an important plot point. Plus the story also shines a sharp light on the Vordanai magic system and that is revealed quite late in the main book. The story does have a nice twist in its climax and as far as short stories go, is quite an excellent one.
Overall The Penitent Damned is a story that I would heartily recommend to all fantasy lovers. If you haven’t discovered Django Wexler yet, then this is an excellent, free way to get started. Though my recommendation would be to read it after the author’s long form debut as that way you will enjoy it even more!
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Penitent Damned is a prequel short story that was featured for free on io9 and after reading it, I would very much recommend it to readers as well with the caveat that they might enjoy it better after reading The Thousand Names.
The story is set in Vordan and basically is a heist story. The story focuses on Duke Mallus Kengire Orlanko, Royal Minister of Information and leader of the Vordanai secret police, the all-seeing, all-knowing Concordat, Andreas the Concordat assassin and Alex the thief. Alex and her mentor master Metzing have been given a job that is almost impossible to turn down. Andreas warns the duke of an impending heist and so the trap is set. It remains to be seen which side will triumph as both sides have secrets of their own and surprises to spring as well.
I read this short after I had read the book and I’m glad for that as certain things the book illuminates become very easy to understand after reading the climax of The Thousand Names. While I believe most readers will enjoy this story anyway, I think those who read The Thousand Names will be able to discern a few more facts from it and especially the last line gives out a very crucial part that possibly reveals an important clue in regards to an important plot point. Plus the story also shines a sharp light on the Vordanai magic system and that is revealed quite late in the main book. The story does have a nice twist in its climax and as far as short stories go, is quite an excellent one.
Overall The Penitent Damned is a story that I would heartily recommend to all fantasy lovers. If you haven’t discovered Django Wexler yet, then this is an excellent, free way to get started. Though my recommendation would be to read it after the author’s long form debut as that way you will enjoy it even more!
Order “Hunted” HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Hounded”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Hexed”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Hammered”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Tricked”
Read my review of “Two Ravens and One Crow”
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Trapped"
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Grimoire Of The Lamb"
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Grimoire Of The Lamb"
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s interview with Kevin Hearne
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Kevin Hearne graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in English literature and currently teaches high school English. He is a self-confessed comic book fan and collector. He also collects and paints miniature dwarves in his free time. He currently lives with his family in Arizona and is the author of The Iron Druid Chronicles.
OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: For a two-thousand-year-old Druid, Atticus O’Sullivan is a pretty fast runner. Good thing, because he’s being chased by not one but two goddesses of the hunt—Artemis and Diana—for messing with one of their own. Dodging their slings and arrows, Atticus, Granuaile, and his wolfhound Oberon are making a mad dash across modern-day Europe to seek help from a friend of the Tuatha Dé Danann. His usual magical option of shifting planes is blocked, so instead of playing hide-and-seek, the game plan is . . . run like hell.
Crashing the pantheon marathon is the Norse god Loki. Killing Atticus is the only loose end he needs to tie up before unleashing Ragnarok—AKA the Apocalypse. Atticus and Granuaile have to outfox the Olympians and contain the god of mischief if they want to go on living—and still have a world to live in.
CLASSIFICATION: Like its predecessors, The Iron Druid Chronicles is an urban fantasy series in the vein of The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and K.A. Stewart’s Jesse James Dawson series, and features an exciting mix of comedy, action and mythology.
FORMAT/INFO: Hunted is 400 pages long divided over thirty numbered chapters and an epilogue. There’s also a pronunciation guide for all the names and phrases mentioned in the book, an author’s note as well as the Iron Druid Chronicles novella Two Ravens And One Crow. Narration is in the first-person, via Atticus O’Sullivan and Granuaile MacTiernan. Hunted is the sixth Iron Druid Chronicle and it would be extremely ill advised to jump into the series with this book as the plot has a ton of references to the many events and characters in the preceding books.
June 25, 2013 marked the North American Mass Market Paperback publication of Hunted via Del Rey books. Cover art is provided by Gene Mollica.
