The Shadow Casket is a fantastic sequel in a very exciting, yet dramatically underrated, series.
It’s been five years since I read the first book iThe Shadow Casket is a fantastic sequel in a very exciting, yet dramatically underrated, series.
It’s been five years since I read the first book in the series, The Ember Blade. Back then, I used to read so many more fantasy novels. But this one really stuck out for me. Not only was it an absolute behemoth of a story, but it was also one that was immersive and subversive. The characters are all great, as is the world, though the strength of this story comes from its ability to turn standard fantasy tropes on their head.
Wooding seems to set up the story to follow a simple a basic fantasy narrative, one we’ve all seen dozens of times before, but then he takes the story in new and unexpected directions. And he did that again here. The Shadow Casket surprised me on several occasions. I had no idea where any of this was going. This might seem a basic and obvious point to make, though I think its fair to say that nobody wants to know the ending before the story has even begun. Nobody wants predictability in fantasy.
It’s only just beginning
I’m not entirely sure how long this series is going to be because there is so much room for expansion. It feels like it is just getting started in a way. And that’s because the world feels so huge. The action in this book is just a glimpse of what is happening elsewhere and across the continent. For me this is one of the most vital aspects of fantasy. I need to feel like the world has existed before the events in the book and will continue to exist after. And Wooding has nailed this aspect of writing terrifically. The storytelling scope of this series is on par with The Wheel of Time or, at least, it could be if it keeps flowing like this.
There are several characters who each have so much potential for development too. I like the way Wooding has built on a number of them here and fleshed them out. It’s also worth mentioning that he isn’t afraid to kill of characters too when their part in the story is over. Again, this is another important aspect of writing in the genre because too many fantasy writers are a bit precious about their characters and keeping them alive. So he’s got this right too and it makes the action and quests seem all that dangerous, knowing the heroes can be killed off.
A heartfelt recommendation
I recommend this to readers who like Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, Tad Williams and Robin Hobb. Wooding is very much on par with them and he is essential reading for those that love epic fantasy, especially those who like writers that take their time to write stories that slowly develop into something grand. I look forward to the next book in the series.
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Middle-Earth is is where I go when I need to escape from reality and be somewhere better and more magical than the mundanity of normal existence.
I’ve Middle-Earth is is where I go when I need to escape from reality and be somewhere better and more magical than the mundanity of normal existence.
I’ve read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit countless times. I’ve also read almost everything published under the name Tolkien (bar the history of middle earth) and I will continue to keep reading books published under his name. Why? Because I hope to get a glimpse at something new or a snippet of information that I did not know about.
Yes, some of the newer stuff is incomplete and some of it is very clearly cash-grabs. But I will keep buying them and reading them because that’s how much I love Tolkien and his words and ideas. He occupies a truly unique place among fantasy writers because there has never been a writer quite so great as him to try their hand at the genre. Nothing else really compares to him no matter how hard new writers attempt to emulate his works. Every fantasy writer since stands in his shadow.
The Nature of Middle Earth isn’t a straight narrative. It’s a book to dip in and out of, and one to add to your collection only if you’re a bit Tolkien obsessed. The book is a mixture of essays on language, elves and metaphysics. There a total random mix of topics that depth to an already very deep and rich world. I loved it!
I wonder how many more of these posthumously publish works are yet to come. There have been so many already.
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I don’t read much new fantasy these days, but I do make a conscious effort to finish all the series I started when I was massively into it a few yearsI don’t read much new fantasy these days, but I do make a conscious effort to finish all the series I started when I was massively into it a few years ago.
And I’ve always been impressed by Tad William’s ability to create such massive worlds with so many characters and perspectives. Into the Narrow Dark is no different. This is how I like fantasy to be written; it has layers of storytelling wrapped around more layers of storytelling: it’s fantasy on such an epic and grand scale. It’s slow too and well-paced. Nothing gets rushed and the story develops in its own time. It's careful and it's also fantastic. I really do recommend this writer.
