THE BLASTED LANDS by JAMES A. MOORE

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Bookwraiths

theblastedlands

The Blasted Lands by James A. Moore

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Seven Forges #2

Publisher: Angry Robot (June 24, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 390 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

The Blasted Lands is that dreaded second book in a series. You know, the one that is suppose to build upon all the good things from the first installment while adding just enough new plots and lore to keep the story fresh but without actually revealing the ending that will come in a book or two. Honestly, writing a second installment in a fantasy series is a hard juggling act for any author, but in my opinion, Mr. Moore not only succeeds with The Blasted Lands but excels at it!

Naturally, the story picks up where Seven Forges ended. Pathra Krous, Emperor of the Fellein Empire is dead, killed by the Sa’ba Taalor, who emerged from the mysterious blasted lands in peace before viciously murdering their host. Now, the task falls to Drash Krohan, First Advisor to the Emperor and legendary sorcerer, to pick a capable ruler to replace Pathra. While this is always a trying task for the wizard, it is more imperative than ever, because the Sa’ba Taalor of the Seven Forges are coming!

Some few in Fellein try to deny the inevitability of the coming war. More than a few of the royal family wish to ignore it all together as they fight over the throne, but Drash Krohan will not tolerate any such foolishness, for he recognizes the truth. Perhaps the armies of Sa’ba Taalor will not be in Fellein in a week or a month, but without a doubt, soon the blasted lands will be crawling with them, as they come to destroy the Empire. And while General Merros Dulver seems to have the correct qualities to lead Fellein’s armies, Drash isn’t so sure that all the soldiers of the Empire will be enough to hold back the strange, grey skinned people of the Seven Forges. For, you see, the Sa’ba Taalor are a unique breed of humans, almost otherworldly in their greater strength, endurance, and reflexes and more gifted in killing than even the finest Fellein warriors. Reared in their isolated valleys, these people are an unknown quantity, devoted to their living gods and more than willing to destroy anyone or anything that stands in the way of their plans. And therein lies Drash Krohan’s most pressing task: discovering just who and what the Sa’ba Taalor really are and why they wish to destroy Fellein!

From this beginning, the story develops along multiple lines as Mr. Moore seamlessly shifts from Drash Krohan and General Dulver frantically trying to plan for the inevitable war to Andover Lashk, Fellein ambassador to the Seven Forges, living among the Sa’ba Taalor themselves. One chapter will follow Drash Krohan’s “Sisters” gathering information across the world while the next will focus on a secret expedition to the mysterious Mounds in the Blasted Lands. And inevitable, every few chapters, the mysterious Pilgrim will make an appearance, referring to the old gods awakening and his own shadowy mission; a mission that is somehow tied to the re-emergence of the Sa’ba Taalor into the world.
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Without a doubt, in The Blasted Lands, Mr. Moore has woven an interesting story that not only side steps the second book letdown but is, in my opinion, even better than the first. Where Seven Forges teased a reader with the Sa’ba Taalor and their strange land, The Blasted Lands goes a long way toward fulfilling their promise, revealing much more about their culture and history as well as hinting at the origin of the waste lands themselves. And while the Sa’ba Taalor are still the stars of this show, Mr. Moore has also deftly turned the Fellein characters into more than cardboard scenery for his master race, as Drash Krohan, General Dulver and Andover Lashk shine in their own special ways. All in all, this novel was a great read, and this series is definitely one to watch for any true fantasy aficionado.

I received this book from Netgalley and Angry Robot in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase this book over at Amazon.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF THE SEVEN FORGES SERIES
SEVEN FORGES (PART 1)

Posted in Fantasy, High, Sword and Sorcery | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

HOLLOW WORLD by MICHAEL J. SULLIVAN

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Bookwraiths

hollowworld

Hollow World by Michael J. Sullivan

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Standalone Novel

Publisher: Tachyon Publications (April 15, 2014)

Length: 371 pages

Author Information: Website | Twitter

My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.

