Great post highlighting disappointing fantasy books. And yeah, my pick was included. Take a look.
-
NCA SALES
POPULAR POSTS
-
WORST FANTASY BOOK COVERS — PART 3
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
THE OBSIDIAN HEART (PART 2 OF ECHOES OF EMPIRE) by MARK T. BARNES
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
SUNG IN BLOOD by GLEN COOK
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.
Posted in Fantasy, High, Sword and Sorcery
Tagged best epic fantasy books, best fantasy books, Glen Cook, Sung in Blood
Leave a comment
TRAITOR’S BLADE (GREATCOATS #1) by SEBASTIEN de CASTELL
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!
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!
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!
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
ICE FORGED by GAIL Z. MARTIN
My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.
Ice Forged is an entertaining but flawed fantasy/post-apocalyptic hybrid that dazzles in its depiction of the frozen waste of Edgeland and its prisoners/colonists but undergoes a disappointing evolution near the end that results in a very forgettable conclusion.
The story itself centers on a young nobleman, Blaine McFadden, who succumbs to righteous anger and slays his abusive father. The King of Donderath shows mercy to young Blaine by banishing him to a penal colony in the bitterly cold, northern realm called Edgeland. This is a country of snow and ice, mountains and volcanos, which has six months of daylight and six months of perpetual night. Life here is possible, but it is a painful one, filled with never ending coldness that seeps into your bones until you forget what warmth ever felt like. Indeed, without the liberal use of magic, life in this harsh penal colony might not even be possible, and it definitely would not exist without the supply ships that arrive from Donderath throughout the year. So while Blaine’s banishment to Edgeland is cloaked in mercy, it is in truth a sentence worse than death!
After Blaine receives this punishment, six years pass in the book with the turning of a page. Our young hero is now called “Mick”, having decided to hide his noble heritage from his fellow prisoners, and he has survived long enough to become a colonist instead of a prisoner. With a small group of friends, he now owns his own homestead on his own meager farm, raises crops and animals, works a job on the fishing boats that brave the icy sea to bring in the colonies main food source and has moved on with his life. Survival is harsh, painful even, in Edgeland, but there is a certain joy to it that Blaine has embraced. But now things have taken a turn for the worst in this rugged land, for the supply ships have stopped coming. No one knows why exactly, though rumors abound, but what Blaine and all his fellow colonist do know is that soon the six month long cycle of perpetual darkness will begin in Edgeland and without supplies no one might survive this most brutal of times!
Meanwhile, across the frigid sea in the Kingdom of Donderath, the king knows exactly why the supply ships remain at anchor in the harbors: war! A continental spanning conflict has broken out between the four main powers in the land. A struggle that initially looked to be the traditional land grab by one kingdom resulting in a brief war and one country gaining a few miles of land has turned into something much more deadly. For the King of Meroven demands total victory in this conflict, and to obtain this elusive prize he has decided to unleash the full potential of his battle mages upon his foes. Something no other monarch in history has ever felt comfortable doing, because not even the wise are sure what the end result of such a magical armageddon might be to the world and to the magic itself!
Quite an interesting set up, don’t you think?
I did, and all in all, Ice Forged was a decent novel. However, it is probably much better labeled a post-apocalyptic novel than an epic fantasy. The reason I say this is that the novel begins with a rugged group of people, not in the mainstream of their advanced “magical” society, but on the outskirts of civilization. We are introduced to the high tech – I mean, magical world these people once lived in and then witness a horrible cataclysm that wipes out this advanced society, which forces the “survivors” out on the fringe to begin using their highly specialized skills to save the world from its plunge into absolute chaos. Classic post-apocalyptic fiction with a bit of fantasy “magic” thrown in.
Once a fantasy reader understands and accepts Ice Forged for what it is, they can then appreciate the excellent job Gail Z. Martin does for much of this novel in making Blaine “Mick” McFadden’s story so interesting and compelling. It truly is a deftly crafted tale which contrasts a fully realized penal colony with its civilized mother country, allowing a reader to see how magic could become as commonplace as modern day technology and be unknowingly used by everyone for the simplest things to the most complex. Unfortunately, after the apocalypse that destroys this interesting culture, things go a bit awry in this novel.
I personally had two main problems with the story from this point forward.
One, things are too easy for Blaine and his friends. Everything falls into our protagonists waiting arms with far too much regularity. Ancient maps? Blaine gets them. Someone to advice him of what to do with the maps? No problem, there is an ancient hermit in Edgeland that no one knew about before. Civilization ends, but Blaine is far away and doesn’t know it? We will bring a survivor to him. Smoldering conflict between the colonists and the prison warden? Boom, there is a quick fight, and Blaine is now a part of the new ruling body. Food shortages? Blaine finds an abandoned merchant vessel full of goods for the penal colony. Ship to get back to mainland to begin epic quest? I did mention the abandoned merchant vessel, right? Blaine needs to travel through the wreckage of chaos back on the continent? No problem, our hero has more unlooked for allies waiting him. It just went on and on with the easy problem resolutions.
Two, vampires. Let us get one thing straight: I do not dislike vampires. They are great. Watched Dark Shadows as a kid and adored it. The Twilight movies were okay, and yes, I would have voted for Edward. So like I said, I dig vampires. They can be wonderful characters who can add an extra depth and feeling to any story they are in, but here they soon become the whole story. Whenever someone needs saving, there appears a vampire. Need some ancient knowledge? We have a vampire who knows that. Where should Blaine go and what should he do on his epic quest? A vampire knows. Honestly, the vampires went from a cool part of the story to the whole story by the end. I mean, I read a novel about Blaine only to see him turned into a vampires’ gofer?
Criticisms aside, however, Ice Forged has a very interesting post-apocalyptic fantasy world that Gail Z. Martin can weave many a compelling story in for years to come. Just in book two, I look forward to reading more about Blaine’s epic quest to save magic, the obvious rebuilding of society in the aftermath of disaster, and to discover if King of Meroven survived the armageddon he unleashed and is still determined to conquer the continent. So join me in this adventure and give this genre bender a try.
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.
Posted in Fantasy, High, Post-apocalyptic
Tagged Ascendant Kingdoms, Blaine McFadden, epic fantasy, epic fantasy series, Fantasy, Gail Z. Martin, Ice Forged, penal colony
6 Comments
BEST FANTASY COVERS – PART 2
It’s that time again! Nope, it’s not vacation time, but it is time for Bookwraiths second part of our Best Fantasy Covers!
I was very grateful for the response my first list got, especially all the comments and messages it received, and quite frankly, it surprised me that so many of you mimicked my personal feelings that good fantasy covers had a lot to do with whether you ultimately purchased the novel. (When I say this, I mean that a good cover increased the chances you’d actually investigate the novel to see if you wanted to try it while a bad cover made you generally steer clear of the story.) This affirmation by so many of you made me feel better about coming out of the closet and admitting my propensity to buy fantasy novels that have good covers.
Anyway, with my fear of rejection and ridicule now alleviated, I give you my second five nominations for Best Fantasy Covers.
1. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
This is the 1981 edition of the classic tale with cover artwork by Darrell K. Sweet (who both awed and annoyed me most of my life with his work.) While I know that this cover definitely is an example of Sweet’s notorious “renaissance faire” style, for some reason that particular problem has never bothered me here. Perhaps that is because this cover convinced me to pickup The Fellowship of the Ring in the first place and begin my amazing journey through the world of Middle-Earth, or maybe the artwork harkens back in time to my pre-teen years when life was a bit more rosy and without the constant problems of today’s reality. No matter the cause, however, this cover will always have a place in my heart and on any Best Fantasy Covers list I pen, and I am not ashamed to admit that I will miss seeing another one of Mr. Sweet’s covers on a fantasy novel. May his soul rest in peace.
Purchase the novel at Amazon.
2. The Legions of Videssos by Harry Turtledove
This is a 1987 book with a great cover by Romas Kukalis. Mr. Kukalis is probably best known by his name “Romas” which graces the cover of hundreds of speculative fiction novels from 1980 until present. Here he really captured for me the dread of a Roman centurion who finds himself trapped in an alternative dimension where magic and monsters are far from mere myths but real and very, very dangerous. I have always liked everything about this cover: colors, poses of the legionaries, monster, and the general mood. Plus it looks really intriguing, making me want to see what the novel is all about. A monster attacking a Roman centurion, I mean what the hell!
Take a look at more of Romas Kukalis’ art Here
Purchase the first book in the series at Amazon.
3. The Riyria Revelations by Michael J. Sullivan
First off, I generally hate these types of fantasy covers: all color, big words, and a small space for some typical fantasy-type characters with a moody backdrop, but for some reason, it really works with these novels. And since I couldn’t decide which one was better, I’m posting all three of them.
Book One, Theft of Swords, introduces us to our two heroes, who look deadly and dangerous, but the golden colors of the cover give away the fact that this book is definitely not a nightmarish grimdark creature but more along the lines of a “classic” fantasy tale. 
Book Two, Rise of Empire, changes the mood of the series with its dark reddish cast of the cover and the images of our two friends wrapped inside their dark cloaks, hiding from the ever increasing despair that their current situation is casting over them. 
Book Three, Heir of Novron, has Hadrian striding forward through the ruins of what we assume is the mystical Percepliquis. Naturally, Royce is lurking in the background, always covering Hadrian’s back. These three covers are just excellent examples of how great artwork of this type (Provided here by Larry Rostant.) can be merged with some interesting cover graphics and text to create an intriguing and eye catching fantasy cover. Great job, guys!
Take a look at more of Larry Rostant’s art Here
Start the adventure at Amazon.
4. Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
This is just an absolutely cool cover by Jason Chan. I know it is somewhat old school in its layout, but it really convinced me this novel had to be epic with that sort of fantasy battle raging on the front cover. Now, for those of you who have read my review of this novel, you realize I did not enjoy the novel nearly as much as I did this cover. Unfortunately, the main characters in Throne of the Crescent Moon spent more time drinking tea than battling ghuls, but be that as it may, it was a well written novel that I am glad that I tried. However, no matter the stories shortcomings in my eyes Mr. Chan really gifted everyone with a fabulous cover — even if it is a bit misleading, because no one is drinking tea.
Take a look at more of Jason Chan’s art Here
Purchase the novel with a slightly different cover at Amazon.
5. Misere: An Autumn Tale by Melissa Frohock
I do not know exactly why, but this cover makes me want to find this novel and read it. Perhaps I will be disappointed, but I really need to know who these three people are and what the hell is going on. And if covers are suppose to make a person feel exactly the way I just described then Michael C. Hayes has succeeded immensely.
Take a look at more of Michael C. Hayes’ art Here
Purchase the cover and all at Amazon.
Well, that is my next five nominees for best fantasy covers. Come one tell me the ones you like. We all know you actually do look at them.
Posted in Cover Lover, Fantasy, Lists
Tagged best fantasy covers, Darrell K. Sweet, fantasy covers, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jason Chan, Larry Rostant, Michael C. Hayes, Michael J. Sullivan, Romas, Romas Kukalis, Saladin Ahmed, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Riyria Revelations, Throne of the Crescent Moon
7 Comments
THE IRON WOLVES by ANDY REMIC
Genre: Fantasy — Grimdark
Series: The Rage of Kings #1
Publisher: Angry Robot (December 31, 2013)
Author Information:Website | Twitter
Length: 457 pages
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
The Iron Wolves is the latest “grimdark” fantasy to hit the shelves. These novels are advertised as being bloodier, grittier and, supposedly, more “realistic” than the epic fantasy of the past with characters that are either morally ambivalent or just plain sadistic. While that sounds either exciting or disturbing based upon your viewpoint, these tropes of grimdark are not necessarily good or bad by themselves; the ability of the writer to take these elements and weave them into a coherent, gripping tale is still what matters the most, as it always has with any novel. That is why for every excellent examples of stunning grimdark fantasy penned by authors such as Joe Abercrombie and Mark Lawrence there is a grimdark that splashes blood across the pages yet is an abject failure. As for The Iron Wolves, it is not a masterpiece of the genre, but is far from its worst representative.
The story itself focuses on the surviving members of the Iron Wolves. Twenty years or so ago, the Kingdom of Vagandrak was invaded by Morkagoth, an evil sorcerer, and his army of monstrous mud-orcs. The only thing that saved the land was the Iron Wolves, who held back the man-eating hordes at the Pass of Splintered Bones and somehow banished Morkagoth from the world.
The surviving Wolves became heroes. Their names revered by all the people. Epic tales of their heroic stand sung around the land. And off into the glorious sunset our heroes rode with their duly earned rewards of gold, titles of nobility, and a life of well-earned peace, far away from the world of violence that they had been forced to endure.
But things are never quite that simple in the real world. A man and woman’s life does not end when the story says “And they lived happily ever after.” No, the brutal truth is that one chapter of life might have closed, but another is just beginning.
And after the applause from their victory subsided, the Iron Wolves discovered they were still the same messed up people inside. In fact, they were worse; their deficiencies magnified by the scars from the brutal conflict they barely survived. Their new personas of nobility and riches just a pathetic lie. Inside, each of them was a broken and cursed excuse for a human.
Soon, the Wolves fall into depravity. One seeking solace in drugs. Another finding contentment in the brutality of the fighting pit. Others turning to torturing and killing innocents.
Now, however, these fallen heroes are man’s only salvation. Something worse than banished Morkagoth having arisen. A sadistic creature who has reawakened the man eating mud-orcs and is determined to annihilate the race of men.
To make matters worse, the throne of Vagandrak is now occupied by a madman. A mighty warrior who was once widely loved but who has succumbed to insanity, bowing down to his most decadent vices, refusing to acknowledge any danger to his realm while callously murdering anyone who dares to speaks out against his unwise practices. Thus, one old warrior, General Dalgoran, determines to reunite his legendary Iron Wolves, to rid them of their vices, and lead them once more in valiant defense of the realm against the vile mud-orcs and their master.
And so the epic tale begins!
Without question, Andy Remic weaves an intriguing, gore packed grimdark fantasy. It’s full of action, keeps the fighting coming nearly every page, and does not skimp on the blood. The characters are unique, flawed, and some are beyond disgusting and best described as sadistic. Not only that but Mr. Remic has seen fit to let these men, women and monsters play out their bloodstained games in an interesting world, populated by intriguing peoples, and filled with wonderful tidbits of lore that hint at even greater mysteries awaiting revelations. Unfortunately, in my opinion, Mr. Remic took some of the standard tropes of grimdark a bit too far. Allow me to explain.
All stories have to have polar opposites to play against one another. Every reader needs someone/something to empathize with and cheer for. Whether the “hero” is someone like the honorable Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings or the psychopathic Jorg Ancrath in The Broken Throne doesn’t matter. There just needs to be someone whom the reader wants to see overcome obstacles and triumph. Otherwise, there is no reason to sit down and read page after page of a novel where you hate everyone and everything.
In this novel, Mr. Remic’s “good guys” are the Iron Wolves: a group of drug addicts, pit fighters, serial torturers, and serial killers. Naturally, each of the Wolves has their justifications for their inhumane behavior, but unfortunately, no matter all Mr. Remic’s storytelling skill, none of the reasons put forward by the Wolves is good enough to remove the taint from their worthless hides. I mean, even Jorg in Prince of Thorns had his mother and brother tortured and killed before his eyes to explain his psychotic break, but in The Iron Wolves, the “good guys” throw out shallow excuses for their sadistic nature with things like “I kill those in love because love never lasts – except in death” or “I torture and kill rich people’s children because they live off the poor” or other less compelling explanations. Honestly, there is not a decent person in this whole bunch except General Dalgoran, who spends a great deal of time agreeing with my assessment of his Wolves and telling them what absolutely worthless specimens of humanity they all are.
To attempt to correct this issue, Mr. Remic took the only option open to him; he created the most sadistic, monstrous villain that he could concoct: Orlana the Changer. This strange, inhuman villainess is naturally a sexually alluring female, sadistic in both her outlook on life and her appetites. To call her cold, cruel, and cunning is not to adequately describe her, for she is quite frankly evil embodied in human form. One minute, she will be coldly “splicing” men and animals together, birthing out of their immeasurable agony monsters consumed with a blood lust for human flesh; the next she will be satiating her sexual appetite on a man slave, literally eating him alive as she spread her taint within him; and when she is famished, Orlana will casually impale a woman from anus to mouth before roasting her over a slow fire and forcing her latest man slave to partake of the cooked flesh of his former wife. Honestly, Orlana the Changers evil is so ghastly, so horrid that compared to her a reader has to prefer the drug dealing, pit fighting, child torturing, and serial killing of the Iron Wolves, right?
Perhaps some of you will feel exactly that way. I, for one, found Orlana the Changer’s evil so over-the-top, so otherworldly and so unrealistic that it did not really matter to me. Sure, it disturbed me, made me skim a bit to skip over the next wife kabob, but overall, I quickly became numb to the next horror she unleashed upon humanity. However, the very realistic and sadistic nature of the books “grimdark heroes” were difficult for me to swallow, and I felt morally dirty for even routing for them, like I was somehow accepting their crimes against their fellow men, women, and children.
With all that being said, I cannot deny that The Iron Wolves was a real page turner. Mr. Remic is a wonderful writer, and here he has delivered a grimdark lovers fantasy: no-holds-barred violence, sex, and death in page after page of blood-soaked action. There is so much of the later that many a time I reached for a towel to wipe the blood splatter from my own face. So if you are overdue for a grimdark gore-fest, then pick this one up. Just make sure you have a strong stomach and are not eating shish kabobs when you read this one.
I received this book from Angry Robot and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Purchase the book at Amazon.
Posted in 3 Stars, Epic, Fantasy, Grimdark, High, Sword and Sorcery
Tagged Andy Remic, grimdark, grimdark fantasy, Iron Wolves, The Iron Wolves, The Rage of Kings
9 Comments
WORST FANTASY BOOK COVERS – PART 2
Your favorite dose of bad fantasy covers is back with some really BAD examples of fantasy art, not just the art itself but also the nonsensical nature of some of these covers. So with out any unnecessary explanations, here are my next five nominations for Worst Fantasy Covers!
1. Lord Valentine’s Castle By Robert Silverberg
Now, I know this has both sci fi and fantasy elements to the story, but it always struck me – like The Dragonriders of Pern – as more fantasy than science fiction, but that may just be me. Anyway, I have never understood this cover. Is this whole book about a juggler? Is he at a renaissance faire? Okay, perhaps he is part of a touring group of circus performers that is going to Lord Valentine’s castle? Maybe, they got lost. And then those weird things with tentacles showed up, and our performer decided to entertain them with juggling to keep them from eating him. Or maybe, he is trying to teach them how to juggle? Or are those tentacle creatures actually Lord Valentine and his wife? And who are those people in the background, and what are they doing again? Damn, this cover really confused me as a perspective reader.
Purchase the novel with a better cover at Amazon.
2. Fox and Empire by Harry Turtledove
I have always been a fan of Harry Turtledove and his alternative history series in particular, but the simple fact of the matter is the man has been subjected to some unbelievable covers over the years. There are many examples I could post to show this, but I decided to put the most humorous of them all. Here, in Fox and Empire, we have armored men fighting a ferocious battle. They are in their chariots pulled by fiery steads, and they are prepared for the most horrible warfare imaginable. But wait, what is that overhead? Oh god no! It is a naked baby floating around pissing on everyone. Even the mightiest warrior is forced to raise up his shield and hide under it in fear of the yellow death water that said babe is spewing down upon its enemies. Aaaahhhh! The yellow rain it burns! It burns! Make it stop! Please, make it stop!
Purchase the cover and all at Amazon.
3. The Original Black Company trilogy by Glen Cook.
Each of these covers are so bad that I could not pick just one. Instead, I decided to place them all together so that we can view them as a whole.
Book One, The Black Company, has the black leather clad, Darth Vader-like individual stabbing a pentagram. It reeks of evil – except it is so “bad” that it looks more campy than cool.
Book Two, Shadows Linger, has the window in the sky with Lady’s face, as she is having a conversation with Croaker. The image is true to the story but not very appealing.
Book Three, The White Rose, has a huge tree shooting lightning. Once again, the image is taken directly from the novel, but it is not a very exciting cover.
As many of you know, I am a huge Glen Cook fan, and I personally have to admit I never bought a single Black Company novel at the bookstore due to these covers. After the series caught on, I saw the omnibus for sale in my through-the-mail book club (Anyone remember those things?) and thought that cover was intriguing. Honestly, I still wonder how anyone ever actually overlooked these covers, purchased them and discovered that these books were genre changing fantasy masterpieces.
Purchase a better cover and the stories themselves at Amazon.
4. Dragon’s Teeth by Mercedes Lackey
This is a novel of short stories by a prominent fantasy artist. I can just imagine the conversation between the publisher and the art team on this cover design.
Publisher: “We are real excited about this novel. It is called Dragon’s Teeth, and it is written by a very prolific fantasy author. So what we need is a cover to really portray the essence of this book.”
Art Team: “Wha-wha-wha.”
Publisher: “Okay. You are going to give us a great illustration of a leopard coming out of a mechanical portal. Do you think that is really . . .”
Art Team: “Wha-wha-wha.”
Publisher: “Yeah, I know you are the artist, but you really think a leopard is right for this book.”
Art Team: “Wha-wha-wha.”
Publisher: “Okay, okay, okay. Calm down. The leopard sounds great now that you have explained it. I’m sure you are right. Nothing else would work for a book titled Dragon’s Teeth except for a leopard.”
And that my friends is why a book called Dragon’s Teeth with a leopard on its front cover finds itself on this list.
Purchase the cover and all at Amazon.
5. Servant of the Dragon by David Drake
I’m not going to belabor the point that I just made above, but honestly, why would you place a huge bird on the front of a novel titled Servant of the DRAGON. It is beyond bizarre. But I’m sure the publisher and art team decided that since there were a couple of people fighting and some blue magical fireworks on the cover as well no one would ever even notice the bird. Well, I did notice! And I can’t understand why these idiotic covers keep happening to fantasy books. Make it stop already!
Purchase the cover and all at Amazon.
My weekly five. Now, it is your turn. Nominate a few covers you disliked.
NIGHT OF THE HUNTER by R.A. SALVATORE
Night of the Hunter by R.A. Salvatore
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Companions Codex #1 | Legend of Drizzt #25
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (March 4, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Length: 380 pages
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
R.A. Salvatore has exceeded reasonable expectations with this episode in the continuing saga of Drizzt Do’Urden – gifting fantasy fans with a page-turning sword and sorcery adventure that is full of swashbuckling action, shadowy intrigue, and amazing character development. Honestly, this new and improved version of the Companions of the Hall is a compelling read and might be the beginning of a renaissance for The Legend of Drizzt Do’Urden, breathing fresh life into old characters who have been desperately missed by the dark elf as well as by his many fans.
As frequent readers will already know, in The Companions, Mr. Salvatore resurrected Drizzt’s old friends, The Companions of the Hall, but did not raise them from the grave. Instead, Bruenor, Catt-brie, Regis, and Wulfgar were reborn into the world as newborn babies. Unlike normal children, however, these four retained all of their memories from their past life and were fully aware of who they were the moment they opened their eyes. From this point, Mr. Salvatore did an outstanding job of weaving an intriguing tale of the first twenty-one years of Bruenor, Catt-brie, and Regis’ lives as they grew to adulthood, developed new talents and slowly evolved into similar yet different people. But no matter their new personas, each of the Companions inevitably wove their way through life and its innumerable obstacles to met again in Icewind Dale on a certain day at a certain spot when their old companion Drizzt was in desperate need of their assistance.
Night of the Hunter picks up immediately after the events in The Companions. Now reunited, the Companions of the Hall must see if their former friendship has survived Bruenor, Catt-brie, Regis, and Wulfgar’s resurrection. Naturally, there are issues. A second chance at life has changed Drizzt’s old friends in many ways. Things that they once agreed upon so easily are now objects of contention. Internal struggles ensue, as Bruenor and Catt-brie decide that their goddess-given rebirth is an opportunity for them to rectify previous mistakes. Mistakes that Drizzt himself still views as the proper course, and so the dark elf finds himself being forced to look long and hard at whether many of his dearly held truths about life might be wrong, and quickly, it begins to look like these old friends could split apart over what their new mission in the world should be. Before things get too heated, however, one task is mentioned that all can agree upon: the rescue of their old friend Thibbledorf Pwent from his haunted existence as a vampire in the halls of ancient Gauntlygrim, and so our heroes head out into the world for a new adventure. Their differences set aside for the moment – but not forgotten.
From this point, the story divides off into several different plots and main characters. Naturally, the primary story line follows Drizzt and the Companions as they travel the lands, heading for Gauntlygrim and then arriving, but substantial portions of the book are also given over to Drizzt’s former band of adventurers (headed now by Artemis Entreri and Dahlia) as well as the drow, specifically the activities of Matron Mother Baenre. And for the remainder of the novel, Mr. Salvatore shifts perspective from one group to another, spinning an ambitious tale of reunion (The Companions), lose (Entreri/Dahlia’s group), and machination (The drow). With all three stories going on at once, a reader is hard pressed to keep everything straight in his mind, but Mr. Salvatore has always had a knack for juggling numerous plot threads, and he does an admirable job here of having each cast of characters act independently but keep their stories intertwined just enough that they all are obviously moving toward a dramatic collision.
Overall, this book was an action-packed, sword and sorcery adventure tale that mixed in enough character interaction and diabolical, drow intrigue to keep my attention. My only criticism – minor though it will sound – is that there is so much going on in Night of the Hunter that much of the plot seemed a bit rushed, as if Mr. Salvatore could have easily added in another volume to this latest chapter in Drizzt’s story. Other than this one issue though, I highly recommend this novel to all Drizzt fans or lovers of entertaining sword and sorcery tales, and while the promised climax of the story does not occur in Night of the Hunter, it is set up very nicely, leaving a Drizzt fan salivating for the promised war between drow, orcs, dwarves, and elves that is sure to follow in succeeding novels.
I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank Netgalley and Wizards of the Coast 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.
bookwraiths.com 