An epic conflict
Race wars drive the narrative. The evil Norn Queen is set on world domination and wiping the humans out, though it is clear this comes from a certain sense of fear. She is afraid the humans will spread and conqueror all, so she is acting first with all her machinations. Her and her people are terrifying and intriguing. I find them the most fascinating part about the series, and I always want to know more about them. I’d love to see an origin story of sorts.
The humans, on the other hand, are divided and are beset by traitors. As this book ends, they are in a very dire situation and I’m quite intrigued to see how they will get out of it. The odds are certainly against them as the Norns have been planning their conquest for decades and have weakened the humans in every possible way. There's not much hope to be had for them.
This is all setting up for a rather big ending
This is the third book in the series. Originally this was meant to be the final installment, but the story became so big it had to be spit into two. And I can see why. The addition of more characters that were first introduced in Brothers of the Wind only complicates the story and adds more depth. There’s a big conclusion coming, no doubt, but it still needs to get there.
I’m not really one to talk about book covers in reviews, and this by no means affected my rating of this, but I’m quite disappointed with the quality of this one. Compare the cover of this to the first two books in the series and you will see exactly what I mean. It’s like the magic has gone. What happened?
Overall, this is a good book in a great series. I feel like there’s just a conclusion to come now and I look forward to reading it later in the year.
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The Fall of Númenor is an absolute delight to read. It’s a history of an entire age of middle-earth put into a narrative that helps capture just how dThe Fall of Númenor is an absolute delight to read. It’s a history of an entire age of middle-earth put into a narrative that helps capture just how detailed Tolkien’s world is.
It focuses on the collapse of Númenor, the actions of Sauron and the forming of The Last Alliance. It establishes a strong image of what Númenor was and how significant its fall was.
The Fall of Númenor has been compiled from several of Tolkien’s other works. There are bits from The Silmarillion and there are bits from Unfinished Tales. There are also snippets of conversation lifted from The Lord of the Rings that describe Númenor. And it all comes together really well to capture a culture and a people that are of vital importance in the history of middle-earth.
Be warned though, there’s no new content here. There’s no new information or no new stories that are told. Instead, we have a timeline of events detailing the second age in all its tragic and eventful glory. It’s been put into order and crafted to capture the events that led up to Tolkien’s most famous novels. And it is a very good volume, one I'm proud to have on my shelf. But if you are looking for new content, you will be disappointed.
I'm really impressed with the layout of this book too. Indeed, the new artwork (Allan Lee never disappoints) and the quality of the editing are both very high. I enjoyed this book immensely, though I do think this one for the most dire hard Tolkien fans and collectors.
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This deceptively simple dark fantasy fairy tale will appeal directly to readers of The Chronicles of Narnia,The Golden Compass and Coraline. It's a sThis deceptively simple dark fantasy fairy tale will appeal directly to readers of The Chronicles of Narnia,The Golden Compass and Coraline. It's a story that has a lot more going for it than the surface level of the writing suggests.
What makes The Book of Lost Things so special is the way in which in interacts and adapts a multitude of fairy tales from various sources and blends them all into one big adventure. There’s a lot of ideas here and it’s all brought together in a warped world as a young boy (David) attempts to navigate his way home. The world he has found himself in is an amalgamation of stories and characters and his own dreams. This idea works fantastically well and it’s something a lot of readers will really appreciate. Who doesn't want to ditch reality and escape into a fantasy world?
So central to the novel is the importance of reading and the strong sense of escapism books can bring us. Whilst David, essentially, gets lost in his own world of books and ideas, it’s the act of reading that helped him come to terms with the loss of his mother. His adventure, enacted through stories and the characters he has read about, becomes a means for him to grow as a person and to learn about decency. Fairy tales are often moralistic, and David’s tale is no different.
It’s worth mentioning just how dark this book is. For the first part of the story, it appears to be very much a book for children. Moreover, it’s marketed and published as one too, which I find a little odd considering just how disturbing some of the sections are. There are often creepy undertones to fairy tales, but here it is much more blatant. There are brutal death scenes and there are graphic descriptions of surgery and creating human-animal hybrids by sowing corpses together. It’s dark and creepy. This isn’t by any means a criticism of mine, but just a warning for those who think this is a children’s book: it’s not one.
