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FORSWORN

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Forsworn by Brian McClellan

Genre: Fantasy – Flintlock

Series: Powder Mage #0.1

Publisher: Self Published (January 21, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 64 pages

My Rating: 3.5 stars

The Powder Mage series is one I’ve been enjoying at a leisurely pace. Having missed this flintlock fantasy initially, my first forays into this world have been the author’s numerous short stories and novellas set before Promise of Blood. Forsworn being the oldest (according to the Powder Mage timeline) prequel out there.

In this tale, Erika ja Leora is a young noblewoman. Born of the union between Adran and Kez parents, she has split her life between the two neighboring kingdoms, but her fate has always been to follow her grandfather as a Duchess in Kez. Other than her mixed parentage, however, Erika seems perfectly normal . . . until the brand decorating her left chest is revealed; the scar marking her as a powder mage. This curse (or gift, according to your viewpoint) a death sentence in Kez, where the royal mage hunters — or the Longdogs, as they are called behind their backs — ruthlessly hunt down and execute all persons with such an innate ability. Only Erika’s nobility and sworn oath to never use a musket or black powder sparing her life. The oath one which Erika publicly honors, though she has been known to take a hit of powder every now and again.

Naturally, events occur which complicate Erika’s life and bring her status as a powder mage back to the forefront of her mind. This time it is a fugitive child whom our forsworn noblewoman finds hiding in the woods and feels pity for; a small act of kindness forcing Erika to make a fateful decision, one which leads her into danger and helps to mold her future!

Brian McClellan is fast becoming one of my favorite fantasy authors. His uncluttered yet descriptive writing style a perfect fit for my reading tastes and his tendency toward fast-paced, action-packed narratives helping to hold my attention no matter the chaos surrounding me. Probably my growing fondness is also due to the Powder Mage world itself, which is a place I’m growing to love more and more; its similarities to real world historical periods so familiar yet the magical flavor of it all so intriguing. And so even short stories such as Forsworn are real reading pleasures, which offer up the perfect blend of straight ahead adventure, tidbits of lore, and character development, that are an amazing introduction (or compliment to) the Powder Mage trilogy.

Honestly, I have nothing bad to say about Forsworn. It was a great novella anyway you look at it: short, entertaining, and filled with enthralling characters. If you are a fan of the series or merely a fantasy lover looking for a delicious short story to devour, I’d highly recommend you pick this one up.

Purchase the story at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Fantasy, Flintlock, Short Stories | Tagged black powder fantasy, Brian McClellan, Field Marshall Tamas, flintlock fantasy, flintlock fantasy novellas, Forsworn, muskets, Powder Mage, powder mages, Promise of Blood, The Powder Mage Trilogy | 3 Comments

TEASER TUESDAY

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Bookwraiths

teasertuesday1

Teaser Tuesday is a meme held over at Books and a Beat.

To participate, all you have to do is:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The First Empire #1

Publisher: Del Rey (June 28, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 432 pages

“Before you — before all of you — sits a hero of the clans, a man who refused to die when a bloodthirsty Fhrey demanded a Rhune’s life on a whim. Here is a hero who for one brief, wondrous moment struck a blow for the dignity and freedom of us all. Raithe, son of Herkimer, of Clan Dureya!”

He took his seat while the men in the hall clapped their bowls against the tables, drumming their approval . . .

“Are you crazy?” Raithe whispered.

“They liked the story.”

“But it’s not true.”

“Really? I remember it exactly that way.”

“But –”

A big man with a shaved head and a curly black beard stood up. He was taller than Raithe, and there were few people who fit that description. He wasn’t merely tall. He looked as solid as an ox.

“Bollocks,” he said, thrusting his chin out and pointing a finger at both of them. “So you have a pretty sword. So what? What does that prove? You don’t look like a god killer to me. I’m Donny of Nadak, and you look like a pair of liars hoping for a free meal.”

His words silenced the room, an uneasy void interrupted only by the pop and hiss of the fire.