Hollow World was a novel that I was really excited about reading. I mean, one of my favorite fantasy authors, Michael J Sullivan, penned it, and it promised to be a science fiction novel in the mold of H.G. Wells classic The Time Machine, which is one of my childhood favorites. So, all the stars seemed to be lined up for me to thoroughly enjoy this one. Unfortunately, the novel and I quickly took a dislike to one another, and while I did finish it, I cannot say that I enjoyed the experience.

The plot of this novel centers on one Ellis Rogers: an ordinary guy who seems to have a good life. He is married, has a comfortable job, and even has a best friend named Warren, who has been along for life’s rocky road since high school. But though everything seems great with Ellis’ world from the outside, things are not so rosy within. First, he and his wife hardly have anything to do with one another anymore. (Years before, their only child committed suicide and that loss was so devastating that it has become a wedge holding them apart.) Second, Ellis has just discovered that he has a terminal illness and that he has only six months to live!

In a situation similar to Ellis, most people would be paralyzed with fear by this diagnosis and struggle with what to do with their short time remaining. Should they submit to grueling medical treatments that have little hope of saving their life? Maybe, head off to finally complete all those childhood adventure that are on their bucket list? Or perhaps, they would just patch things up with their loved ones? However, Ellis doesn’t go through all these myriad emotional choices, because as soon as he gets the diagnosis he knows exactly what he intends to do: fire up the time machine in his garage and head off into the future!

Sure, there are drawbacks to Ellis’ plan. I mean, he doesn’t know if the time machine will actually work, and even if it does work, it is a one way trip. Plus, he has no idea what he will find in the future. But even knowing all that, Ellis doesn’t see any reason not to give it a try. So without a word of goodbye to his wife, our middle aged adventurer heads off into the future to find a cure and begin his new life!

As he speeds off into the unknown, Ellis has his own perception of what the future will be like. Flying cars, robots, and all those other Jetson-esque things, most likely. But what he finds is something so different that it shocks his “modern” twenty-first century sensibilities.

Before our cure-seeking hero can get a grip on how different the world is, however, he finds himself stumbling into the middle of a murder. Something that is unheard of in this peaceful world. Quickly, he is drawn into the investigation, as he is the only person qualified for the job, since he is the only person alive who has ever experienced a murder – even if his experience was through murder mystery novels.

Once the investigation begins, it quickly leads to an unexpected place and an unexpected person, and Ellis is forced to make a choice about whether this human utopia should be saved or destroyed. A decision that requires him to make a judgment on whether the new, non-traditional Earth and its values are good or bad!

After reading that description, I am sure this novel sounds very interesting to many of you, and no doubt, a few of you might wonder how I could have given it only two stars. In response, I must admit that I wanted to love this book, and as I finished the first few chapters, I tried very hard to convince myself that this was going to be another of Mr. Sullivan’s enjoyable rides. However, the simple fact is that Hollow World was just not for me.

To expound why I did not love this novel, let me establish something up front: I really, really do not like stories that are political in nature or preachy about social issues. Whether that is a religious novel disguising itself as a fantasy tale or a social activist work that markets itself as an adventure story, I am just instantly turned off by morality plays. Sure, they were fine when I was a teenager, but now I really do not enjoy them. The simple fact of the matter is that I read for escapism reasons: I want to be transported away from the present world with all its modern sensibilities and endless debate regarding political and social issues and experience for a few hours something new and wondrous that causes the present to fade away. So obviously, my destination of choice is not going to be a future Earth where classic religious beliefs and modern sensibilities clash to see which is more palatable and correct.

In summation, Hollow World is Mr. Sullivan’s time machine social commentary. It extrapolates on what heaven is, what is god, how can mankind create utopia, and what forms do love come in. Whether that type of story will be to your liking is based upon your personal reading tastes and whether you enjoy modern, morality play. If, however, you are searching for a grand adventure tale or an escapist vehicle, this one is probably not for you.

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase this book over at Amazon.