Now back to the importance of reading. I’ve always found books that cement a love of literature within their own stories to be quite special. I guess it’s a case of knowing your audience and writing to them, letting them know exactly how significant books can be in our lives. There’s a lot to be said here and in some ways this book is deceptively simple. It follows a basic quest like narrative, hopping from story to story, after some initial set-up in the real world, but what it’s actually doing is a bit more complex: it weaves together unconnected fairy tales to establish the transformative power of books. And I loved it. It’s such a clever device and the delivery was excellent.
So I really recommend this one to those who enjoy fantasy and to those that appreciate the escapism that books can bring.
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Blood of Elves sets the stage; it pulls back the curtain and begins to tell a story that is clearly going to develop into something quite grand.
MakeBlood of Elves sets the stage; it pulls back the curtain and begins to tell a story that is clearly going to develop into something quite grand.
Make no mistake this is Ciri's novel, and this is very much the start of her story. Breaking the mould of the episodic short stories of The Last Wish and The Sword of Destiny, which follow the adventures and monster killing contracts carried out by Geralt of Rivia, this is about the growth of Ciri and the trials she faces as she attempts to discover exactly who (and what) she is. After seeing Geralt in action, she wants to be a Witcher too; however, she has the potential to be something much more. Learning exactly what this and why she is so important drives the story forward.
I really like how well described the magic systems are and how each character has their own limitations. Although Ciri is still learning, Geralt and Yennefer are very much aware that she has the potential to be greater than both of them in terms of magic skill and fighting prowess. Geralt trains her with the sword and Yennefer with magic. Again, we are just beginning to see the possibilities of what she can do. Her elder blood has determined her destiny, she just needs to discover it once she has finished learning.
“Remember,” she repeated, “magic is Chaos, Art and Science. It is a curse, a blessing and progress. It all depends on who uses magic, how they use it, and to what purpose. And magic is everywhere. All around us. Easily accessible.”
Because of the political power Ciri possesses, the world is out to remove her from the existence because she is too powerful a pawn if the wrong hands got hold of her. She is the heir to the mighty kingdom of Cintra, and it is a prize many seek to conquer. As such, Ciri finds herself much sought after for not only the political advantages her hand possesses but also because of her innate abilities. Although the plot is slow moving in this regard, focused only on the perusal of Ciri, I feel like the ground has been laid for some interesting developments over the next few books.
So, this is a very good start to a series that I am very excited to read more of. I particularly like how it has built upon the foundations the short stories laid, adding depth to a world that was already very intricate with a large amount of careful world building established. The monsters in all their variety gives the world a bit of a unique feel and when combined with the magic, factions and guilds it has a very strong sense of identity. And this is important because I’ve found that the genre, for all its brilliance, can start to feel very samey when you a read a lot of it.
To conclude here though, I'm expecting great things from this series and from Ciri.
Short Story Collections 1. The Last Wish - 4.25 stars 2. The Sword of Destiny - C/R
The Witcher Series 1. The Blood of Elves - 4.0 stars __________________________________
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Cytonic is the third book in a very ambitious series written by a master storyteller at the height of his craft. It just all seems so effortless, the Cytonic is the third book in a very ambitious series written by a master storyteller at the height of his craft. It just all seems so effortless, the way it all comes together.
Part of me wonders if Brandon Sanderson has ghost writers, simply because his output is so high, and the quality is always very high. The number of books he releases, and the number of series he writes simultaneously, trumps what any other writer in the genre is doing. And these aren’t little books either. They’re great big stories that are huge in their scope with a large cast of characters. They’re also strikingly unique: they could be written by different people. I’m just speculating here because I do genuinely wonder how he manages it all.
That being said, this is a good novel and one that moves the series smoothly forward ready for its conclusion. I like the characters and the constant inclusion of new ones as Spensa explores the nowhere (a region of space that can only be accessed via cytonic mental powers.) She’s trapped there for the duration of this one, as she looks for a way out so she can aid her home planet of Detritus in their war against the ominous Superiority. And although it took a little while to get there, the big reveal at the end of the book makes it worth sticking with even if it felt like filler material in places.