Raithe looked over at Malcolm and whispered, “See. This is the problem with your plan. There’s always going to be a Donny.”

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON.

Posted in Teaser Tuesday | Tagged Age of Myth, Hadrian, Hadrian Blackwater, Michael J. Sullivan, new Michael J Sullivan book, Riyria, Riyria Revelations, Royce, Royce Melborn, Teaser Tuesday, The First Empire, The riyria Chronicles | 4 Comments

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (JUNE 13, 2016)

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Bookwraiths

funday-monday

The work week begins. I quickly slip into my business suit and head back into the office to save a few innocent people. But while I try to fool myself into being excited about the grind, deep down, I’m not, so I’m going to escape dreary reality by reading some great books.

While I started reading the first novel on this list last week, real life commitments (work specifically) dominated my time and put me WAY behind. This week should be better though with more opportunities for escape into the quiet solitude of a great book, so I’m optimistic I’ll be finishing Michael J. Sullivan’s latest novel in the next day or so, then start on my next.

Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The First Empire #1

Publisher: Del Rey (June 28, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 432 pages

What does it mean if the gods can be killed? The first novel in an epic new fantasy series for readers of Brent Weeks, Brandon Sanderson, Peter V. Brett, and Scott Lynch.

Michael J. Sullivan’s trailblazing career began with the breakout success of his Riyria series: full-bodied, spellbinding fantasy adventures whose imaginative scope and sympathetic characters won a devoted readership. Now, Sullivan’s stunning hardcover debut, Age of Myth, inaugurates an original five-book series, and one of fantasy’s finest next-generation storytellers continues to break new ground.

Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between men and those they thought were gods changes forever. Now, only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer, Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom, and Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people. The Age of Myth is over; the time of rebellion has begun.

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON.

The Weaver’s Lament by Elizabeth Haydon

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Symphony of Ages #9

Publisher: Tor Books (June 21, 2016)

Length: 352 pages

Acclaimed author Elizabeth Haydon returns with a heartbreaking tale of love and valor in The Weaver’s Lament, the ninth and final installment of her USA Today bestselling Symphony of Ages series that began with Rhapsody.

For a thousand years, the lands ruled by the Cymrian Alliance have been at peace. When the brutal death of a dear friend catapults the kingdom to the brink of civil war, Rhapsody finds herself in an impossible situation: forced to choose between her beloved husband, Ashe, and her two oldest friends, Grunthor and Achmed. Choosing her husband will mean the death of thousands of innocents. Siding against him will cost Rhapsody the other half of her soul, both in this life and the next.

In The Weaver’s Lament, the lines between the past and future are irrevocably blurred, and the strength of true love is tested in unthinkable ways. Bestselling author Elizabeth Haydon has delivered a spectacular conclusion to the Symphony of Ages.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Funday Monday | Tagged Age of Myth, elizabeth haydon, Fantasy, fantasy 2016, Funday Monday, Michael J. Sullivan, symphony of ages, The First Empire, the weaver's lament | 2 Comments

STACKING THE SHELVES, VOL. 29

Posted on June 11, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga’s Reviews is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether it be physically or virtually. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Impersonations by Walter Jon Williams

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Dread Empire’s Fall

Publisher: Tor Books (October 4, 2016)

Author Information: Website |

Length: 131 pages

Nebula Award-winning author Walter Jon Williams returns to the sweeping space opera adventure of his Praxis universe with an exciting new novel featuring the hero of Dread Empire’s Fall!

Having offended her superiors by winning a battle without permission, Caroline Sula has been posted to the planet Earth, a dismal backwater where careers go to die. But Sula has always been fascinated by Earth history, and she plans to reward herself with a long, happy vacation amid the ancient monuments of humanity’s home world.

Sula may be an Earth history buff, but there are aspects of her own history she doesn’t want known. Exposure is threatened when an old acquaintance turns up unexpectedly. Someone seems to be forging evidence that would send her to prison. And all that is before someone tries to kill her.