Posted in 2 Stars, Science Fiction, Soft, Time Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

THE SENTINEL by TROY DENNING

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Bookwraiths

thesentinel
My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

The Sentinel is part five of The Sundering, which, of course, is a six part series following the separation of the worlds Abeir and Toril. While there are non-divine events transpiring around the world, most everything seems to be tied to the gods battling each other for worldwide supremacy. Thus, the Great Rain, falling earthmotes, magical fluctuations, and changes to the continents’ surfaces somehow point back to some god or goddess attempting to expand their power spheres. These divine beings do not dirty their hands doing all these things on the mortal sphere, however, but exert their will through certain mortals called “Chosen”, who in return for divine power allow their godly mentors to pull their strings. And in The Sentinel, Troy Denning presents the quest of four such “Chosen.”

The story erupts out of the gate, immediately thrusting a reader into the action, as watchman Kleef (sworn to Helm, god of duty) finds himself caught up in the evacuation of the Cormyr city of Marsember as the Shadovar (shadow-infused beings from Netheril) advance upon it. However, quickly, our brave watchmen finds himself defending two strangers from shadovar attack; these strangers being Joelle (Chosen of Sune, goddess of love) and Malik (Chosen of Cyric, god of strife and lies), who later are revealed to have stolen the Eye of Gruumsh (relic of the Orc god) and are on a quest from Sune to deliver this token to the underground temple of an Earth Primordial. (The convoluted theory being that by doing this they will foil yet another plot by Shar, goddess of night and oblivion, to take over the world of Toril.) Naturally, the orcs are also after Joelle and Malik, and before too long, Kleef is drawn into this quest as is a young noble woman of Marsember named Lady Arietta (a presumed Chosen of Siamorphe, goddess of nobility and rulership), who initially has personal reasons for wanting to help.

From this intriguing beginning, the story bogs down into a cookie cutter quest adventure that soon bores more than it inspires. Sure, there are fights galore here, but even those fixture of great Forgotten Realms tales seem somewhat bland and lifeless. The simple fact is the flaws in The Sentinel overshadowed its strengths, which is disappointing but nonetheless true. Let me explain.

This tale is driven by four main characters, who are immensely different from one another. This usually means lots of group friction and interesting interactions, which allows the author to delve into the character’s background, personal beliefs and outlook on life and gradually evolve the individuals through personal growth. Here, however, our four companions’ never progress past the point of mimicking their Chosen god or goddess’ personality. Kleef is the dutiful follower of a dead god, always doing the “honorable” thing; Arietta is the noblewoman mimicking the nobility of her patron goddess and never growing beyond being confused about her role in the world; Joelle constantly is using her goddess given powers to charm everyone into a ridiculous caricature of “love”; and Malik is a consummate liar and creator of discord, just like his patron god. Each of these four constantly make the same decisions throughout the story; decisions that quickly become repetitive and boring.

Even with the four heroes being somewhat uninspiring, the story might have been livened up by a good villain or two, but unfortunately, The Sentinel is devoid of those. There is no ominous Nazghul or even a fearsome group of insidious beings like the drow of R.A. Salvatore’s Companions novels. Instead, Mr. Denning has a few cookie cutter enemies, who don’t really bring fear or interest, for that matter.

Lastly, unlike other novels in this series, The Sentinel really suffered from not delving into the details of what the hell is actually happening in the Sundering. Sure, all the books in the series have used the event as a backdrop to the individual tales, but in the other novels, the Sundering was just a peripheral issue to the actual story. Here, the whole quest of Joelle, Malik, Kleef, and Arietta’s quest is to help their gods keep Shar from somehow taking over the world, but the how, why, and what might happen if they fail is so vaguely outlined that a reader wonders why they should even care at all whether the foursome succeeds or fails.

All in all, The Sentinel is a decent adventure novel that is mildly enjoyable. If you are a huge Forgotten Realms fan, it is definitely good enough to waste a few hours, enjoying the setting and atmosphere. If you are not a huge fan of the Forgotten Realms setting, however, then this one might be something that you would want to skip.