“All people must accept that we have the potential to do terrible things. It is part of seeing our place in the universe, our heritage, and our natures. But in that acceptance, we gain strength, for potential can be refused."
For me this quote is quite powerful. Taken out of the context of the book, it can be applied to real life and many situations. Taken in the context of the book, it helps establish where the series is going. Without giving away major plot spoilers, I think there is much more at play here than it seems. Labels are not always what they seem, and identity is not fixed when people and alien races can develop or unlock hidden abilities. Artificial intelligence can also evolve to gain sentience and become something new. I think the end may be a little surprising and I look forward to finally reading it.
Although I have a largely positive opinion of this book, it’s by far the weakest in the series so far. I’ve already mentioned the word “filler” because that’s exactly what some of it felt like; it’s almost like a side quest getting in the way of the main narrative, which is what we really care about. And whilst it was a good and worthwhile quest, with a battle for control between space pirates, I do wonder how much it added to the story. I’m hoping the conclusion is a bit stronger.
Tad Williams is one of my favourite fantasy writers and I’m so proud to have my review of The Empire of Grass quoted on the back of this book. I just Tad Williams is one of my favourite fantasy writers and I’m so proud to have my review of The Empire of Grass quoted on the back of this book. I just love it when my words make it onto books and most of the time I don’t even know unless I see it print. I wish someone would tell me or ask permission, so I know it’s been used and then I can brag about it on here more often.
Anyway, as I expected, this is another fantastic novel by a very talented writer. The story just seems to flow naturally and effortlessly, though I know that’s not really the case. Tad Williams is what I like to call a careful fantasy writer; he takes his time, and he lets the plot momentum build up slowly. He introduces his characters, sets the scene and then things just seem to unfold naturally. In this, he reminds me a little bit of the great Robin Hobb. And, of course, Tad Williams writes about dragons too.
More specifically, he writes about a dragon hunt in Brothers of the Wind. Without becoming too bogged down with the plot particulars here, this focuses on an oath made by Ineluki to slay a dragon and save the mortals the worm is assaulting without mercy. The action scenes are superb and cinematic in quality, but the highlight of the book is Ineluki's relationship with his older (and much more capable) brother Hakatri. So, this instalment is a prequal to the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy which started with The Dragonbone Chair back in the 80s. Here Tad Williams provides the backstory of his series’ antagonist. And it is such a fantastic backstory that puts much of what follows into perspective. It all stems from Ineluki’s relationship with his brother and the consequences of fighting the dragon, which leads to him eventually becoming the much-feared Storm King.
What sets Tad Williams apart from the crowd is his world building. This is old school fantasy at its finest. The world is big; it is full of lore and history and there are numerous races that have a lot of stories to tell. I always feel like we are just stepping foot into it. There’s so much more here and we are getting but a glimpse of something much larger. For me this is one of the most important aspects of successful fantasy. I need to be able to feel like this world has existed for a long time and will continue to exist once the novel has ended. Tad Williams does this particularly well. I always go away wanting more and even though I don’t read much fantasy anymore, I continue to return to the genre when one of my favourites releases a new book.
Overall, this is a very good novel and I stormed through it in less than a day. I really do recommend this author. I feel his books are often a little overlooked in today’s massive fantasy market, which is a shame because this is one of the writers that helped to establish it.
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Tigana is one of the slowest and most intricate fantasy novels I have ever read; yet, for all its deliberate pacing, it is peppered with bursts of actTigana is one of the slowest and most intricate fantasy novels I have ever read; yet, for all its deliberate pacing, it is peppered with bursts of action and surprising plot reveals.
I’m not going to sugar coat it for you: this is a difficult book to read. I've also found it quite difficult to write a review because I really liked parts of the book, but took issue with many other elements. So I will unload my critical thoughts here whilst still doing the book justice.
After a very well written prologue, we are introduced to a huge host of characters; it takes quite some time for their place within the story to make any sense. Eventually, it does all come together but it takes a large amount of time to get there fully, and this is lengthened by random asides and late character additions to the already huge narrative. It’s convoluted. It’s wordy. And I almost gave up on it. Had I not been buddy reading this, I may have done so.
Despite these problems, Tigana is not without its merits. The quest that drives the story forward, revenge for a lost homeland, is rather powerful and unique because the homeland has not just been destroyed: it has been erased from memory by powerful magic. This was an interesting concept because even the word “Tigana” is lost. This device is what kept me reading. I wanted to see what would happen. The final action sequence was superbly written, and it delivered all it needed to. I’ve not read anything quite like it before: it was magic on a very grand scale that has clearly influenced other writers of fantasy.
Unfortunately, it's a VERY male driven story
I feel it would be remiss not to write a paragraph on the poor representation of females in the novel. To put it simply, every woman seems to be an object of sex and that seems to be the sole object of her power and how she accomplishes anything of significance in the novel. You could argue that perhaps this representation is an element of the medieval era in which fantasy is often set, limiting the status and opportunities available and means to execute influence, but this is still problematic. Not all writers fall into this pit. Whilst I would not go quite as far as to call the novel completely and unforgivably misogynistic, there is certainly an imbalance here. It is very male driven, taps into male fantasies and failed to allow the female characters to grasp opportunities that could have completed their character arc and missions more effectively (and without the need for sex.) Not to mention how horrifically bad and laughable some of these scenes were actually written.
Standalone fantasy novels of this calibre are very difficult to pull off, and whilst this has many problems (some of which are glaringly big problems), it sill manages to achieve everything it set out to. I also liked how dense the political structure was and how significant actions could be in the larger scheme of things.
So for me, this is a very mixed bag but I still enjoyed reading it and I especially enjoyed finishing it and seeing the final sequence of events unfold in a blaze of glory and bloodshed.
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The television show finally brought me over to this series, and in anticipation for the second season I decided to read the first book. I was not disaThe television show finally brought me over to this series, and in anticipation for the second season I decided to read the first book. I was not disappointed!
This just has so many things going for it. Monsters, squabbling noble families, different races and lots of magic. Beyond that though, what makes it stand out for me is its engagement with fairy tales, myth and its own history. I feel like this world has existed for a long time. I feel like we are just stepping into it. This is a really important element when it comes to fantasy world building because it gives the world depth; it gives it possibilities: it means the plot can go pretty much anywhere because it’s full of stories to be told.
A neutral hero?
“Evil is Evil. Lesser, greater, middling… Makes no difference. The degree is arbitary. The definition’s blurred. If I’m to choose between one evil and another… I’d rather not choose at all.”
I often found that Geralt’s opinion of himself (and opinion of his actions) did not always correspond with what they are. In morality terms, he is often forced to make a hard choice. He is forced to kill people (not just monsters.) And he becomes conflicted and haunted by his past actions. He sees only the deed itself rather than the consequences or the further death he may (or may not have) prevented. And this helped push the plot forward and shape Geralt as a character and a hero because he is a hero (despite what he may think.)
This is told in episodes. It doesn’t quite work like a normal novel and there isn’t much in the way of reference to previous events across sections. I think the links will become much stronger across books, here though they felt loosely connected which is fine because it made the world feel large and Geralt’s deeds quite numerous. This is but a glimpse into his adventures.
For now though, this book is a great introduction to this series. I can quite easily see this becoming one of my favourites in the genre. It is dark and things are never as simple as they seem. One thing is very clear though, even this early on, the most monstrous thing Gerald will ever encounter is man.
Short Story Collections 1. The Last Wish - 4.25 stars 2. The Sword of Destiny - C/R
The Witcher Series 1. The Blood of Elves - 4.0 stars
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Piranesi is a very clever piece of writing, and it is also a very difficult book to review.
Why?
Because I can’t really talk about the content of the bPiranesi is a very clever piece of writing, and it is also a very difficult book to review.
Why?
Because I can’t really talk about the content of the book. Anything I say (and I mean literally anything) would spoil the story. I can’t talk about the characters, the plot or even some of the central themes. If you’ve already read the book, then you will understand perfectly why. If you haven’t read the book, then I urge you to stop reading this review (and those of others.) The best way to approach this one is with little to no knowledge about it.
