| Books! Where are the great books?

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: THE IVANHOE GAMBIT (TIME WARS #1) by SIMON HAWKE

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Bookwraiths

During my teen years back in the early 1980s, my reading consisted of D&D modules/rule books, comics (mainly Marvel), “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, and Star Wars novels. Everything else I sort of stayed away from. But then one day I stumbled on this book by Simon Hawke.

I mean, you have to admit that is a really cool cover. Knight holding a shield and a tommy gun does, sort of, grab your attention. So naturally, I bought it and took it home, and never regretted the decision, because this time-traveling scifi serial began my descent into bibliophile-hood.

The central idea in the Time Wars series is that wars are outlawed in the 27th Century. Well, at least, wars in the present. Instead of laying waste the world, countries have agreed to resolve their disputes by “clocking” soldiers from the present into conflicts of the past. Each nation sends their soldiers back to the agreed upon conflict, and whichever nation has the most soldiers left alive at the end of the war wins. Obviously, there are also “referees” monitoring the count to decide who “won.”

This seemed like a great compromise for a war weary Earth. It was simple, elegant, and effective. The huge military-industrial complex kept getting to fleece humanity for profits. Countries still continued sending young people off to die over ridiculous political issues. But there would be no more collateral damage to anything in the world. All the dying and destruction would happen in the past during a historic war, so a few more dead bodies really wouldn’t change anything. And since the “experts” said nothing the soldiers from the present did could change history, time wars seemed absolutely safe.

Lucas Priest is one of these modern soldiers, and as a member of the U.S. Army Temporal Corps, he has marched with the Roman legions against Hannibal, fought against Crazy Horse with Custer’s 7th Cavalry, and even rode along with Attila the Huns’ horde. But none of those conflicts have prepared him for what he is about to get into, for it seemed that the “experts” were wrong.

About many things.

Specifically that history could be changed.

In fact, it seems that history could not only be changed it could be absolutely, totally screwed up until no one in the present would even exist anymore – 27th Century Earth disappearing like an unused thread snipped from a pair of pants. Everything Lucas knew his whole life erased from history in a blink of an eye.

Thankfully, Temporal Corps has uncovered this plot by one of the “referees” to change history. Unfortunately, discovering the plot and stopping it are two different things. And since two elite commando teams have already tried and failed, Lucas Priest finds himself drafted into the third and finally team; his part being to impersonate a historical figure close to King Richard the Lion-hearted, so that he can locate the traitor. But can he find the madman and stop him before time runs out? And can he do it without changing history himself?

I really enjoyed this book back in the ’80s. It was a genre blending work of history, fantasy, literary classics, military and science fiction. So much so that it is difficult to describe, because in one chapter you will have military time travelers conversing in a future world only to see them in the next chapter playing out roles as Ivanhoe or Robin Hood, attempting to mimic these people from history without letting their own personalities and feelings bleed through. The fact that sometimes these classic adventure characters were not portrayed in their traditional light made it even more exciting. And that is why The Ivanhoe Gambit was such a sharp, witty, twisted, fun book to read back then and still is today.

Oh, by the way, if you enjoy this book, there are several more novels in the series – each focusing on the same band of time traveling soldiers attempting to fix some temporal screw up or other by exchanging places with or interacting with different literary and historical characters. Each book is a stand alone story, and while they are all out of print, I personally think they’d be well worth a buy at your local used bookstore or as an e-book on Amazon.

Have fun reading!

Buy The Ivanhoe Gambit (Timewars Book 1) at Amazon.

Posted in 4 Stars, Flashback Friday, Science Fiction, Time Travel | Tagged BEST 1980S SCIENCE FICTION SERIES, BEST TIME TRAVEL SERIES 1980S, Flashback Friday, SIMON HAWKE, THE IVANHOE GAMBIT, TIME TRAVEL SERIES, TIME WARS | 6 Comments

TOUGH TRAVELING — DARK LADY!

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Every Thursday, Nathan over at Fantasy Review Barn hosts a weekly party where blogs get to follow along with Diana Wynne Jones’ hilarious book The Tough Guide to Fantasyland: The Essential Guide to Fantasy Travel listing their favorite books with a particular fantasy trope. So sit back and enjoy the fun.

9th OF OCTOBER, 2014 – DARK LADY

There is never one of these – so see DARK LORD instead.

I hate to disagree with you there, Diana Wynne Jones, but actually, there are lots of really vile and cunning Dark Ladies, who could give any Dark Lord a run for their money. So sit back and take a look at my favorites.