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase this novel over at Amazon.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF THE SUNDERING SERIES
THE COMPANIONS (THE SUNDERING #1)
THE GODBORN (THE SUNDERING #2)
THE ADVERSARY (THE SUNDERING #3)
THE REAVER (THE SUNDERING #4)
THE HERALD (THE SUNDERING #6)

Posted in Fantasy, Forgotten Realms, High | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

TALUS and the FROZEN KING by GRAHAM EDWARDS

Posted on May 29, 2014 by Bookwraiths

talusandthefrozenking
My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Talus and the Frozen King is a good old-fashioned murder mystery set in the Neolithic Age. It is a short novel, written in a simple, straight forward style where every word counts for something, and if it reminds you of a traditional mystery in the vein of Sherlock Holmes, you are not alone, since that seems to be a consensus of most reviews. However, where that similarity might be a negative for some novels, Graham Edwards does a good job of using the historical setting to make this more than just another mystery novel.

The story itself takes place on the small island of Creyak, where King Hashath is found dead and frozen in the village commons on the very same morning that two wanders appear in town. Naturally, these two strangers are our protagonists throughout the book: Sherlock Holmes and Watson – holmes-and-watsonsorry, I mean, Talus the bard and Bran the fisherman. These two immediately are suspected in the bizarre fate of the island’s ruler, but Talus – ever quick-witted, silver-tongued, and gifted with an eye toward solving riddles – convinces the king’s eldest son and heir to allow him to undertake an investigation into the identity of the real murderer.

No mystery is ever simple, however, and neither is the king’s strange demise in this peaceful locale. Soon, Talus and Bran find themselves delving into the strange world of isolated Creyak and its island people. Old enemies of the king materialize. Family secrets rear their ugly heads into the light of day. And very quickly, all clues begin to point toward one of the king’s own sons being the killer. A situation that promises nothing but imminent danger and possible death for Talus and Bran!

All in all, Mr. Edwards delivered a very enjoyable murder mystery with Talus and the Frozen King. It is a fast paced, intense whodunit mystery that starts out slowly but gains steam as Talus and Bran grow closer to the big revelation of the true murderer of Creyak’s king. While it has little, if any, fantasy elements that I could personally see, it is still well worth a quick read by any book lover!

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase this novel over at Amazon.

Posted in Fantasy, Low | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

THE PILLARS OF SAND (PART 3 OF ECHOES OF EMPIRE) by MARK T. BARNES

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Bookwraiths

THEPILLARSOFSAND
My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

The Pillars of Sand is a fitting ending to the Echoes of Empire fantasy series. It is filled with intense action, revelations of ancient secrets, and the continued development of one of the most interesting and fully developed fantasy worlds on the shelves today. If you are a fantasy aficionado who adores world building, voluminous lore and ancient history, then you will be hooked on Echoes of Empire from the first chapter of book one, and very quickly, Mark T. Barnes will become one of your must read authors.

As for the story in Pillars, it continues to explore the political and social upheaval of the Shrīanese Federation, as Corajidin leads his land down a road to recover its ancient greatness at any price. Standing against him are his own daughter Mari, warrior-poet of renown, and Dragon-Eyed Indris. These two are now lovers but have been torn apart by circumstances and are forced to walk different roads – even though those roads are not theirs by choice and might not lead them back together. And as these three people’s story progress, the very future of Shrīan and the world itself begin to subtly take shape before a reader’s eyes.

The hero of this tale is, without a doubt, Indris. He is the mysterious sorcerer, whose power is only rivaled by his absolute dedication to not acquiring too much of it. For Indris has learned wisdom during his troubled life, and that wisdom teaches him too much power leads one to become addicted to it, wanting more and more until eventually you are the tyrant that you once abhorred. A fate that Indris realizes he is not immune from. So while he is forced by circumstances to travel down paths to acquire power, Indris fears to embrace it, ever struggling to find the correct balance between what he must have to save his nation and what other people are trying to force him to take in order to fulfill their own selfish and mysterious designs.