I can say one thing though: keep reading it. The first part is a little perplexing. It’s unusual and even a little repetitive but, once again, please keep reading because it opens into something truly fantastic.
I would expect nothing different from Susanna Clarke.
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There's something truly haunting about this book and I often find myself thinking about it during quiet moments. Life is Second Read - August 2022
There's something truly haunting about this book and I often find myself thinking about it during quiet moments. Life is strange and it can take us down many unexpected paths and diversions, but there's something all consuming and distracting about how many of these paths and alternate timelines there could have been in our own lives.
Life often leaves you wondering "what if?" but it's important to remember that we only have the now so we need to learn to embrace it. I find the idea behind this book quite profound. Matt Haig is a very intelligent and sensitive writer and I would recommend this book to just about anyone. Be warned though, there's lots of triggers!
First Read - October 2021
“You don’t have to understand life. You just have to live it.”
There’s a great deal to talk about here……..
If we think about the power of words, the power they have to move us and make us think and imagine, then The Midnight Library is a very powerful book indeed. Each book in the library offers a glimpse into an alternative reality, an alternative life we could have lived if we had made different decisions. How cool is that?
But if you’ve ever felt suicidal, depressed or like you’re not living the life you are “supposed” to be living, then this might be a very hard read because it makes us consider alternatives and the importance of small choices. We could quite easily be living a different life based upon a very small action. There’s something terribly consuming about regret, and if we’re not careful it can take over as we wonder where we could be. So tread lightly because there’s a lot of emotional triggers here even if the book has a understandably positive outcome.
Matt Haig is not subtle. This isn’t a book that’s going to leave you guessing or wondering what it’s all about: his message is very clear. Regret is pointless. Just because we are not what we might be (or we are not living as we could be) it doesn’t mean we will be happy or fulfilled. Every life is filled with problems. To invoke a cliché: the grass is not always greener on the other side. And this is important to remember. There are many paths we might take and they can lead us anywhere. The key here is to move forward the best we can and to remember that life is always worth living because there will always be new opportunities.
Matt Haig is a self-help author, naturally much of his positive rhetoric appears in this novel. It’s his novel. It’s to be expected. And as such the ending was expected. His moralising and ideals would only allow the story to end on a certain high note. Artistically, this sacrificed some of the narrative tension, but it gives the message of the story a little added weight and authority. Matt Haig infuses his writing with his stark knowledge about depression and mental illness. He’s lived it. He knows what toll it can take. And he understands that healthy thinking and actions can change much about one’s present situation.
Life is about perspective and sticking around long enough to see that it can change and develop. The Midnight Library explores this idea beautifully well.
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She's not very well read and is cFor a very long time, I have been trying to persuade a good friend of mine to read The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
She's not very well read and is convinced that Twilight is the best book in existence. So we made a deal, she agreed to read my suggestion if I read hers. And something weird happened, I actually liked it!
Turns out she gave up on the Gaiman novel whilst I read this in one sitting. I don't consider myself a literary snob, I like to read a bit of everything, but I've always steered very clear of this one because it has a certain stigma attached to it. Everyone I know considers it trashy, but sometimes trashy can be a very good thing.
So I'm a little bit surprised. And I must say, the interaction taught me that we should always read the (so called) bad trashy books ourselves before we jump on the bandwagon in favour of its infamy.
Moral of the story: keep an open mind, always.
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Jonathan French has done something totally epic here; he has created an original fantasy world and delivered it with mud, grit and lots of energy.
WriJonathan French has done something totally epic here; he has created an original fantasy world and delivered it with mud, grit and lots of energy.
Writing today is so exceptionally hard. And becoming a known writer is even harder. The problem with writing, and writing fantasy especially, is that almost everything has been done before. Creating something completely new is next to impossible.
The main influence on The Grey Bastards is the television show Sons of Anarchy. Biker culture clearly influenced a large part of the story and factions here. And it was great to see in a fantasy setting such as this (with motorcycles replaced with Hogs and men replaced with Orcs.) It works so ridiculously well. For me this is largely because of the language, language that captured a culture in such vivid harshness.
Warrior bikers
One thing I must say here though, not by way of criticism but merely pointing it out, this book is very male driven. The male orcs think with their dicks and as such constantly comment on female characters in a way that may offend some people. That being said though, here it is merely a matter of perspective. When a group of blood crazed male warriors get together it is only natural they would talk about the opposite sex. They are comrades. They are brothers. They are men. So, I include this paragraph by way of warning if you find that kind of chatter offensive. The warriors are misogynistic. It is their culture. I’m not justifying it but commenting on the fact that this is the type of warrior band represented here: it felt authentic.
I also want to talk a little bit about characters, enemies, and plot. Not everything is straight cut. And this is the strongest element of the book. The world building is great, and the language used to capture it is exceptional, but what makes the story so compelling is the believable motives that drive the characters. I cannot expand on that too much because I do not want to giveaway spoilers, but I did not expect the plot to go in the direction that it did. Fantasy rarely surprises me anymore, but I was pleasantly surprised here.
Is it really Grimdark though?
This certainly has some Grimdark elements, but the protagonist is far too good for it to fit neatly into the genre. Some of his foes are far more complex individuals who face real life dilemmas. I found him a little vanilla compared to some of the other characters though, ultimately, I'm very glad of the outcome of the plot. It was completely necessary for this to continue as a series.
For a long time, I was reluctant to read this because of the hype surrounding it. I often find that hyped books are a major let down, but this one delivered everything it promised to.
So, I will happily say, believe the hype and the reviewers because this one is absolute gold. Go read it.
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“If you knew Time as well as I do,’ said the Hatter, ‘you wouldn’t talk about wasting it.
There are so many great things to say about this“If you knew Time as well as I do,’ said the Hatter, ‘you wouldn’t talk about wasting it.
There are so many great things to say about this story. For me, as a work of fantasy, it is on par with The Chronicles of Narnia,Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz in terms of its creative imagination.
These stories seem to centre on the idea of escape, escape from a boring reality in which the protagonist enters a world of exciting, and sometimes terrifying, adventure as they walk away from their old mundane life. This is a popular trope and here it works very well, Alice jumps down a rabbit hole and enters a truly insane world that makes little sense.
“In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.”
Of all the fantasy worlds that work around this idea, this is by far the most bizarre I have read about. To put in mildly, the things Alice encounters feel hallucinogenic as if the mind has conjured them up whilst being intoxicated. Because as strange as it all seems, there is always a touch of the real about them. And I think this is because Lewis Carroll draws on real life experiences to bring his world to life.
The Mad Hatter, of course, is the best example. Although he only plays a small role here, and the movie versions certainly capitalise on his colourful character, he still stands out within the narrative: his character is the most memorable part of the story. He is only referred to as that name once, and he never identifies with it, though the name is distinctively his.
“How puzzling all these changes are! I'm never sure what I'm going to be, from one minute to another.”
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He is the embodiment of true madness: dementia. And I did a little research on him and the origins of his character. In Victorian society, hatters often went mad because of the hat making process. They handled chemicals that caused what we now identify as dementia. Prolonged exposure to such substances degraded their minds to such a degree. So, in a way, he embodies a little piece of history with his quirkiness.
So I had a lot of fun here. This was actually my first ever read of this story. I've seen the films but never actually picked this up, it's certainly a quaint piece of madness to brighten your day with its nonsensical nature.
First things first, if you don’t like violence and gore stop reading. This book won’t be for you. Don’t waste your time with it or my review. I will nFirst things first, if you don’t like violence and gore stop reading. This book won’t be for you. Don’t waste your time with it or my review. I will never try to convince you to read it because you won’t like it.
However, if you do like violence this book might appeal to you. It’s basically about zombies in a fantasy setting. And it’s cool. It’s a simple idea done well. As expected, it’s dark and brutal, layered with graphic descriptions of mutilations and death. There’s cannibalism and there’s murder and there’s lots and lots of blood. Zombies do get hungry after all.
The opening is strong and quickly sets the tone for the story. There’s lots of horror elements within the first chapter as an unknown presence lurks in the trees watching the Apprentice. He and his master are working on the bone ritual, necromantic magic that brings back the dead. And, of course, with such potent and dark magic come numerous unsought for consequences. And what developed was a suspense filled story that worked its way into an interesting dilemma delivered across multiple point of view characters.
Bjorn was my favourite. He just seemed to be a relatively normal guy, an honest and hardworking man of the land, shoved into a situation he was completely bewildered by. He spent most of the story trying to convince everyone of the approaching horrors. But he wasn’t without his own skills as he managed to bring a few down in some great action scenes. The novel takes me back to my teenage years and the countless hours I spent playing Skyrim. Around halfway through the book I even started playing the soundtrack by Jeremy Soule. And that’s a good thing. The warriors fighting the undead amongst the trees and the moonlight had a sort of Nordic feel to it. It had a great atmosphere to it.
Plot wise, character wise and structure wise this is all put together well. The pacing is solid too. My only criticism is with the prose itself. Some of the wording and sentences fell into similar patterns of expression and became repetitive. Lots of authors do this, Robert Jordan is the biggest culprit in fantasy, though here it was particularly noticeable. Some edits were needed but considering this is the author’s first novel and it is entirely self-published without a professional editor behind it, the overall quality of the writing is very high. Work is needed in places, but not so much that it drastically affected my enjoyment of it. It would be remiss of me not to mention it though.
If you like The Walking Dead and the Elder scrolls franchise, then I’d certainly give this book a shot. It’s sort of a mix between the two in places. There’s no shortage of surprises and it’s pretty much action from the start. Plenty of monster killing too. It’s worth giving a go if you’re not squeamish.
Thanks to the author for sending me a copy to review at Fantasy Book Review.
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Robin Hobb meets Joe Abercrombie in a story that delivers so many gut-wrenching blows. This is fantasy with a totally legendary feel; it’s epic in eveRobin Hobb meets Joe Abercrombie in a story that delivers so many gut-wrenching blows. This is fantasy with a totally legendary feel; it’s epic in every regard and certainly something that needs to be added to your reading list.
The best part for me was the villain. The Darkbalde is a rather enigmatic figure and his story is slowly revealed through flashbacks that only build up the suspense. These sections were by far my favourite because they carried with it an echo of prophecy, an echo of deeds worthy of song. Dark magic was layered on intrigue to create a legend that may be entirely self-deluded, but it is a legend nonetheless.
The Darkblade has created an army and he is ready to conquer the world; his men love him, and they worship him as a god and a liberator. They will do anything he asks without question because it’s he that asks. Vaelin (the protagonist from Blood Song) is somewhat reluctant to get involved in all the drama and to take on such a powerful enemy. Vaelin is clearly the most capable and experienced man in the field (even though his magic has faded) though he still wants no part in the war that is to come. Well, that’s until he hears that his lost love has been dragged into the mess caused by The Darkblade. His hand is forced, and he must intervene for the affection he still holds for her. Her life is at risk, so he draws his sword and sets sail.
“An old love, born in youth, but now stained by bitterness and regret. The wounds left by betrayal never truly heal.”
What unfolds is a story driven by a need for revenge and justice. It’s fast-paced and balanced well with cinematic style action and intense moments of dialogue. And the characters are truly fascinating people, many come with stories I want to hear and history I ought to know. The setting has a Germanic tribal feel in places with its forests and barbarian type aesthetic. It reminded me somewhat of Roman fiction with some fantasy elements thrown in. And it all works rather well. It’s something every fantasy fan will appreciate.
This is my first Anthony Ryan novel and it has given me a good feel for his writing and his world; however, before progressing with this series I ought to go back and read his previous trilogy, The Raven’s Shadow. I don’t feel like I’ve missed out much with The Wolf’s Call, in terms of plot, but I think my engagement and investment with the characters would have increased if I knew a bit more about them. It’s all good reading a summary in here about their exploits but reading it first-hand would have been better. Overall though, it’s still accessible to new readers.
So, this is a solid first entry in a duology that I just know is going to be incredible. Exciting times ahead for Anthony Ryan fans!
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Sean Barrs
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Books:
fantasy
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