MATRON MOTHER QUENTHEL BAERNE – LEGEND OF DRIZZT

Quenthel is the reigning Matron Mother of Menzoberranzan and Mistress of Arach-Tinilith, which means she pretty much is the ruler of the drow and has turned into one wicked Dark Lady. Once considered weak and stupid, her brother helped her infused herself with the wisdom and experience of her mother Yvonnel Baenre. Through this process, Quenthel became much more intelligent and manipulative, besides having a much greater understanding of the wishes of Lolth, the Queen of Spiders. Soon thereafter, she unleashes a war to destroy the Silver Marches and the legend of Drizzt Do’Urden forever.

Buy Homeland: The Legend of Drizzt, Book I: Bk. 1 at Amazon

MORATHI, HAG QUEEN OF NAGGAROTH – WARHAMMER UNIVERSE

Morathi was the second wife of Aenarion, First Phoenix King of the Elves of Ulthuan, and mother of his son, Malekith. Though saved by Aenarion from a warband of the Chaos gods, this powerful sorceress quickly turned to these same evil forces, making numerous daemonic pacts to further her own power and eventually introducing the pleasure cults to Ulthuan, which directly led to the Sundering. Afterwards Morathi went into exile with her son and his followers, creating the blood-soaked realm of Naggaroth, where she became the First Hag Queen of the Witch Elves. Constantly adding her son in his efforts to return to Ulthuan and destroy the elves who had rejected him, this beautiful, intelligent, cruel, and bloodthirsty elf has spent 5000 years perfecting her evil powers. She is definitely a Dark Lady to fear.

Buy Malekith (Time of Legends) at Amazon

SOULCATCHER – THE BLACK COMPANY

This member of the Ten Who Were Taken was among the most powerful servants of the Dominator and the elder sister to the Lady, though they are almost the same age. Soulcatcher is herself a remarkably powerful Sorceress, exceeded only by the Lady at the height of her power, and the buried Dominator. Her name comes from the fact that she often speaks in different voices — voices that supposedly belong to the souls of those people she has caught. In The Books of the South, she truly becomes a Dark Lady, who even Lady is wary of.

Buy Chronicles of the Black Company at Amazon

LANFEAR – WHEEL OF TIME

This stalker of the Dragon, Lews Therin Telamon, and the Dragon Reborn, Rand, is the second most powerful Forsaken after Ishamael, a lover of power above all things, one of the most beautiful women to ever live, and, in the Age of Legends, one of the discoverers of the Dark One’s prison. After turning to evil, she choose her name of Lanfear, which means “Daughter of the Night.” Though supposedly a servant of the Dark One, Lanfear’s ultimate plan was to use the power she gained to destroy both the Creator and the Dark One so that she could rule alone as god of the world. Whether she really had an overinflated opinion of her true powers or not, Lanfear was definitely a seriously powerful Dark Lady.

Buy The Eye of the World: Book One of ‘The Wheel of Time’ at Amazon

THE WHITE WITCH – NARNIA

In The Magician’s Nephew, C.S. Lewis introduced Jadis, the final queen of the world of Charn, who destroyed all living things there with a single word. Once this arrogant creature arrives in the newly created world of Narnia, she immediately begins trying to conquer it, going so far as to eat the Fruit of Everlasting Life, which immediately turns her skin pale. Hiding until an opportunity presents itself, Jadis later succeeds in taking over Narnia, freezing it for a hundred years before the story which takes place in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Evil, arrogant, cruel, and willing to hurt anyone who gets in her way, this White Witch is a fine addition to the Dark Lady list.

Buy The Magician’s Nephew: The Chronicles of Narnia at Amazon

MORGAN LE FEY – ARTHURIAN LEGENDS

An original Dark Lady, Morgan is more often than not portrayed as a villainess: a seductive, megalomaniacal sorceress who wishes to overthrow King Arthur, a fierce rival of the mage Merlin, and the mother of Arthur’s bastard son Mordred, the wicked knight. By her actions, the legends say that Camelot fell and the Arthurian age ended. For those and many other reasons, Morgan Le Fey is on the list.

Buy The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) at Amazon

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY BEST OF FANTASY LISTS.

Posted in Fantasy, Lists, Tough Traveling | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Camelot, Chronicle of Narnia, Chronicles of the Black Company, King Arthur, Lanfear, Matron Mother Quenthel Baerne, Morathi, Morgan Le Fey, robert jordan, Soulcatcher, The Black Company, The Legend of Drizzt, The Wheel of Time, The White Witch, Warhammer | 16 Comments

GRIMM FAIRY TALES: ROBYN HOOD LEGEND

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Grimm Fairy Tales: Robyn Hood Legend continues the story of our female Robyn Hood who has escaped from a dark, brutal Nottingham into the modern times. Once in the big city, our heroine turns herself into a Green Arrow type vigilante, patrolling the city and taking from the criminal rich and giving to the poor. But, even though she is trying to let the past go and embrace her new life, she can’t seem to escape it. Her old choices and her old mistakes haunt her dreams, making her shun companionship, and keeping her sealed tight in a world of self-imposed despair. And then things suddenly get even worse!