Standing directly opposite the decency of Indris Dragon-Eyed is the vile evilness as represented by Corajidin. Throughout the series, Mr. Barnes has showed this powerful ruler slipping into insanity, forging pacts with evil beyond his conception, and doing horrid deeds to fulfill his destiny and bring greatness to his people. However, Corajidin has also become a three dimensional character, waxing sentimental about his love for family one minute before committing his next horrendous act the next. Few villains in fantasy have as many well intentioned reasons for their actions as Corajidin, and fewer still have as well developed humanity as he does. And Mr. Barnes does an excellent job of not just telling his readers this but showing them, as Corajidin casts aside his own honor to save his son, is willing to pay any price to aid his wife, and then looks the other way to help aid his beloved daughter Mari. When coupled with the revelation that Corajidin’s descent into insanity was not an accident, I found myself almost feeling sorry for this villain, wishing that fate had allowed Corajidin to be the decent person that he could have been in a different life.

As for Corajidin’s beloved daughter, Mari, she starts out this book by reaching her full potential as a kick-ass character. Throughout the series, Mari has fallen in love with Indris, tried to juggle both her personal convictions and her devotion to her family, and attempted to find a way to save her father and brother from their ambitions and sever their pacts with evil beings, but in this book, her circumstances have finally forced her to accept the fact that she is a woman on her own. Her family has abandoned her. Indris has been taken from her. She is a woman confined to the camp of her enemies, and only she can save herself. So Mari must forge her own destiny; a destiny which she has determined is to stop her family and its shadowy allies from destroying Shrīan, no matter the cost! So while her love for Indris remains and her desire to find him again is still paramount, it is past time that she assumed the mantle of true warrior-poet!

Before I read The Pillars of Sand, I was desperate to discover what happened next in Mr. Barnes intriguing trilogy, and this story did not let me down. It roared out the gate at full speed, delivering twists and turns that I had not expected. At the halfway point, I could hardly put my e-reader down for fear of missing something. Unfortunately, around the halfway point, the story slowed down considerably. The plot continued to progress, but the pace began to crawl somewhat. Thankfully, the mid-book swoon did not continue for long, for soon Indris, Mari, and Corajidin’s stories converged and merged into a satisfactory ending that tied up many of the loose ends in this trilogy and surprised me in many ways. (Okay, some of it was surprising and some of it wasn’t.) However, what this ending did a spectacular job of doing was setting up the next series of books about Indris and Mari. I mean, Mr. Barnes is already working on the sequel, right?

So if you love epic fantasy and have not tried out this series, you need to pick up The Garden of Stones and give Echoes of Empire a try, because this is a series that is only going to get better and better as Mr. Barnes expands upon it.

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase this novel at Amazon.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES
THE GARDEN OF STONES
THE OBSIDIAN HEART

MARK T BARNES INTERVIEWS AND GUEST POSTS
ANNE CHARNOCK
SUZANNE CHURCH
THE SCIFI SHOW
UPCOMING4

Posted in Epic, Fantasy, High, Sword and Sorcery | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Most Disappointing Fantasy Books

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Great post highlighting disappointing fantasy books. And yeah, my pick was included. Take a look.

Posted in Fantasy, Lists | Tagged , | Leave a comment

WORST FANTASY BOOK COVERS — PART 3

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Bookwraiths

cover lover collage 1

Your weekly … I mean, semi-weekly … Well, more like whenever I get around to publishing it list of really, really bad fantasy covers! Please hold down the applauds. Now, we have a great selection for you this time around with some varied examples of what not to put on the front of your fantasy novel IF you actually want people to buy it. So with out any unnecessary explanations, here are my next five nominations for Worst Fantasy Covers!

1. Kesrick by Lin Carter
kesrick
This book was released way back in 1982. It was a long time ago. We barely had remote controls for our television and had never even thought of handheld cell phones, laptops, tablets, or social media. But it was the BIG 80s, man. We had credit cards, and we were not afraid to max them out. Plus, you have to recall that the we had just risen up from the polyester and disco madness of the funky seventies and were desperately trying to act as if the psychedelic sixties had never happened. Sure, fantasy and science fiction were not in the norm as they are now, but it was beginning to be more acceptable to be seen in that part of the bookstore at the mall. But then, there were covers like this that ruined any attempt to convince your friends that scifi and fantasy were cool. I mean, what the hell is actually going on here? Acid flashback? I don’t know nor have I ever had any desire to find out. After all these years, I still don’t. God, that is a bad cover.
Purchase the cover and all at Amazon.