ANALYSIS (Mihir): Hunted is the sixth volume of the Iron Druid Chronicles and now the readers are firmly in the middle of this fascinating saga. When we last left Atticus, Granuaile and Oberon, they were just about running from certain doom in the form of two huntresses that were facsimiles of each other across languages and cultures.
Hunted opens up with a very tense situation wherein our favorite two Iron druids and their dog are running across planes while the Morrigan is trying to buy them time. The Greek and Roman pantheons are pissed that Atticus has managed to trap Bacchus in a time trap of sorts. So Diana and Artemis have been sent to capture the recalcitrant druid and bring him to heel. What they don’t count upon is that Atticus has more than a few tricks up to his sleeve and he has a few gods across various pantheons on his side as well. Atticus also has Granuaile and Oberon with him across his trek across Europe and he will also come across previous enemies turned allies like the Polish witch coven and surprisingly an ally turned enemy that is Lief Helgarson. There are a lot more surprises in this book including a few deaths including the major characters and this was a major surprising move on the author’s part. Hunted is many ways a thriller of a book than just a regular urban fantasy book.
What I really enjoyed about this book is that not only do we get Atticus in all his snarky glory but also Granuaile who gets to be a major POV character with this book. Previously she only had a POV in a short story but with this book due to certain events, it becomes highly imperative for readers to see what she thinks. Like I mentioned previously this book reads much more like a thriller and kudos to the author for structuring this book this way. Not only is the European trek across the mortal plane but also across the metaphysical one as Atticus and Granuaile are assailed on several fronts and don’t quite know what to do. The author also brings to the fore several storylines that have been fermenting across the last two books and a novella. This book also brings close to the arc begin from Hammered in the sense that Atticus’ meddling has changed the timeline and fortunes of all folks across all realms and pantheons. The events occurring in this book don’t necessarily close out the story but several storylines that had begun come to a close and we are given new story arcs that begin with this one and the next book Shattered becomes pertinent to the readers.
I was very concerned about this book after the less than fun experience I had with its predecessor. This book does overcome the problems faced by Trapped but not the extent that I would have liked. The book very early kind of splits up into two plot threads and then continues before joining up again in the middle. This move along with the plot twists does help in making this book much more unpredictable than its predecessors. I've a similar complaint like my colleague Casey in regards to a certain plot twist that occurs in the start and then the author tries very hard to retroactively show how it all fit in the past. This wasn't really required as it felt a bit odd given the character’s actions in the past books. Overall I would easily rate this below the first three as that trio has set the bar really high for the sequel books and it remains to be seen how much the last three will adhere to the awesomeness of the first three books.
ANALYSIS (Casey): I enjoyed Hunted, but like Trapped, it mostly felt like preparation for other books. I was expecting Ragnarok to happen in this book, but it looks like we're not there yet. Plot happened, but the overarching story didn't move very far. The last two books have felt very middle-book-of-the-series to me. I must say after the last book’s experience I was under a bit of trepidation for this book and the overall direction of the series. After read
On one hand, we get more interesting foes and mythologies, some new magic, Granuaile starting to come into her own, and Oberon, who is always delightful. On the other, once the main conflict of the book is dealt with, Atticus promptly ditches Granuaile and Oberon to try and deal with it on his own. The outcome of that doesn't really bother me, except that there's a whole lot of time spent in this book on action sequences with no particular bearing on character development. In this book, we also got chapters from Granuaile's perspective. Admittedly, I read the ARC, so this could have been smoothed out prior to publishing, but a lot of times her voice in each felt really stilted and overly formal. More to the point, while Atticus sounds like himself whether in dialogue or monologue, there was a sharp divide with Granuaile's, and also a divide between the tone of the rest of the book, which was really jarring to read.
My biggest problem, though, has to do with a surprise death right towards the beginning. It came out of nowhere, and Atticus spent the rest of the book justifying how he should have seen it coming and retconning other readings onto past events. I'm not upset because it was my favorite character; I'm upset because the whole premise of the book is dependent on a death that was retroactively explained, the motivations told to me since they weren't evident in the text. There are times when an author pulls the wool over the readers' eyes so that when we figure it out, we exult in the trick; this felt like being cheated.
My feelings on this installment are mixed. He set the bar really high with the early books in the series, and I don't think this one meets it. I love the series, and I still look forward to reading more and seeing where Hearne is going with this, but I've lost a bit of my trust.
CONCLUSION (Mihir): Kevin Hearne’s Hunted is a good book and an even better urban fantasy thriller; it also showcases the end game that is developing. Kevin Hearne has long since grown out of Jim Butcher’s shadow to become a writer of his own slant in the urban fantasy genre. Hunted is another good example of action, comedy and mythology all conveniently rolled into a smooth package that has become ambrosia to Hearne’s ever-growing fan legions.
OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: For a two-thousand-year-old Druid, Atticus O’Sullivan is a pretty fast runner. Good thing, because he’s being chased by not one but two goddesses of the hunt—Artemis and Diana—for messing with one of their own. Dodging their slings and arrows, Atticus, Granuaile, and his wolfhound Oberon are making a mad dash across modern-day Europe to seek help from a friend of the Tuatha Dé Danann. His usual magical option of shifting planes is blocked, so instead of playing hide-and-seek, the game plan is . . . run like hell.
Crashing the pantheon marathon is the Norse god Loki. Killing Atticus is the only loose end he needs to tie up before unleashing Ragnarok—AKA the Apocalypse. Atticus and Granuaile have to outfox the Olympians and contain the god of mischief if they want to go on living—and still have a world to live in.
CLASSIFICATION: Like its predecessors, The Iron Druid Chronicles is an urban fantasy series in the vein of The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and K.A. Stewart’s Jesse James Dawson series, and features an exciting mix of comedy, action and mythology.
FORMAT/INFO: Hunted is 400 pages long divided over thirty numbered chapters and an epilogue. There’s also a pronunciation guide for all the names and phrases mentioned in the book, an author’s note as well as the Iron Druid Chronicles novella Two Ravens And One Crow. Narration is in the first-person, via Atticus O’Sullivan and Granuaile MacTiernan. Hunted is the sixth Iron Druid Chronicle and it would be extremely ill advised to jump into the series with this book as the plot has a ton of references to the many events and characters in the preceding books.
June 25, 2013 marked the North American Mass Market Paperback publication of Hunted via Del Rey books. Cover art is provided by Gene Mollica.
ANALYSIS (Mihir): Hunted is the sixth volume of the Iron Druid Chronicles and now the readers are firmly in the middle of this fascinating saga. When we last left Atticus, Granuaile and Oberon, they were just about running from certain doom in the form of two huntresses that were facsimiles of each other across languages and cultures.
Hunted opens up with a very tense situation wherein our favorite two Iron druids and their dog are running across planes while the Morrigan is trying to buy them time. The Greek and Roman pantheons are pissed that Atticus has managed to trap Bacchus in a time trap of sorts. So Diana and Artemis have been sent to capture the recalcitrant druid and bring him to heel. What they don’t count upon is that Atticus has more than a few tricks up to his sleeve and he has a few gods across various pantheons on his side as well. Atticus also has Granuaile and Oberon with him across his trek across Europe and he will also come across previous enemies turned allies like the Polish witch coven and surprisingly an ally turned enemy that is Lief Helgarson. There are a lot more surprises in this book including a few deaths including the major characters and this was a major surprising move on the author’s part. Hunted is many ways a thriller of a book than just a regular urban fantasy book.
What I really enjoyed about this book is that not only do we get Atticus in all his snarky glory but also Granuaile who gets to be a major POV character with this book. Previously she only had a POV in a short story but with this book due to certain events, it becomes highly imperative for readers to see what she thinks. Like I mentioned previously this book reads much more like a thriller and kudos to the author for structuring this book this way. Not only is the European trek across the mortal plane but also across the metaphysical one as Atticus and Granuaile are assailed on several fronts and don’t quite know what to do. The author also brings to the fore several storylines that have been fermenting across the last two books and a novella. This book also brings close to the arc begin from Hammered in the sense that Atticus’ meddling has changed the timeline and fortunes of all folks across all realms and pantheons. The events occurring in this book don’t necessarily close out the story but several storylines that had begun come to a close and we are given new story arcs that begin with this one and the next book Shattered becomes pertinent to the readers.
I was very concerned about this book after the less than fun experience I had with its predecessor. This book does overcome the problems faced by Trapped but not the extent that I would have liked. The book very early kind of splits up into two plot threads and then continues before joining up again in the middle. This move along with the plot twists does help in making this book much more unpredictable than its predecessors. I've a similar complaint like my colleague Casey in regards to a certain plot twist that occurs in the start and then the author tries very hard to retroactively show how it all fit in the past. This wasn't really required as it felt a bit odd given the character’s actions in the past books. Overall I would easily rate this below the first three as that trio has set the bar really high for the sequel books and it remains to be seen how much the last three will adhere to the awesomeness of the first three books.
ANALYSIS (Casey): I enjoyed Hunted, but like Trapped, it mostly felt like preparation for other books. I was expecting Ragnarok to happen in this book, but it looks like we're not there yet. Plot happened, but the overarching story didn't move very far. The last two books have felt very middle-book-of-the-series to me. I must say after the last book’s experience I was under a bit of trepidation for this book and the overall direction of the series. After read
On one hand, we get more interesting foes and mythologies, some new magic, Granuaile starting to come into her own, and Oberon, who is always delightful. On the other, once the main conflict of the book is dealt with, Atticus promptly ditches Granuaile and Oberon to try and deal with it on his own. The outcome of that doesn't really bother me, except that there's a whole lot of time spent in this book on action sequences with no particular bearing on character development. In this book, we also got chapters from Granuaile's perspective. Admittedly, I read the ARC, so this could have been smoothed out prior to publishing, but a lot of times her voice in each felt really stilted and overly formal. More to the point, while Atticus sounds like himself whether in dialogue or monologue, there was a sharp divide with Granuaile's, and also a divide between the tone of the rest of the book, which was really jarring to read.
My biggest problem, though, has to do with a surprise death right towards the beginning. It came out of nowhere, and Atticus spent the rest of the book justifying how he should have seen it coming and retconning other readings onto past events. I'm not upset because it was my favorite character; I'm upset because the whole premise of the book is dependent on a death that was retroactively explained, the motivations told to me since they weren't evident in the text. There are times when an author pulls the wool over the readers' eyes so that when we figure it out, we exult in the trick; this felt like being cheated.
My feelings on this installment are mixed. He set the bar really high with the early books in the series, and I don't think this one meets it. I love the series, and I still look forward to reading more and seeing where Hearne is going with this, but I've lost a bit of my trust.
CONCLUSION (Mihir): Kevin Hearne’s Hunted is a good book and an even better urban fantasy thriller; it also showcases the end game that is developing. Kevin Hearne has long since grown out of Jim Butcher’s shadow to become a writer of his own slant in the urban fantasy genre. Hunted is another good example of action, comedy and mythology all conveniently rolled into a smooth package that has become ambrosia to Hearne’s ever-growing fan legions.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Short Story Review: An Ill-Advised Rescue by Ilona Andrews and Grimoire Of The Lamb by Kevin Hearne (Reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)
Order Magic Rises HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Bites” & “Magic Burns”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Strikes” & “Magic Mourns”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Bleeds” & “A Questionable Client”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Magic Slays” & “Magic Dreams”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of "Retribution Clause" & "Magic Tests"
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Gunmetal Magic" & "Magic Gifts"
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of "Retribution Clause" & "Magic Tests"
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Gunmetal Magic" & "Magic Gifts"
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s Interview with Ilona Andrews
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: An Ill Advised Rescue is the Kate Daniels short story that was cut from the sixth novel Magic Rises (review to come next week) due to reasons of length and edits. An Ill Advised rescue is set a few weeks before the events of Magic Rises. It features Kate as the protagonist as was the case with Magic Gifts and is 20 odd pages long.
The story begins when Kate receives a phone call from the Guild informing that Saiman has been kidnapped. The ransom is one million and the mercenary cut for rescuing him is ten percent. Kate has no other choice but to get involved and also brings Derek in to her side project as she knows she can trust him to keep it quiet from Curran. She soon finds out what happened exactly and who’s behind Saiman’s kidnapping and that’s when the story gets into high gear. Once again Ilona Andrews exhibit how comfortable they are with their main character and the world they have created. Not only do we get Kate at her wise cracking best but we are also reacquainted with Derek and Saiman, two fan favorite characters and favorites of mine as well. The story is fast paced as can be expected and plays a crucial part in one of the major plot points of Magic Rises thereby I would recommend that readers read this prequel story before they begin Magic Rises.
This story can also be read in two parts on the author’s site HERE and HERE or in the physical or e-copy of Magic Rises, wherein it’s included as an extra. You gotta hand it to the authors for making this available so easily for their fans. They always think about their fans first and I truly appreciate their generosity in this regards. The story begins in a mystery and ends with a mystery that will become apparent to the reader on reading Magic Rises. While the story does serve as a standalone, it has quite a hook to it that will leave you wondering what might happen next. Of course with Saiman involved, readers can never be too sure what exactly is happening and so Kate is on guard throughout her dealings with him. This story explores what happens when the tables are turned and Kate gets to dictate the terms.
As a reader, most short stories from Ilona Andrews are fun ones and this one was no deviation from that formula. We get to see a particular aspect that hasn't been explored much in the Kate Daniels novels involving Grendel and in this story we get a small glimpse of it. Lastly the action, snarky dialogue and streamlined plot are all present and thus gives us a compact short story that was rightfully cut from Magic Rises as it would have hampered the plot flow but on its own serves as a fascinating story. Be sure to read it before Magic Rises as it will simplify certain plot events and help in the overall enjoyment of the sixth book as well.
The story begins when Kate receives a phone call from the Guild informing that Saiman has been kidnapped. The ransom is one million and the mercenary cut for rescuing him is ten percent. Kate has no other choice but to get involved and also brings Derek in to her side project as she knows she can trust him to keep it quiet from Curran. She soon finds out what happened exactly and who’s behind Saiman’s kidnapping and that’s when the story gets into high gear. Once again Ilona Andrews exhibit how comfortable they are with their main character and the world they have created. Not only do we get Kate at her wise cracking best but we are also reacquainted with Derek and Saiman, two fan favorite characters and favorites of mine as well. The story is fast paced as can be expected and plays a crucial part in one of the major plot points of Magic Rises thereby I would recommend that readers read this prequel story before they begin Magic Rises.
This story can also be read in two parts on the author’s site HERE and HERE or in the physical or e-copy of Magic Rises, wherein it’s included as an extra. You gotta hand it to the authors for making this available so easily for their fans. They always think about their fans first and I truly appreciate their generosity in this regards. The story begins in a mystery and ends with a mystery that will become apparent to the reader on reading Magic Rises. While the story does serve as a standalone, it has quite a hook to it that will leave you wondering what might happen next. Of course with Saiman involved, readers can never be too sure what exactly is happening and so Kate is on guard throughout her dealings with him. This story explores what happens when the tables are turned and Kate gets to dictate the terms.
As a reader, most short stories from Ilona Andrews are fun ones and this one was no deviation from that formula. We get to see a particular aspect that hasn't been explored much in the Kate Daniels novels involving Grendel and in this story we get a small glimpse of it. Lastly the action, snarky dialogue and streamlined plot are all present and thus gives us a compact short story that was rightfully cut from Magic Rises as it would have hampered the plot flow but on its own serves as a fascinating story. Be sure to read it before Magic Rises as it will simplify certain plot events and help in the overall enjoyment of the sixth book as well.