If she’s going to survive, Sula has no choice but to make some history of her own.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tor Books (October 11, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 64 pages

John Persons is a private investigator with a distasteful job from an unlikely client. He’s been hired by a ten-year-old to kill the kid’s stepdad, McKinsey. The man in question is abusive, abrasive, and abominable.

He’s also a monster, which makes Persons the perfect thing to hunt him. Over the course of his ancient, arcane existence, he’s hunted gods and demons, and broken them in his teeth.

As Persons investigates the horrible McKinsey, he realizes that he carries something far darker than the expected social evils. He’s infected with an alien presence, and he’s spreading that monstrosity far and wide. Luckily Persons is no stranger to the occult, being an ancient and magical intelligence himself. The question is whether the private dick can take down the abusive stepdad without releasing the holds on his own horrifying potential.

Purchase Hammers on Bone at Amazon

Posted in Stacking the Shelves | Tagged Cassandra Khaw, Dread Empire's Fall, Hammers on Bone, Impersonations, Praxis novella, Praxis space opera, space oepra, Stacking the Shelves, Tor novellas, Tor.com, Walter Jon Williams | 1 Comment

THE VAGRANT

Posted on June 9, 2016 by Bookwraiths

The Vagrant by Peter Newman

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic / Fantasy

Series: The Vagrant #1

Publisher: Harper Voyager (May 1, 2015)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 400 pages

My Rating: 3.5 stars

The Vagrant! The title itself is intriguing, begging the question how a fantasy story could revolve around such a person. But then you begin to read the book, and it all becomes so clear that Peter Newman is channeling equal parts Stephen King’s The Gunslinger, Peter Ward’s The Warded Man, and McCormac’s The Road, as The Vagrant mixes the extraordinary elements of each of those books, creating something spectacularly addictive, which not only defies expectations but ignores all presumptions, as it knocks you right on your proverbial ass and drags you to a place you’ve never experienced quite this way before.

As the tale begins, the protagonist walks out of the shimmering heat of the desolate landscape. This mysterious mute a sword-wielding knight of some kind, who is on a quest with a baby and a goat in tow. The three of them traveling across a post-apocalyptic landscape toward the Shining City. Their every step forward dogged by demonic pursuers who have conquered and blighted this once peaceful and beautiful land. The world’s dirty carcass infested with the warped remnants of humanity and the slowly deteriorating technology of the time before the demons. The different factions of a huge, demonic host introduced, shown in all their grotesque splendor, their infighting described, and their warping of mankind explored. The ongoing journey of the Vagrant tense and revealing of his true nature. Continual interludes dubbed “Eight Years Before” filling in the background on how the demon infestation began, who the Vagrant really is, why he is carrying a baby along, and where they are determined to go.

While this description of the novel might remind many people of other post-apocalyptic novels from the past, what sets The Vagrant apart is Mr. Newman’s storytelling style. It is jarring at times, dark and depressing, sad yet joyful, simple but multifarious as well as demanding due to its protagonist, as a reader must search the non-verbal communication of this mute knight to determine his emotions, motives, and innate nature. The lack of dialogue turning from an annoyance at the beginning of the story to a masterful stroke by the end; Mr. Newman able to convey the deepest of sentiments and invoke the strongest of responses with a simplicity of words. The slightest expressions on our knight’s face saying more than ten pages of internal monologue ever could.

As for the worldbuilding, it is an integral and irreplaceable part of the story. Mr. Newman dropping a reader into the midst of an eerie and unnatural world, then gradually revealing it not a new idea but very effectively done. Each tidbit of information growing upon the other until a complex world begins to take shape. The search for answers to the how and why of this place nearly as compelling as the Vagrant’s journey. The demonic forces pursuing his small band even more ominous due to the lack of understanding of exactly why they are after our hero. And the author’s slow revelations of all the answers (or, at least, most of them) mesmerizing in its gradual unveiling.