2. The Sword of Sagamore by Kara Dalkey
theswordofsagamore
We have a couple sitting around in thrones, looking far from regal as a typical wizard/court jester guy entertains them. Perhaps this scene has something to do with the book itself. Hell, it might even be the penultimate act in the whole fantasy adventure. However, for a cover, this scene is really, really bad for so many reasons. One, the perspective seems a bit off with the wizard appearing to be way too small and the guy in the throne way too long. Two, the colors are bizarre. I can’t describe what is wrong with them, but they seem strange. Plus, the wizard is just so over-the-top in his ridiculous outfit that it ruins any attempt to take this cover seriously. It is just a bad fantasy cover.
Purchase the cover and all at Amazon.

3. The Snow Queen by Mercedes Lackey.
thesnowqueen
Ms. Lackey has written a lot of novels. She has also had more than her fair share of really bad covers. The majority of the time the problem with her covers was bad artwork. Or to put it another way, the artist did not do a great job of capturing this prolific writers fantastical creations. However, that really isn’t the issue with this book. Nope, the problem with The Snow Queen is that it really, really looks like a cheap romance novel. I know there is nothing wrong with a romantic fantasy looking like a romance novel, since it technically is, but this cover reminds me of the cheap Harlequin novels my mom use to read when I was growing up. What? This was published by a Harlequin imprint, you say. Well, it’s still a bad cover.
Purchase the cover and all at Amazon.

4. The Jewels of Elvish by Nancy V. Berberick
thejewelsofelvish
Wow, those are quite the pair of … jewels that the lady in white has there. And yeah, I see that she has an uncanny resemblance to the singer Stevie Nicks back in the 1980s, but I am sure that was just a coincidence. Okay, I know that if you colored the dress black instead of white it would look just like Stevie Nicks twin sister, but there are fantasy creatures spinning around behind her head so that makes this into a fantasy cover, doesn’t it? Anyway, you need to stop worrying about that and focus on the . . . jewels. I mean, after all, the book is about the Jewels of Elvish, so there really isn’t anything wrong with looking at the . . . jewels after all. And no, artists never copy the image of a famous person and put them in a book cover. Those sort of things never happens in real life. Forget that and keep looking at the jewels.
Purchase the cover and all at Amazon.

5. Heir of Rengarth by Carole Nelson Douglas
theheirofrengarth
Like I said above, illustrators never put pictures of famous people on a fantasy book cover. That would be cheating, wouldn’t it? I mean, the artist is suppose to create a cover that captures the essence of the characters or environment in the novel, not just throw together a few random images from a famous movie to create a fantasy-like picture. Guess that is why this book cover has a picture of Prince Colwyn from the 1983 movie Krull with Valeria and one of Thulsa Doom’s generals from the 1982 movie Conan the Barbarian behind him. I wonder if this was the movie poster artwork for Krull vs. Conan, and the artist just decided to reuse it once that feature film never saw the light of day. No matter the reason, I have seen all three of these people before somewhere other than in this book.
Purchase the cover and all at Amazon.

That is it, folks. Five, fantasy covers that are bad in different ways. Please, please help me make sure that bad fantasy covers like these stop occurring, because life is too short to have to look at this crap.

Posted in Cover Lover, Fantasy, Lists | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

THE OBSIDIAN HEART (PART 2 OF ECHOES OF EMPIRE) by MARK T. BARNES

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Bookwraiths

theobsidianheart
My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

The Obsidian Heart is a prime example of a second book in a series that actually works. Here Mark T. Barnes has taken all the amazing world-building from The Garden of Stones, added to it a story that immediately sucks you into that mesmerizing world and then mercilessly hauls you along for an amazing ride with both its heroes and villains. Well written and conceived, this second act of the Echoes of Empire saga is quite simply a wonderful piece of fantasy literature and reinforces that Mr. Barnes is a brilliant new voice in the field; one that every fantasy fan should take notice of.