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Order “Grimoire Of The Lamb” HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Hounded”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Hexed”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Hammered”
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of “Tricked”
Read my review of “Two Ravens and One Crow”
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of "Trapped"
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s interview with Kevin Hearne
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Grimoire Of The Lamb is a prequel short story that takes place in the world of Iron Druid Chronicles. Set four years prior to Hounded the first book in the Iron Druid Chronicles. The story is about 64 pages long and features Atticus as the sole narrator and focuses on his collection of antiquated and rare books. When the story begins we find Atticus amid his Third Eye bookstore in Arizona when he gets a call for a book in his possession. The caller is an Egyptian called Nkosi Elkhashab who wants a specific cookbook in which every recipe has lamb in it. Atticus doesn't really trust him and calls him to Arizona to talk about it in person.
Nkosi visits Atticus and soon learns that haggling with the druid becomes a whole other matter. He decides to deal with it in his own way and steals it, thereby forcing Atticus to a make a reluctant trip to the land of the pyramids to regain his property. This might prove more than difficult as the Egyptian goddess Bast shares an acrimonious past with him and will do anything and everything to thwart his efforts. Atticus has his hands tied up with the viciousness of gods (namely the Egyptian kind) and all things Egyptian. Lastly it will be up to him and his wits only to retrieve his book back before all hell breaks loose literally and without upsetting his hidden status quo.
What I liked about this story was the author’s interpretation of the Iron Druid’s adventures in Egypt. Particularly an utterly hilarious and long scene involving Atticus and a horde of cats, which I believe is the highlight of the story. Also worth noting is that this story is much darker than most of the previous stories (both long form and shorter ones). The story basically is Atticus streaming through Egypt at full steam avoiding pitfalls and gods while trying to locate Nkosi Elkhashab. The story has a predictable plot which most readers can easily guess as it’s a prequel but the fun part is trying to find out how Atticus and Bast will square off against each other. The lovable druid does manage to save his skin as is evident from the main series however what does actually happen is the meat of the story. Lastly the ending while a quick one does nothing to absolve Atticus of his ambiguous nature in regards to his enemies. We have been given hints that Atticus can and will do dark things when required.
This story is another example that the gods don’t play fair and so Atticus has adopted a similar approach as well. Kevin Hearne concocts another delightful tale featuring his irascible druid and this time takes him to Egypt wherein we get to see his slant on Egyptian mythology. True it’s only a glimpse as this is a short story but it’s a fun one. I enjoyed the read and while it was on the shorter side, it was a pleasant story that showcases how inclusive the global mythologies are in the author's Iron Druid Chronicles.
Nkosi visits Atticus and soon learns that haggling with the druid becomes a whole other matter. He decides to deal with it in his own way and steals it, thereby forcing Atticus to a make a reluctant trip to the land of the pyramids to regain his property. This might prove more than difficult as the Egyptian goddess Bast shares an acrimonious past with him and will do anything and everything to thwart his efforts. Atticus has his hands tied up with the viciousness of gods (namely the Egyptian kind) and all things Egyptian. Lastly it will be up to him and his wits only to retrieve his book back before all hell breaks loose literally and without upsetting his hidden status quo.
What I liked about this story was the author’s interpretation of the Iron Druid’s adventures in Egypt. Particularly an utterly hilarious and long scene involving Atticus and a horde of cats, which I believe is the highlight of the story. Also worth noting is that this story is much darker than most of the previous stories (both long form and shorter ones). The story basically is Atticus streaming through Egypt at full steam avoiding pitfalls and gods while trying to locate Nkosi Elkhashab. The story has a predictable plot which most readers can easily guess as it’s a prequel but the fun part is trying to find out how Atticus and Bast will square off against each other. The lovable druid does manage to save his skin as is evident from the main series however what does actually happen is the meat of the story. Lastly the ending while a quick one does nothing to absolve Atticus of his ambiguous nature in regards to his enemies. We have been given hints that Atticus can and will do dark things when required.
This story is another example that the gods don’t play fair and so Atticus has adopted a similar approach as well. Kevin Hearne concocts another delightful tale featuring his irascible druid and this time takes him to Egypt wherein we get to see his slant on Egyptian mythology. True it’s only a glimpse as this is a short story but it’s a fun one. I enjoyed the read and while it was on the shorter side, it was a pleasant story that showcases how inclusive the global mythologies are in the author's Iron Druid Chronicles.
Congratulations
to Gregory Lincoln (Oregon) who was
randomly selected to win an 8.9” HD
“Indie Kindy” KINDLE FIRE courtesy of M.R.
Mathias!!! Congratulations also to Tom
Loock (UK) who will receive a KINDLE
PAPERWHITE! Each Kindle will be loaded with the following titles from M.R. Mathias:
- The Sword & the Dragon (Wardstone Book I)
- Kings, Queens, Heroes, & Fools (Wardstone Book II)
- The Wizard & The Warlord (Wardstone Book III)
- The First Dragoneer Prequel Novella
- The Royal Dragoneers (Dragoneers Book I)
- Cold Hearted Son of a Witch (Dragoneers Book II)
- The Confliction (Dragoneers Book III)
- The Emerald Rider (Dragoneers Book IV)
- Crimzon & Clover (Volumes I-V)
- Through The Wildwood (Legend of Vanx Malic Book I)
- Dragon Isle (Legend of Vanx Malic Book II)
Each Kindle will
also include the following indie titles:
- The Dralin Trilogy by John H. Caroll
- Child of Fate, Wanted, and The Lost Girls by Jason Halstead
- The Black God’s War by Moses Siregar III
- The Dawning of Power Trilogy Omnibus Edition by Brian Rathbone
Happy Independence Day!!!
Order the book HERE
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of Blood Skies
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of Black Scars
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s review of Soulrazor
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Crown Of Ash
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Witch's Eye
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of Crown Of Ash
Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of The Witch's Eye
Read Steven Montano's guest post on Cross-genre writing
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Steven Montano is the author of the Blood Skies series. Steven attended college at University of Colorado wherein he graduated with a degree in creative writing. He currently works as a certified public accountant. He’s also addicted to caffeine, movies, and NBA basketball. He lives with his wife, two kids, and a dog of dubious intellect in south of Seattle, Washington. Blood Skies was his debut.
OFFICIAL BLURB: It’s been three decades since the Blood Queen led her legions on a brutal campaign of conquest and destruction, and the Empires are still struggling to rebuild. Now, in the distant aftermath of the war, the real battle is about to begin.
Haunted by the crimes of his past, fallen dawn knight Azander Dane ekes out a mercenary existence as he drifts from one city to the next. His latest job is to hunt down Ijanna Taivorkan, a powerful outlaw witch desperate to escape her destiny.
Dane and Ijanna find themselves in Ebonmark, the City of Scars, where deadly crime guilds and shadowy agents of the White Dragon Empire prepare for a brutal confrontation. Pursued by apocalypse cults, mad alchemists, exiled giants and werewolf gangs, Dane and Ijanna soon learn a deadly lesson – in Ebonmark, only the cruelest and most cunning can survive.
CLASSIFICATION: The Skullborn trilogy is an epic fantasy trilogy that has dark and gritty overtones. Think The Wire meets The Lord Of The Rings as written by Glen Cook.
FORMAT/INFO: City Of Scars is 328 pages long divided over seventy-six numbered chapters with a prologue. Narration is in third-person by Azander Dane, Ijanna Taivorkan, Vellexa, Mezias Crinn the Iron Count, Kol, Kruge the Voss prince, Colonel Aaric Blackhall, Marros Slayne, Harrick the Phage lord, Kath Cardrezhej, Aram Keyes, Jorias Targo, Sammeus, Cronak , and Bordrec Kleiderhorn. City Of Scars is the opening volume of the Skullborn trilogy.
June 24, 2013 marked the e-book and paperback publication of City Of Scars and it was self-published by the author. Cover art is provided by Barry Currey.
ANALYSIS: Steven Montano has made me a fan of his with eclectic genre mixed storyline that is his debut series, the Bloodskies volumes. I’ve read all of his previous books with various degrees of enjoyment however one thing is clear; Steven Montano is a man with a plan when it comes to his plots. When he announced his new series The Skullborn trilogy, I was very excited for the books after I read all about the series setting as well as the characters and the magic system. Steven was very kind to send over a review copy and so with high expectations I dove into this dark, war & magic ravaged world.
The story opens in the prologue with a group of warriors making a slog through a wasteland to launch an attack on the Blood Queen’s forces. Things though never go as expected but surprisingly the events that follow change the course of the war and affect all parties and sides involved. Next the actual story begins with Azander Dane, a former Dawn knight who is now a mercenary and ekes out an existence that slowly erodes his self worth and conscience. He arrives in Ebonmark looking for a new job and finds himself in cahoots with Vellexa a bloodspeaker and a lackey to the Iron Count. His job as assigned by the Iron Count is to locate Ijanna Taivorkan. Ijanna is a bloodspeaker, a practioner of a rare form of veil magic and central to the plans of almost all factions. She’s driven by events beyond her control but she wants to be the driver of her destiny even though her destiny portends to many big calamitous events.
Colonel Aaric Blackhall is the head of the White Dragon army sent to do his empress’ bidding and locate a vital artifact in Ebonmark. He not only has to contend with the general populace’s animosity but also has to factor in the rivalrly between the Phage and Guild, two rival crime cartels seeking to establish their total supremacy in Ebonmark. Lastly there’s Kruge, a Vossian prince who is hated by all humans for who he is and is held as a slave by a particularly odious crime boss. There are many more characters and angles to main plot but that’s for the reader to RAFO. This story is basically about multiple events happening as various factions and individuals plot and act to further their own plans. The readers will have to keep track of the character list so they can remember who’s who and related to whom.
What I loved about this story was how the author showcased a gritty world, which is still reeling after a war that has ravaged the continent. Imagine Europe after World War II and how all the empires and countries were shaken up. A similar situation is present here and the various cities that were previously under the yoke of the two dominant empires have now become their own rulers via the form of city-states. The theater of action for this opening volume is Ebonmark, the titular city and it is one that is ruled by crime cartels and ganglords who are all jockeying for power and further weakening the city. The world-building is truly massive as the author immerses the reader in an alien world with different types of races and magic however tying it to human sensibilities conveniently so as to make it seem inviting. With this volume, the author barely scratches the magic system and history of the world and so for worldbuilding geeks, this series should definitely be on your shelves for its ingenuity. There’s also the wide character cast, which is interesting to follow as each of them have their own lives and plans to destroy others. There’s a very strong LOTR vibe going on in this book as characters are introduced and we get an idea about the journey they might be taking in the sequel volumes.
Then there’s the characterization and as readers of Steven Montano books will know that he can be trusted to write compelling characters. A similar case presides over here and with the change of genre; he particularly excels in providing several terrific ones and with the caveat of all of them being grey. That’s the juicy part of the story as all of the POV characters are mostly grey or black with degrees of good nestled within. All of them are tortured souls due to their own actions or those of the world. I think the author drives home the point that war affects everyone and I mean *everyone*! Lastly there’s the plot itself, which is twisted and completely unpredictable. I was left bewildered as most of my plot predictions went awry and kudos to the author for making the plot complex and multi-layered. It was heartening to see the author paint this grey crumbling world in complex shades wherein any action could have several interpretations depending on whose perspective you look from. There are no heroes only survivors and as the blurb states only the cunning & cruel can survive in the end.
This book while being quite good has some drawbacks to it. Firstly in certain sections the book’s pace drops down to a slightly languid level and that can be a turnoff. Also this book while a big, complex one also feels like a lengthy prologue to the events that are to come. There are also a lot of events and characters that are referred to but no further clarification is given. As a reader I felt intrigued by this book’s twists and turns but also a bit irritated by all that is hinted at and never revealed entirely.
CONCLUSION: City Of Scars is the beginning of the Skullborn trilogy and is also an epic start to what promises to be a dark, fantastic story. I happen to be a fan of Steven Montano and yet was blown away with his dark, epic fantasy genre debut. Don’t take my word for it though, grab a copy and start reading to see why Steven is considered as a gem of an author who will go to further heights and brighter accolades.
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