While I usually have to weed down my criticisms about a book to a manageable number (Yeah, I’m a hater like that, I suppose.), the only one I really had with The Vagrant was the repetitive nature of some parts of his journey. Naturally, he is moving through a desolate, formidable landscape, which doesn’t transform too much from encounter to encounter, but several of his interactions with the demonic forces and with the dredges of humanity felt the same. Definitely, different events were transpiring, but they were so reminiscent in tone and scope to previous scenes that I felt like I was having déjà vu. Thankfully, though, this problem did not persist the entire narrative, resolving itself as our hero’s journey proceeded into new locales with unique challenges and fresh faces.

Reading The Vagrant was one of the more rewarding reading experiences I’ve had lately. It is a dark, unique, brooding (at times) tale, which still finds a way to incorporate immense beauty (both spiritually and physically) into its narrative. Sure, it was difficult to read, forcing me to keep my attention focused on the briefest of details in order to understand the goings-on of its silent hero, but that made the emotions it evoked deeper and more heartfelt. And, by the end, I found I was cheering for this quiet knight, a baby, a goat, and whatever castoff the Vagrant had picked up now to find some safety and sanity in a world gone mad. Highly recommended!

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

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Fantasy, Grimdark | Tagged books like The Gunslinger, books like The Warded Man, Dark Tower The Gunslinger, demons, Fantasy, knight, magical sword, mute hero, Peter Newman, post-apocalyptic fantasy, post-apocalyptic world, The Gunslinger, The Road, The Vagrant, THE WARDED MAN | 7 Comments

TOP 5 WEDNESDAY: FAVORITE CHARACTER NAMES

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Bookwraiths

top5

Today, the guys in the Goodreads Top 5 Wednesday group had a great topic: Favorite Character Names! A topic which would seem to be fairly simple until you start trying to narrow that list down to a top five. But I’ve tried to do so, and here are my top five. What are yours?

5. ROBERT BARATHEON

I don’t know exactly why, but Robert Baratheon has a certain ring to it. To my ears, it sounds like the name of a king. Someone who took the throne in Westeros by force of will and his strong arm. That is why when Robert totally lets himself go as he ages he still can maintain a presence even though he is far from intimidating anymore. At least, that is my thoughts on the matter, and it is why Robert Baratheon is my favorite name in A Game of Thrones.

4. INGOLD INGLORION

This beer guzzling, smart ass wizard from another world in Barbara Hambly’s Darwath is the bearer of one of my favorite fantasy names: Ingold Inglorion. It just flows off the tongue, doesn’t it? Very similar yet distinct enough not to tie your tongue up saying it. Plus it fits this character who is reminiscent but very different from the other staff wielding, grey beard wizard from that other fantasy trilogy (Yeah, Gandalf from Lord of the Rings.) Perhaps, it is nothing more than I like Ingold, so I also like the name. Maybe, but I still like it though.

3. FALCIO VAL MOND

To do this name justice, I’ll let you hear the character himself use his full name and title in one of the pivotal scenes in Knight’s Shadow, the second installment of the Greatcoats.

2. BILBO BAGGINS

How can any list of best fantasy names not have a Baggins on it? I know, it has to be a requirement or something for The Lord of the Rings to be on every fantasy list. Honestly, though, Bilbo Baggins instantly makes me feel like I’m walking with a hobbit in Hobbiton to the Green Dragon Inn to drink a bit, and that is why I love the name.

the_lady___the_black_company

1. LADY

I’ve admitted over and over again that I have a huge crush on Lady. She is dangerous, devious, beautiful, powerful, wise, and loyal to Croaker (if no one else). So does it come as any surprise that her name is a fantasy favorite of mine? Probably not, because, in my eyes, she is indeed a Lady who you do not wanted to fuck with.

Posted in Top Five Wednesday | Tagged A Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire, Barbara Hambly, Bilbo Baggins, Black Company, Darwath, Falcio Val Mond, Gandalf, george r.r. martin, Glen Cook, Greatcoats, Ingold Inglorion, J.R.R. Tolkien, Knight's Shadow, Lady, Lord of the Rings, Robert Baratheon, Saint's Blood, Sebastien de Castell, Traitor's Blade | 6 Comments

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY — STRANGER OF TEMPEST

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to let readers share their excitement for books coming out soon, and the novel I’m eagerly awaiting is . . .

Stranger of Tempest by Tom Lloyd

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The God Fragments #1

Publisher: Gollancz (June 16, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 320 pages

Lynx is a mercenary with a sense of honour; a dying breed in the Riven Kingdom. Failed by the nation he served and weary of the skirmishes that plague the continent’s principalities, he walks the land in search of purpose. He wants for little so bodyguard work keeps his belly full and his mage-gun loaded. It might never bring a man fame or wealth, but he’s not forced to rely on others or kill without cause.

Little could compel Lynx to join a mercenary company, but he won’t turn his back on a kidnapped girl. At least the job seems simple enough; the mercenaries less stupid and vicious than most he’s met over the years.

So long as there are no surprises or hidden agendas along the way, it should work out fine.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Waiting on Wednesday | Tagged fantasy with guns, mercenary, mercenary company, Stranger of Tempest, The God Fragments, Tom Lloyd, Waiting on Wednesday | 5 Comments

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! This is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where a new top ten list hits the web every week!

This week our topic is …

TEN REASONS I LOVE READING FANTASY RIGHT NOW

10. JAMES A MOORE

Sword and sorcery novels were my first love when I began reading fantasy. Robert E. Howard’s Conan, Kull, and the rest my initial forays into the genre before I found my way to Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion series, which I devoured. But after a few years, sword and sorcery fell out of favor to a certain extent, becoming hard to find. Then I was lucky enough to grab an ARC of this first installment in Mr. Moore’s sword and sorcery series about the Sa’ba Taalor and fell in love with S & S all over again. Read my reviews (Seven Forges–The Blasted Lands – City of Wonders – The Silent Army) and see why.

9. MARK GELINEAU & JOE KING

Novellas are one of my main reading pleasures these days. Time is at a premium in my life with work and a family devouring most of it, leaving me precious few hours to call my own, so I am always looking for great fantasy novellas to fulfill my reading needs yet not require a tremendous time investment. That is why I stumbled upon this series of highly entertaining ones penned by Gelineau and King; two indie writers who have quickly turned me into a huge fan. Words really can’t convey how much I’ve been loving their Echoes of the Ascended series. Fantasy fans who love shorter works really need to give these stories a go.

8. MARC TURNER

Never having had the courage to start Malazan, I’ve finally found my own epic fantasy series of similar quality and complexity in The Chronicle of the Exile. Mr. Turner penning the first two books as stand alones set in the same richly detailed world, spinning intricate plots which then begin to gradually intertwine leading to . . . . I don’t know what. That is why I keep reading, so I can see where Mr. Turner is taking things. So hop on this bandwagon before you are so far behind it becomes intimidating . . . like Malazan intimidates me. 😦

7. STEPHEN R. DONALDSON

Whether he is writing about the damn, whiny leper Thomas Covenant or penning a novella set in some other fantasy land, I personally have always found Mr. Donaldson’s fantasy stories not to be missed. I will admit having to keep a dictionary handy to fully comprehend some of the author’s word choices, but that is part of the charm of reading the guy: entertainment coupled with an expansion of my word usage. And for those who do try Thomas Covenant, please go into it understanding you are suppose to despise Covenant as much as he despises himself, then (hopefully) you begin to understand him and dislike him less. At least, that is how it went with me.

6. SEBASTIEN DE CASTELL

I’m a Three Musketeer lover. I have always thought that type of story was cool. So when I picked up the Greatcoats series, discovering the same type of atmosphere with friends joking around with one another while attempting to escape death, I fell instantly in love with what Sebastien de Castell was feeding me. So much so that this series has steadily risen in my eyes from book to book until it is now one of my “must read” series. All I have to add is that I can’t thank the author enough for bringing some fun back to fantasy.

5. BARBARA HAMBLY

As one of my all-time favorite fantasy authors, I could easily justify this placement due to my fondness for Ms Hambly’s works when I was growing up several decades ago. But since I do not like to live altogether in the past, the reason I am putting Ms. Hambly here is because I still adore the books which I fell in love with so long ago; Darwath being the most notable example. Having reread this series several times over the years, it is a stellar example of classic fantasy done right, even if some of of its cultural references are a bit dated now.

4. MARK LAWRENCE

Everyone has their favorite author of the moment, and for me, it is Mark Lawrence. Prince of Thorns and The Broken Empire trilogy are among my favorites fantasy books ever (though I was initially very annoyed by King of Thorns). Prince of Fools and The Red Queen’s War trilogy is yet another amazing fantasy with a very different, but just as memorable, protagonist. And I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every Mark Lawrence short story I have read. All of which means this writer is slowly climbing my list of why I’m loving fantasy right now.

3. GEORGE R.R. MARTIN

I really don’t know why I should even attempt to explain why Mr. Martin is on this list. Whether it is his amazing A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series or the addictive Game of Thrones television series, this guy has done more to make me (and lots of other people) love fantasy more and more each day than almost anyone out there. The only reason why he isn’t further up the list is because I’m still waiting for that next book.

2. GLEN COOK

The Chronicles of the Black Company with the mercenaries of the Black Company. Croaker. Lady. The Taken. A fantasy classic which reads as well today as the first time I ever picked it up decades ago. Added to this, Mr. Cook has mesmerized me with several other great series like Dread Empire, Darkwar, Instrumentalities of the Night, and The Garrett Files as well as the spectacular stand alone The Tower of Fear. Needless to say, I love the guy’s writing, and he is always breathing down the neck of my all-time favorite fantasy author.

1. J.R.R. TOLKIEN

For me anyway, Tolkien will always be the number one reason I love fantasy. His classic fantasy trilogy is what turned me into a fan of the genre in the first place, and when my busy life took me away from reading fantasy, it was the amazing movie adaptions by Peter Jackson which rekindled my love of fantasy and gradually led me back into the reading fold. So here is a salute to his amazing vision and awe-inspiring talent.

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday | Tagged A Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire, Barbara Hambly, Black Company, Darwath, Echoes of the Ascended, george r.r. martin, Glen Cook, Greatcoats, J.R.R. Tolkien, James A. Moore, Joe King, Marc Turner, Mark Gelineau, Mark Lawrence, Prince of Thorns, Sebastien de Castell, Seven Forges, STEPHEN R. DONALDSON, The Chronicle of the Exile, The Chronicles of the Black Company, The Lord of the Rings, The Red Queen's War, The Time of the Dark, The Wheel of Osheim, thomas covenant, Top Ten Tuesday, Traitor's Blade | 6 Comments

PATH OF DESTRUCTION

Posted on June 5, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn

Genre: Science Fiction — Space Opera

Series: Star Wars: Darth Bane #1

Publisher: Del Rey (June 6, 2007)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 324 pages

My Rating: 3.5 stars

The Old Republic: a time when thousands of Jedi and Sith clash over and over again for the fate of the galaxy. This struggle between the disciples of the Force seemingly eternal in nature. Each side evolving, building anew after the tide of war turns against them. The cycle of Jedi then Sith repeating endlessly.

In Path of Destruction, the Jedi are ascendant again; their enemies the Sith having undergone yet another transformation, as the days of the Dark Lords have been swept aside, replaced by the Brotherhood of Darkness. Skere Kaan forging the acolytes of the darkside into a fearsome faternity of equals, whose combined might is focused on the Republic and its Jedi defenders destruction, not on internal power struggles.