Continuing where the first book ended, The Obsidian Heart finds the fate of the Shrīanese Federation hanging in the balance. Indris Dragon-Eye and his friends are recovering from their previous battles and awaiting the despicable Corajidin’s trial before the ruling body of the Federation at the capital of Avenweh. But while the formalities of a trial must be met, everyone expects the determination of guilt to be quickly accomplished, for the evidence of Corajidin’s diabolical and bloodthirsty actions are overwhelming. However, as he showed in The Garden of Stones, Corajidin is not a man easily cowed by the greatest reversals of fortune, so instead of desperately trying to hold onto his rulership of House Erebus, he determines to roll the dice of chance yet again, willing to risk all, do all, break every moral code, and surrender everything – including his very soul! – in order to turn his supposed moment of shame into one of glory and become Asrahn of his people!

Sounds great, right?

And it is. Where The Garden of Stones created a world and set the table for an epic adventure The Obsidian Heart delivers on that promise in spectacular style! Here Mr. Barnes shows real progression in his storytelling ability, jettisoning some annoying writing habits and sharpening the focus of the story into more easily digested scenes. The action is fast and furious when it comes, the stakes fought for are higher, the moral choices more serious, and – above all else – the character’s come to life. Where before Indris was merely an intriguing magic user with a lost love, he now becomes a man of destiny, forced to deal with the consequences of his actions and come to terms with his past and his growing love for his enemies daughter. Mari, daughter of Corajidin and lover of Indris, really begins to shine in this novel, showing herself as a confident and skilled warrior who knows here place in the world but struggles against the inevitable that somehow she did not have to choose between her love for her father and her honor. And the “bad” guy himself, Corajidin, dazzles in his darkness, willingly falling into a deeper and more deliberate evilness, as his ambition seemingly overwhelms all sense of restraint. And as these characters strut and bound across the pages of The Obsidian Heart, they weave a breathless tale of power, betrayal, hope, and above all else love.

As you can no doubt tell, I really enjoyed this novel. In fact, I have loved the whole series thus far and wish that more of my reading friends knew about it. If not for stumbling upon The Garden of Stones on Netgalley and really liking the cover (I am a cover purchaser, I admit it.), I might have never even taken the time to try out this intriguing series. Thankfully, I did see it, and now, I am a Mark T. Barnes and Indris Dragon-Eye fan for the foreseeable future. So if you’re looking for an interesting fantasy world that is different from the rest, then I highly recommend this series, but do start with The Garden of Stones, otherwise you will be playing catchup with all the interesting world-building and lore.

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase this novel at Amazon.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES
THE GARDEN OF STONES
THE PILLARS OF SAND

MARK T BARNES INTERVIEWS AND GUEST POSTS
ANNE CHARNOCK
SUZANNE CHURCH
THE SCIFI SHOW
UPCOMING4

Posted in Epic, Fantasy, High, Sword and Sorcery | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

SUNG IN BLOOD by GLEN COOK

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Bookwraiths

sunginblood
My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Sung in Blood is a little known work penned by Glen Cook, the author of such amazing series as The Black Company and The Dread Empire, and it was written by Mr. Cook for dissemination at a convention he appeared at in the 1990s then published later in novel form. Truthfully, the book can be characterized as either a long novella or a very short novel, and while it has all the hallmark features of one of Cook’s traditional fantasy books, it lacks the usual complexity and polish. Be that as it may, Sung in Blood is still a rousing adventure, filled with interesting characters, classic Cook-esque magic, airships, and an urban setting. Well worth any fantasy reader’s time.

The tale itself focuses on the great city of Shasessrre and its empire, whose kings are overseen and guarded by the great and powerful Jerhke. The Protector, as Jerhke is called, is a great sorcerer, having lived for hundreds of years and ketp Shasessrre safe from its enemies by the use of a magical “web” that covers the city and allows him to monitor everyone within its confines and use it to power his great acts of sorcery. But in a couple hundred years, Jerhke has made more than a few enemies, and as the story begins, one of these adversaries accomplishes the unexpected and brutally murders the Protector!