For one night, Robyn’s past literally comes to life. Maid Marian, Guy of Gisbourne and Will Scarlett, who she thought was dead, appearing in this world. And they have come in search of her, to take her back to Nottingham, so she can help their ragged tag group of former enemies defeat the Dark Horde that she left behind.

From reading a few comic collections from the Grimm Universe, I generally expect these stories to have two essential features: really hot chicks and incredibly dark stories. Here there is definitely the former (Robyn is a scantily clad vigilante, of course), but the creative team has toned down the darkness and gore, making this comic story more about the character’s relationships with one another. And that actually works, because the narrative about Will’s love for Robyn (especially our female archer’s inability to embrace the love being offered) and the flashbacks about Sir Guy of Gisbourne’s past were both well handled, turning what could have been ho-hum plot lines into something a bit deeper and more meaningful. Hell, the creative team even transformed Maid Marian into more than just a damsel in distress.

Overall, Robyn Hood Legends was a well written and illustrated comic collection. Patrick Shand did a really good job of creating a new wrinkle in the Robyn Hood legend while tidying up the past storylines. The art was very nice, if not spectacular, and the covers were stellar as always. You might not find anything earth shattering here, but it is still a fun comic collection to try out.

This one is recommended for people who like fairy tale re-imagining, Zenescope, masked vigilantes, bows and arrows, and really hot chicks.

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

BUY THE COMIC COLLECTION ON AMAZON

Posted in 3 Stars, Fairy Tale, Graphic Novels, Grimm Fairy Tales | Tagged comic collections, Grimm Fairy Tales, Robyn Hood, Robyn Hood Legend, Zenescope | 1 Comment

RISE OF THE KING by R.A. SALVATORE

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Rise of the King by R.A. Salvatore

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Companions Codex #2 | Legend of Drizzt #26

Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (September 30, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 368 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Rise of the King is the type of R.A. Salvatore novel that all his fans crave. It is quite simply a tour de force of action with fights scenes galore, warfare on a regional scale, personal acts of valor, and even a little time in between the sword blows for some emotional interaction by the Companions of the Hall. Or to put it another way, everything that readers love about Drizzt Do’Urden is on center stage here with none of the usual negatives to drag them down. Honestly, it is about as perfect a Forgotten Realms story as I think Mr. Salvatore can deliver, which means it is pure sword and sorcery fun.

As the second volume of the Companions Codex, this novel picks up were Night of the Hunter left off. The drow of Menzoberranzan under the control of Matron Mother Quenthel Baenre have unleashed their plan to destroy the Silver Marches and blame it upon Drizzt’s former House of Do’Urden. With a magic induced darkness covering the land, the orcs of the Kingdom of Many Arrows and their allies fall upon the dwarves, humans and elves of the region in overwhelming numbers.

As disaster after disaster mounts against the surprised defenders, they turn upon each another: human blaming dwarves, dwarf blaming human, elves blaming dwarves and humans, and everyone blaming dead King Bruenor. And with this animosity standing in the way of the formation of a coordinated defense, the great cities of the region find themselves isolated and alone, facing an enemy that is stronger than they ever imagined.

Into this situation stumble Drizzt, Bruenor, Catt-brie, Regis, and Wulfgar. Soon, they find themselves trapped in a besieged city, desperately trying to hold back their enemies, and hoping to discover some way to help stem the rising tide. But even as they fight to survive and Bruenor continues to tell Drizzt “I told you so” about the orcs, the drow and his wife Catt-brie attempt to come to term the idea that some races are beyond saving and must be hunted down and annihilated – an idea that chills Drizzt to the core, making him wonder at the fate of his own people.

In the background of our heroes struggle, the story of Drizzt’s former comrades Ambergris the dwarf cleric, Dahlia Sin’felle the elf warrior, and Afafrenfere the human monk continues to play out, promising that they will soon reappear to take a role in this titanic struggle taking place in the Silver Marches. And as always the ever mysterious and conniving Jarlaxle lurks in the background, pushing pieces around on the game board – his motives, as always, his own.

As I mentioned, this is about as good a Drizzt story as I can imagine Mr. Salvatore penning. Besides the stellar action sequences, there are the scattered interludes with Drizzt passing along his inner thoughts, the slowly budding friendship of the new Companions, and just enough of the drow political machinations to keep a reader turning pages. At the same time, Mr. Salvatore inserts enough references to old adventures by Drizzt and companion to make these people truly feel like old friends newly reacquainted. Because, honestly, wouldn’t Drizzt tell his wife and companions about struggles he went through or exciting daring-do they missed during their sojourns in the realms of death? Of course, he would, and while it does interrupt the narrative flow a bit, these tidbits of history really ring true for this resurrection of the Companions of the Hall.

All in all, Rise of the King is sword and sorcery at its finest. Mr. Salvatore might not be reinventing the wheel here, but what he does do is craft an entertaining tale that will sweep a reader away to the Forgotten Realms for a few hours. And isn’t that what most Drizzt fans really want? Of course it is, so go read this book already.

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.

BUY THE NOVEL AT AMAZON

Posted in 4 Stars, Drizzt, Fantasy, Forgotten Realms, High, Swashbuckling, Sword and Sorcery | Tagged Companions Codex, Drizzt Do'Urden, Forgotten Realms, new fantasy books october 2014, R. A. Salvatore, Rise of the King, The Legends of Drizzt Do'Urden | 6 Comments

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (OCTOBER 6, 2014)

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Bookwraiths

The work week begins. Time for me to strap on my business suit and head back into the office to save the world one case at a time. And helping me forget about all the trials and tribulations of life will be a few books that I hope are really, really good. Since I didn’t have time to finish up Veil of the Deserter last week that will come first, then I’ll move on to a few other books.

VEIL OF THE DESERTERS (BLOODSOUNDER’S ARC #2) by JEFF SALYARDS

“History, Family and Memory… these are the seeds of destruction.

Bloodsounder’s Arc continues as Captain Braylar Killcoin and his retinue continue to sow chaos amongst the political elite of Alespell. Braylar is still poisoned by the memories of those slain by his unholy flail Bloodsounder, and attempts to counter this sickness have proven ineffectual.

The Syldoonian Emperor Cynead has solidified his power base in unprecedented ways, and demands loyalty from all operatives. Braylar and company are recalled to the capital to swear fealty. Braylar must decide if he can trust his sister, Soffjian, with the secret that is killing him. She has powerful memory magics that might be able to save him from Bloodsounder’s effects, but she has political allegiances that are not his own. Arki and others in the company try to get Soffjian and Braylar to trust one another, but politics in the capital prove to be far more complicated and dangerous than even Killcoin could predict.

Deposed emperor Thumarr plots to remove the repressive Cynead, and Braylar and his sister Soffjian lie at the heart of his plans. The distance between “favored shadow agent of the emperor” and “exiled traitor” is an unsurprisingly short road. But it is a road filled with blind twists and unexpected turns. Before the journey is over, Arki will chronicle the true intentions of Emperor Cynead and Soffjian. And old enemies in Alespell may prove to be surprising allies in a conflict no one could have foreseen.” — Goodreads

BUY THE BOOK AT AMAZON

THE FREE by BRIAN RUCKLEY

“From the bestselling author of Winterbirth comes a magnificent new epic fantasy about The Free – the most feared and revered band of mercenaries the kingdom has ever known . . .

They are the most feared mercenary company the kingdom has ever known.

Led by Yulan, their charismatic captain, the Free have spent years selling their martial and magical skills to the highest bidder – winning countless victories that shook the foundations of the world. Now they finally plan to lay down their swords.

Yet when Yulan is offered a final contract, he cannot refuse – for the mission offers him the chance to erase the memories of the Free’s darkest hour, which have haunted him for years.

As The Free embark on their last mission, a potent mix of loyalty and vengeance is building to a storm. Freedom, it seems, carries a deadly price.” Goodreads description.

BUY THE NOVEL AT AMAZON.

MISTBORN: THE FINAL EMPIRE by BRANDON SANDERSON

“In a world where ash falls from the sky, and mist dominates the night, an evil cloaks the land and stifles all life. The future of the empire rests on the shoulders of a troublemaker and his young apprentice. Together, can they fill the world with color once more?

In Brandon Sanderson’s intriguing tale of love, loss, despair and hope, a new kind of magic enters the stage – Allomancy, a magic of the metals.”

BUY THE NOVEL AT AMAZON.

So what will you be reading this week?

Posted in Fantasy, Funday Monday | Tagged BLOODSOUNDER'S ARC, Brandon Sanderson, BRIAN RUCKLEY, JEFF SALYARDS, MISTBORN, MISTBORN: THE FINAL EMPIRE, new fantasy releases october 2014, new grimdark releases 2014, THE FREE, VEIL OF THE DESERTER | 3 Comments

THE WARDED MAN by PETER V. BRETT

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Bookwraiths

The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Demon Cycle #1

Publisher: Random House (March 14, 2009)

Author Information:Website | Twitter

Length: 416 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

The Warded Man was a novel I’d heard a lot about from my reading friends. Peter V. Brett’s name was constantly whispered in my ear as a writer whose work I must try at once. And after finishing this story, I have to admit that was very wise advice — at least where this book is concerned.

For those who haven’t read Mr. Brett’s Demon Cycle series, it is set in a post-apocalyptic world where demons rule the night. In fact, the cause of the apocalypse was the rising of these demons from the underworld, which resulted in human kind almost being totally wiped out. Only by hiding behind special “wards” has a small remnant been able to escape total annihilation. But it is a very precarious existence, for if even one ward fail then the demons will immediately burst into a city or a home killing everyone within. And the worst part is that man has no way to even harm these demons!

But things begin to change when a young boy named Arlen loses his mother to demons while his father cowers in fear. The tragic loss and disgust at people’s fear of the demons leads Arlen on a desperate trek across the nighttime landscape, where he unwittingly discovers his almost uncanny ability to recognize and draw wards.

Barely escaping death at the hands of demons, Arlen is found by a Messenger (A group of specially trained and armed warriors who travel the land with their Jongleurs, entertaining the peasants, trading goods and delivering messages for the rulers of the land.) who takes him back to one of the Free Cities, where the young boy soon begins his training to ultimately become a Messenger himself. His secret desire to travel the world and rediscover the lost offensives wards that can kill demons!

Spaced in between chapters about Arlen are ones focusing on two other characters: a teenage girl named Leesha, who lives in a small village, and a small boy, Rojer, whose life takes an unexpected turn and leads him to the life of a Jongleur. Both these tales are interesting, if not as epic feeling as Arlen’s journey, but I’d have to say that Leesha’s character and life was much more well done than Rojer, who did not get enough page time.

Naturally, a reader senses that the story will eventually push these three people together, but Mr. Brett does a good job making the journey to that point entertaining and intriguing. Each of the youths living very different lives and developing their own unique character and outlook on the world around them – something that kept their individual tales fresh throughout the novel.

There were a few things that I did not love about the novel. One was simply that Arlen’s “big” discovery was a bit of a letdown. Rather than something epic, where he has to brave dangers and escape with his life, he just stumbles upon a map that leads him directly to a spot. No real buildup to this earthshattering discovery, but rather Boom! there it is. Two, the constant skipping of years by the end of the story grew tiresome. It just would have been nice to see Arlen, Leesha, and Rojer grow up instead of them showing up later in the story as a grown woman and two grown men, changed by the years.

Overall, I have to say that The Warded Man was a great book to start the Demon Cycle series, as it had everything that I look for in an opener: interesting characters, mysterious history, creative world, and plenty of fighting. Naturally, the whole concept of demons and wards was the real selling point to me, but Mr. Brett also livened up the rather straightforward narrative, making me turns the pages desperate to discover the answers to some of the questions brewing in my mind.

This one is highly recommended!

Buy the book at Amazon.

Posted in 4 Stars, Epic, Fantasy, High | Tagged best fantasy books, best fantasy novels, best fantasy series, best ongoing fantasy series, Peter V. Brett, THE DEMON CYCLE, THE WARDED MAN | 18 Comments

THE LONGEST FANTASY SERIES

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Bookwraiths

Every one of you has done it: fallen in love with an epic, fantasy series that goes on and on forever. The ones that begin so grandly then morph into multi-volume nightmares that never seem to end. Even the authors know they are bloated beasts, for example take Tad Williams, writer of the “Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn” series, who labeled that trilogy “The Bloated Epic.”

Having gone through this horror myself more than once, I wondered what fantasy series in my life (I was born in 1970) were the longest and most bloated. Not “bloated” in the sense that they were terrible reads (though there are some that were horrid) but rather that the author had contracted “Herbert’s Syndrome”, in which he is overwhelmed by the temptation to keep expanding his popular universe. (I’ve read that the Fantasy Review came up with the label “Herbert’s Syndrome” when Dune creator Frank Herbert kept pumping out Dune books back in the 1980s.)

With this in mind, I did some research and came up with thirty of the “Longest Fantasy” series ever published. While I realize word count would be a more reliable measure of true length, I found it difficult to get (what I considered) reliable data regarding word count of all fantasy series, so I settled for number of pages in series, which seems to be a fairly accurate measure of total length.

After you read through the list, please nominate any others that you feel should be included. I do read the suggestions and modify this list from time to time.

#30: THE BLACK COMPANY

Glen Cook has led this bunch of mercenaries across two continents and into a few different dimensions through nine books with 3,808 pages. Two more books planned in the series.

#29: DRENAI SAGA

David Gemmell was a master of heroic fantasy; none of his books more well known than this beloved series, which stretched to 11 novels with approximately 4,432 pages.

#28: THE DARK TOWER

King’s epic has run 8 books and 4,600 pages, and it will only grow larger. Trust me. See my reviews of several novels in the series.
Gunslinger Drawing of the Three Wolves of the Calla Dark Tower VII

#27: MYTH ADVENTURES

Robert Lynn Aspirin’s humorous fantasy series has run for five decades and provided fans with 20 novels, sitting at approximately 4,821 pages.

#26: A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE

Martin’s saga is 5 books and basically 5,000 pages long, and it is not close to being complete.

#25: THE DERYNI CHRONICLES

Kurtz began this in 1970 and has reached 16 books with approximately 5,000 pages. Plus, there is so much more to write about in this world that I doubt we have seen the end of this long running series.

#24: THE WORLD OF THE BELGARIAD

Eddings wrote two 5 book series and two histories: 12 novels and 5,014 pages in all. See my review of Pawn of Prophecy, the first book in the series.

#23: A CROWN OF STARS

Elliot’s 7 book series with 5,300 pages. Each book averaging a slim 750 pages.

#22: IMAGER PORTFOLIO

L.E. Modesitt, Jr.’s first series on the list with 11 books and around 5,350 pages. At least one more novel planned.

#21: THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT

The Unbeliever’s “believers” have purchased 10 books so far and devoured almost 5,500 pages about their favorite leper. Supposedly, the series is over, but then again, I thought the Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant was the last. So stay tuned to this one.

#20: THE ETERNAL CHAMPION

Michael Moorcock has published dozens of eternal champion books, but I decided to use the White Wolf omnibus editions, which collected all the stories in one nice hardcover set. This White Wolf series stretches for 14 books with 6,095 pages.

#19: THE DRESDEN FILES

Urban fantasy poster boy has over 6,200 pages through 15 books, and remember, he is still growing. See my review of Storm Front, the first book in the series.

#18: WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

Wurts has put out 9 books so far. Several more planned. Each novel is close to 700 pages, for a total of 6,281 pages at present. Destiny’s Conflict (Book 10) tentatively set to be published on October 5, 2017.

#17: KUSHIEL’S UNIVERSE

Jacqueline Carey’s series has been around for a while with 9 books, totaling 6,535 pages.

#16: DRAGAERA WORLD

Brust has dazzled his fan with 21 novels and approximately 6,620 pages. Vallista to be released October 17, 2017. So excited. Yawn. See my reviews.
Jhereg The Phoenix Guards Brokedown Palace

#15: DEVERRY CYCLE

Fifteen books with approximately 6,912 pages from Katharine Kerr.

#14: REDWALL

During Brian Jacques life, he penned 22 novels in his amazing world, and his fans will continue to cherish all 8,645 pages.

#13: DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN

Labeled scifi by some, these 26 books have always seemed more fantasy with just a touch of science fiction mixed in to liven things up a bit. But whether you agree with me or not about that, you will, no doubt, concede that the series is approximately 9,000 pages and still growing.

#12: DRAGONLANCE

Okay, I know some of you are saying this is a serialized world with numerous authors writing about different characters, and I totally agree, so I am only counting the novels authored or co-authored by Margaret Weis or Tracy Hickman. With this criteria used, the core Dragonlance novels came down to 21 novels with 9,038 pages or there about.

#11: REALM OF THE ELDERLINGS

Robin Hobb has written 16 novels in this universe so far with around 11,000 pages. The author has left it open to return to the world again in the future if she feels she has another story to tell.

#10: THE LEGEND OF DRIZZT

Salvatore has given us a “legendary” run of 30 books with nearly 11,500 pages. It appears the series may have come to an end for the foreseeable future, but don’t count Drizzt out: there are always more stories to tell. See my reviews of the most recent books in the series.
Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf Archmage Hero

#9: THE SWORD OF TRUTH

Goodkind has published four series in his fantasy world of the Confessors: Sword of Truth, Richard and Kahlan, The Legend of Magda Searus, and Sister of Darkness: The Nicci Chronicles. These novels total 17 books so far with approximately 11,400 pages. Each book averaging almost 700 pages.

#8: THE SAGA OF RECLUCE

Modesitt’s second series on our list with Recluce stretching out 18 novels with approximately 10,740 pages. Book 19 (The Mongrel Mage) will be released on October 31, 2017.

#7: SHANNARA

A series that has run 29 books with nearly 12,200 pages. If you include four short stories and a graphic novel into the equation, then the series is at 34 published work with approximately 12,500 pages . . . and it’s still getting bigger: The final series (The Fall of Shannara) having begun in June 2017 with the publication of The Black Elfstone. See my reviews of the most recent Shannara novels.
The High Druid’s Blade The Darkling Child The Sorcerer’s Daughter.

#6: THE WHEEL OF TIME

Jordan and Sanderson’s 15 book epic. 12,000 pages. Basically 800 pages per book!

#5: XANTH

A little over 13,000 pages! 39 books! This series of cheesy fantasy jokes and fun puns is still going strong after all these years.

#4: THE RIFTWAR CYCLE

Feist strung this one out for 30 books and over 13,100 pages. It is over finally – we think.

#3: VALDEMAR

Lackey has penned 34 novels with 14,000 pages. A big investment of time there. And I’m not even including the short story collections.

#2: MALAZAN

Erickson and Esslemont’s series is now so long I’ve lost count of how many books there are in all the different series, but I believe we are up to 19 by the end of July 2017 with around 14,500 pages. Each novel averaging approximately 800 pages. If you add in the six novellas, the series is now above 15,500 pages long with 25 published works, and the latest novel arrives in November 2017 when Deadhouse Landing (Path to Ascendancy #2) hits shelves. Obviously, this series isn’t going to stop growing for quite some time, it seems.

#1: DISCWORLD

During Terry Pratchett’s prolific writing career, he wrote 45 Discworld novels spreading across 15,497 pages. And while this fantasy master has passed away, Discworld will always remain to pay homage to his greatness.

Now, to be honest, we all love for our favorite book series to go on and on. (I personally recall tearing up as a kid when Lord of the Rings ended.) And as long as the author can continue to churn out interesting new story ideas or plot lines, it isn’t a bad thing for anyone that a series goes “long.”

What inevitably seems to occur, however, is at some point new ideas stop coming and old ones start being rehashed, resulting in a great series turning into a never ending procession of the same formulaic story. “Bloat” sets in, if you will, and then it is up to the author to just stop. End it already, like Tolkien did by sending Frodo and Gandalf into the west at the end Lord of the Rings. Sure, I cried when I read it, but it was better than me giving up on the eighth LoTR sequel. You know, the one where Frodo is taking an enchanted sword to Mount Gundabad to destroy it so as to cast down the Ringwraith who survived Sauron’s destruction.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER BEST OF FANTASY LISTS.

Posted in Fantasy, Lists | Tagged Black Company, David Gemmell, DISCWORLD, Dragonlance, DRENAI SAGA, drizzt, ETERNAL CHAMPION, fantasy series, george r.r. martin, Glen Cook, goodkind, IMAGER PORTFOLIO, longest fantasy series, margaret weis, Michael Moorcock, MYTH ADVENTURES, pern, R. A. Salvatore, raymond e. feist, REDWALL, riftwar, ROBERT ASPIRIN, robert jordan, Stephen King, Sword of Truth, TERRY PRATCHETT, the dark tower, tracy hickman, valdemar, wheel of time | 68 Comments

THE SWORD AND ITS SERVANT (GRAUWELT #1) by VICTOR SALINAS

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Bookwraiths

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

The Sword and Its Servant is the first installment of what is planned as an ongoing series. This “portal” story is definitely a YA novel with its “coming of age” theme, but it also has a very strong element of horror incorporated in it with some nightmarish characters who do some rather nasty things. And that blending of YA and horror is definitely what gives this tale a uniqueness missing in many other books; something fantasy readers tired of the familiar fantasy tropes might find very refreshing.

The story begins on Earth with a young boy named Johannes, who is read a bedtime story by his mother. This fairy tale (for so they both believe it to be) talks about a world called Grauwelt, where a group of refuges has fled for safety only to find it haunted by a horrible supernatural creature who begins to devour them. When all hope of their survival seems lost, the leader of these refugees does the unthinkable and turns to hell itself for help.

After his mother stops reading and tells him to go to sleep, Johannes finds himself unable to stop his imagination from wandering. Instead of settling down to slumber, his mind races with images of himself as a brave knight, riding off on his mighty steed to fight the nightmarish hound-like creatures of Grauwelt called the Lowa.

And then the horror begins for this small boy snugged safety under his covers, as he finds a portal opening in his room! The pulsating whirlpool of light filled with insidious voices and shadowy images of the creatures spoken of in the fairy tale – things that are not so easily vanquished by Johannes’ toy sword. And before he can even call for help, the youth finds himself forced into the sibilant vortex and taken to Grauwelt. A different reality that is somewhere between our own and that of Hel, filled with creatures that are straight out of his nightmares, all of them locked in a struggle to the death for survival.

From this beginning, Mr. Salinas develops the story through several different points of view. After Johannes’ introduction, a parallel story about a strange girl named Einsa is begun; her life being one of unending terror as she lives in pitch black cells full of abducted children. And then the author moves onto several of the Lowa, who are the sons of the King and involved in political machinations. Through these multiple stories, a vivid world of darkness and violence is carefully crafted.

There are several things to really like about The Sword and Its Servant.

One is that Mr. Salinas has crafted a rather non-traditional fantasy world, based not on humans but on another species entirely. The Lowas are truly horrible but also complex creatures who have their own peculiar traditions and civilization that are slowly revealed by the author.

Two, this is not a classic “good versus evil” tale. In fact, all the characters portrayed here are definitely gray. Throughout the narrative, you will find yourself thoroughly hating one for his actions, only to find the motives for those heinous deeds explained later and the hatred turning slowly into mere dislike or perhaps something even more. For example, the Lowas are definitely creatures out of a child’s nightmare, but Mr. Salinas develops them into intelligent beings whose vile acts are within the parameters of their culture. And even the denizens of “Hel” are not shown as completely evil, but something between the two polar opposites of good and bad.

Third, The Sword and Its Servant is not merely a book series; it is actually the introduction to the role-playing world of Grauwelt. Online, lovers of Mr. Salinas’ fantasy creation can immerse themselves into this world via a role-playing game aptly dubbed Grauplay. Something that isn’t exactly new, but the creative team does a great job of integrating the two things together in a new, inventive way, and it does add that extra dimension to the series as a whole.

Overall, I like The Sword and Its Servant. Mr. Salinas’ writing was more than adequate for this YA story; something that I know will only improve as the series progresses. The plot was inventive and fast paced, which makes it perfect for YA lovers. So if you are just a fantasy aficionado looking for something different, or a horror fan who likes it a bit fantastical, this is absolutely something you should check out.

Posted in 3 Stars, Dark, Fantasy, High, Self-Published | Tagged Grauplay, Grauwelt, The Sword and Its Servant, Victor Salinas | Leave a comment

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (SEPTEMBER 29, 2014)

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Bookwraiths

The work week begins. Time for me to strap on my business suit and head back into the office to save the world one case at a time. And helping me forget about all the trials and tribulations of life will be a few books that I hope are really, really good. Unfortunately, I got a little behind on my reading last week, so I never got around to Scourge of the Betrayer, but that won’t happen this week. Real life be damned, reading comes first!

SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER (BLOODSOUNDER’S ARC #1) by JEFF SALYARDS

“Many tales are told of the Syldoon Empire and its fearsome soldiers, who are known throughout the world for their treachery and atrocities. Some say that the Syldoon eat virgins and babies–or perhaps their own mothers. Arkamondos, a bookish young scribe, suspects that the Syldoon’s dire reputation may have grown in the retelling, but he’s about to find out for himself.

Hired to chronicle the exploits of a band of rugged Syldoon warriors, Arki finds himself both frightened and fascinated by the men’s enigmatic leader, Captain Braylar Killcoin. A secretive, mercurial figure haunted by the memories of those he’s killed with his deadly flail, Braylar has already disposed of at least one impertinent scribe … and Arki might be next.

Archiving the mundane doings of millers and merchants was tedious, but at least it was safe. As Arki heads off on a mysterious mission into parts unknown, in the company of the coarse, bloody-minded Syldoon, he is promised a chance to finally record an historic adventure well worth the telling, but first he must survive the experience!

A gripping military fantasy in the tradition of Glen Cook, Scourge of the Betrayer explores the brutal politics of Empire–and the searing impact of violence and dark magic on a man’s soul.” — Goodreads

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VEIL OF THE DESERTERS (BLOODSOUNDER’S ARC #2) by JEFF SALYARDS

“History, Family and Memory… these are the seeds of destruction.

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RISE OF THE KING (COMPANIONS CODEX #2) by R.A. SALVATORE

“In the second book of the Companions Codex, the latest series in the New York Times best-selling saga of dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden, R.A. Salvatore picks up with the fan-favorite storyline of dwarf king Bruenor Battlehammer and his bloody feud with the orc kingdom of Many Arrows.” — Goodreads

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Yeah, it is going to be an exciting week at my house. What books are you going to be reading?

Posted in Fantasy, Funday Monday | Tagged BLOODSOUNDER'S ARC, Companions Codex, JEFF SALYARDS, R. A. Salvatore, Rise of the King, SCOURGE OF THE BETRAYER, VEIL OF THE DESERTERS | 7 Comments

DURING THE DANCE by MARK LAWRENCE

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Bookwraiths

During the Dance by Mark Lawrence

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy

Series: Stand-alone short story

Publisher: Self Published (July 4, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 9 pages

My Rating: five out of five stars.

This is a short story penned by Mark Lawrence, author of the grimdark masterpiece Prince of Thorns and its sequels. While it has some fantastical elements, it is definitely not a fantasy work nor a grimdark in anyway, but rather a simple tale of love and loss set in the modern world.

Since this is such a compact tale, I will not attempt to summarize it other than to say it focuses on a young girl who sees another side of the world. And while nine pages is not much time to craft a complex story, Mr. Lawrence injects so much emotion into those two thousand words that even the most hardened person will likely find their heartstrings gently played by this girl’s poignant tale.

Truly, During the Dance is a story not to be missed. Its hauntingly beautiful narrative of love will echo in your memories long after you close your e-reader. While those who abhor The Broken Empire and its grimdark lead Jorg Ancrath may feel led to skip this short story, I would ask that they not do so, because it is a different story that should not be compared to Jorg Ancrath’s tale in any way. I personally revisit it from time to time, and it never fails to cast its spell over me. Due to that, it is one of my favorites stories of all time, and I’d love to help introduce it to others out there.

DOWNLOAD THE STORY AT AMAZON.