On the desolate planet of Apatros, a young miner named Dessel sees his pathetic existence ruined by poor luck and bad choices. These two forces leading him to run afoul of Republic forces, driving him to seek a semblance of protection with the armies of the Brotherhood of Darkness. But Dessel is destined for greater things than mere soldiering. At least, the whispering of the darkside suggests such. Or, perhaps, the darkside is merely lying, leading him toward his own destruction!

Anyone picking this novel up probably already knows where the story is taking them: the rise of Darth Bane. So the revelation of a Force-user turning to the darkside is not the really focus here. Rather, the journey to the new Dark Lord’s rise is what drives this tale. The character’s choices, the obstacles overcome, and the people encountered along teh way keeping readers interested in turning the pages. The Sith Order and its inner working during the Old Republic just as much the star of the show as the main character.

With this in mind, Path of Destruction does an excellent job painting a complex picture of this time period while revealing the villainous Sith in all their dark glory, casting them in a far different light than usual while adding substantially to their complexity. The old school “bad guy” trapping ripped away to reveal a Sith religion which preaches a way of life incompatible with the Jedi but just as real and vibrant. The Sith acolytes mesmerizing in their true devotion to the darkside of the Force, praise worthy for their deep devotion to their guiding principles.

As for Darth Bane himself, his story is fairly straightforward in his bumpy rise from obscurity to preeminence, but Drew Karpyshyn doesn’t ever make the mistake of protraying him as the “Chosen One.” Instead, Bane’s development feels natural, filled with struggles and clear ups and downs in his fortunes. His abilities and powers never over-the-top or contrived, but logical for his relative growth in the Force. His path to the top littered with head-scratching moments that brand him as an ordinary person with real limitation, who just happens to develop tremendous powers. And, slowly, he grows on you, becoming a Dark Lord whom you can empathize with yet still fear.

The only complaint I can voice about Path of Destruction is the lack of substantial Sith revelations. Sure, Darth Bane is coming to power in an age where the old Sith ways have been largely lost and abandoned in favor of a more Jedi-like unity, but his inevitable quest to uncover the ancient lore of the Dark Lord’s gives Mr. Karpyshyn many opportunities to explore the past. Unfortunately, all the revelations Bane uncovers in Holocrons and ancient texts is never shared with readers. Instead, we are merely told that Bane discovered many secrets and new powers. Would have been nice to have actually had all that information shared with me, but, alas, it was not to be.

When I read this novel, I was suffering from a horrible case of KRS, or Kylo Ren Syndrome. (You know, the terrible malaise which overcomes many Star Wars fans after watching the new Sith bad guy suck it up in The Force Awakens.) So, I really, really needed an infusion of badass Sith to cure me, and Path of Destruction did the job nicely. Can’t say it is my favorite EU novel ever, but it is a good one, which anyone curious about the Sith or the Old Republic should give a try.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Star Wars | Tagged Bane, Darth Bane, Drew Karpyshyn, Expanded Universe, Jedi, Old Republic, Path of Destruction, rule of two, Sith, Star Wars, Star Wars Expanded Universe | 2 Comments

STACKING THE SHELVES, VOL. 28

Posted on June 4, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Cold-Forged Flame by Marie Brennan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tor Books (September 13, 2016)

Author Information: Website

Length: 112 pages

A quest for blood, for answers, for identity.

Atop a stone mountain, amid a dozen acolytes, she is summoned, given life, and given purpose.

Facing unnatural challenges in a land that shouldn’t exist, she is compelled to forge on till the end, discovering facets of herself she never suspected might exist.

But when success could mean losing more than mere life, is winning worth the cost of the journey?

Purchase Cold-Forged Flame at Amazon.

The Warren by Brian Evenson

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Tor Books (September 20, 2016)

Author Information: Website

Length: 112 pages

X doesn’t have a name. He thought he had one—or many—but that might be the result of the failing memories of the personalities imprinted within him. Or maybe he really is called X.

He’s also not as human as he believes himself to be.

But when he discovers the existence of another—above ground, outside the protection of the Warren—X must learn what it means to be human, or face the destruction of their two species.