Into the magical void steps Rider, son of Jerhke and his chosen successor to the mantel of Protector. Quickly, Rider and his group of trusted friends begin the frantic search for the murderer, battling against the agents of a mysterious foreigner called Kralj Odehnal. But as soon as Rider and his friends run to ground the vile assassin, they discover that his was only a small part of a greater scheme of terror; one which is so vast and so intricate that Rider wonders if even his father with the help of the “Web” could have foiled the plot of the deadly sorcerer who wishes to rule Shasessrre or destroy it!

All in all, this book was an old school pulp fiction adventure with a twisting, turning narrative filled with intrigue, magic, humor, and suspense. Sure, it is short, has minimum character development, and little world building, but even with those qualities, Cook delivers great action and even gets in a lot of witty dialogue like the following: “That’s what I’ve been waiting for all my life. A chance to go one on one with a guy so bad he scares himself when he walks past a mirror.” So like I mentioned earlier, any fantasy fan should give this one a try – especially if you like Glen Cook.

Purchase this novel at Amazon.

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TRAITOR’S BLADE (GREATCOATS #1) by SEBASTIEN de CASTELL

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Bookwraiths

traitors_blade

Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Greatcoats

Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books (February 10, 2014)

Author Information:Website | Twitter

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

In Traitor’s Blade, Sebastien de Castell has succeeded in deftly crafting a sword and sorcery delight that harkens back to a simpler time when fantasy readers expected to be entertained with humor as well as action. Here, the characters’ playful banter and sword fighting flare is near equal to the legendary Three Musketeers, making this a debut novel that should not be missed by any true fan of action and adventure tales. The simple fact is that Traitor’s Blade is a swashbuckling adventure that brings the fun back to epic fantasy!

three musketeers

The story itself follows Falcio and his companions. This group of Trattari, or “tatter-cloaks”, were once members of the legendary “Greatcoats”, who traveled the land enforcing the king’s justice, dealing out punishment to those who dared oppress the weak. It was a glorious life, which filled Falcio, First Cantor of the Greatcoats, with a sense of accomplishment as he tried to right the world’s wrongs. But like all dreams, it came to an abrupt end.

Years have passed since the Greatcoats became the Tattari: branded traitors by nobles and commoners alike, yet Falcio still cannot forget the past nor forgive those he views as responsible for the destruction of the king’s dreams. Now, his only remaining desire in life is to fulfill a cryptic mission given from the royal lips themselves, and no matter if it takes him a lifetime, Falcio will find the mysterious Chariotes of the king — even if he must personally thrust his rapier through the gut of every unscrupulous noble in the kingdom!

three musketeers 1994

There are a lot of good things to say about this book. It is well written, paced to near perfection, filled with the correct amount of back story and politics to establish the setting, overflowing with humor and sword fighting, and blessed with a nice, surprising ending. Sure, there are a few times when our light, witty swashbuckling adventure turns dark and grim with a torture scene or an over-the-top villainess or even some bad flashbacks for Falcio or an all-knowing benefactor, but none of these “issues” ever overshadowed the brilliance of this book. From first page to last, Traitor’s Blade is exactly what it sets out to be: an exciting, witty adventure that any fantasy aficionado will adore.

In my reviews, I generally point out the problems I have with a book at this point. However, with Traitor’s Blade, I have chosen not to do that. I prefer to just recall the absolute fun I had while reading this novel and allow Mr. Castell the benefit of the doubt that the few problems in his writing will be resolved in the next book, because I dearly hope the second book in this lively series is soon to be published. In fact, I can hardly wait for another chance to laugh and frown and fight and love with the Greatcoats, as they line up once again to do battle with the forces of tyranny!

three musketeers 2012

I received this book from Jo Fletcher Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Buy Traitor’s Blade at Amazon.

Posted in Fantasy, Low, Swashbuckling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments