The Bookwyrm's Review of Born of Swords by Steven L. Shrewsbury

Author: Steven L. Shrewsbury

Length: 324 Pages

Release Date: June 22, 2015

Publisher: Seventh Star Press

Genre: Swords and Sorcery

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Amazon Link

Being a big fan of old pulp fantasy, I have wished for a while that someone would take up that style of uncomplicated action packed storytelling again. I discovered Steven Shrewsbury on his book King of the Bastards, co-authored with Brian Keene, which was a callback to Robert E. Howard era pulps like Conan and Kull. When I saw the premise about Born of Swords, I knew I had to review this one.

PLOT SUMMARY

Gorias La Gaul, 700 year old mercenary, finds himself in a small city hired to kill a man who has been cursed to turn into a monster. He was hired by the man's twin, who also turns into a monster, and who hired him to kill them both so they would stop wreaking havoc and death. While accomplishing this job, Gorias literally stumbles across Jessica, a scribe from the city of Nineveh, who has traveled a long distance to interview Gorias, and record his stories for posterity at the Nineveh School. Gorias is less than thrilled with the idea, telling her that she might not like what she learns, but she insists, so he allows her to tag along as he goes about with the trip he takes annually.

Jessica gets a chance to see the course of Gorias's life as recorded in the dragon eye gems she uses, and what she finds is nothing like she expected. She gets to see how Gorias's parents came to have him, and the details quite shock her, but it does set the tone for his life of violence, adventure and tragedy. We see the various adventures of his life, from his birth into a barbarian horde, to various adventures and battles against bandits, cults, wizards and warlords. Jessica sees him lead armies, and see those same armies betrayed and Gorias wreak terrible vengeance. She even sees him fight a dragon, something she never believed possible.

Meanwhile, as they travel, Gorias is collecting certain items on their travels, for which he won't tell Jessica the purpose. Why would he need a witches hand? Or a bag of bones? What could these items be worth killing for, and even possibly dying for? These questions lead to the end of the book, where the truth of what Gorias is doing is revealed, and Jessica's romantic illusions of the Gorias, who's name literally means King of the Bastards, are shattered by his need for revenge. She finds out that sometimes it doesn't pay to meet your heroes. 

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

Since this book is basically a slightly modernized version of pulp sword and sorcery like Robert E Howard or Edgar Rice Burroughs would write, the characters are definitely the center point of the story. Larger than life and twice and loud, Gorias is everything you would expect from the son of the chief of a barbarian horde. Strong, determined, and holding a grudge like nobody's business, Gorias is more than happy to remove an annoying warlord's head at the shoulders if that's what it takes to get a job done, or just stop their yapping. He is just an amazingly fun character, and is one of my top five characters in fantasy. The secondary characters are well thought out, with Jessica being the obvious example. She is much more than the weak book worm you would expect, being able to handle herself in dangerous situations, all while collecting the information she was sent for. There are a wide assortment of villains, from evil warlords to conniving princesses, to dangerous bandit chiefs. They are a just the kind of villains you'd expect in a pulp story, and they really add color to the story.

The world building is so much fun, and you could imagine seeing Gorias on the bar stool next to Conan and Kull. The world bears the hallmarks of a Hyborean era setting, with evil wizards and warlords vying for power, as well as crazy cults and monsters as well. There's a wide variety of terrain and settings, from desert kingdoms to jungle villages, and of course, temples to various gods. We see that Gorias's god is Wodan, and this Wodan is definitely in the mold of Crom, a merciless warrior's god. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

There are just so many good touch's to evoke that old school pulp feel in this book. From the pacing to the characters, you just find yourself turning pages, getting more engrossed in the story with every page. This book should appeal to any fan of old school pulp fantasy, but also has plenty to appeal to fans of more modern fantasies. It's just a classic story that I can't get enough of.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Cody Black Vampire Hunter: Bite of the Wolf by C.M. Craddock

 

Author: C.M. Craddock

Length: 285 Pages

Publisher: Self Published

Release Date: December 31, 2019

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Amazon Link

I make no secret of my love for urban fantasy. Whether it be the big timer's like Jim Butcher, small press writers like C.T. Phipps or self published writers like Joel Spriggs, I just can't get enough of their books. When I got the chance to read and review this book, I jumped at the chance, and here are my thoughts.

PLOT SUMMARY

Cody Black absolutely hates vampires. This definitely helps with his job as a vampire hunter for the Foundation, the rulers of the vampires. Cody is not thrilled having to work for them, but its either kill rogues for them or end up dead. It does pay well, though. He launders the money through the gun shop and range he owns, which is run more by his assistant Sierra than it is by Cody. It does allow him to create and train with vampire killing weapons, though, so it works.

When a slew of murders start to occur in the club district, Cody is called in by the local vampire queen, Marie Delfleur, notifying him that an old vampire is turning people under 20, who can't handle the change and just become feral murder machines. This is against Federation law, and Cody is tasked to hunt him and his spawn down and end the threat. Discovering one of the young vampires, Cody follows him but is ambushed by the old vampire, a 1500 year old viking named Aabiorn,  who fights through all of Cody's weapons and injures him, although not without injury to himself that forces him to retreat. 

With the help of Sierra, Cody escapes, and begins to heal. Meeting with Marie, he gets injected by her with a substance that will supposedly help him be better able to hunt vampire, making him into a one of a kind vampire killer. Searching for the vampire's lair, he inadvertantly leaves clues as to where he lives, and they attack him there. 

This leads to the final frantic confrontation between Cody and Aabiorn, as he is now threatening everything Cody cherishes and would do anything to protect. This confrontation leads to even more revelations about who Aabiorn is, and what his plans were. It also shows that Marie has plans of her own that could have world shaking consequences if Cody does nothing to change it, and he has new allies to help him respond to the changes.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

This is a very character driven book, centered mostly on the title character, Cody. He's a very solid character, having a tragic background that led to his becoming a vampire hunter, and he is a well rounded character, with strengths and weaknesses that offset each other, just like a real person. Sierra also is fairly well rounded, although she is a bit of a trope as the beautiful assistant/love interest. The antagonists, which consist of Marie and Aabiorn, are both good foils to Cody, in their own way, with Marie wanting to control Cody, while Aabiorn just wants him dead. Their back stories are revealed later in the book, and help flesh out their motivations. The secondary characters are a bit flat, with most of the vampires just seeming to be a bit two dimensional. Not a deal breaker, but they don't add as much as they could.

The world building is fairly pedestrian. The story is set in New York, but it never really gives you a sense of anything particular about the setting. It just kind of seems like the story is set there, but none of the unique locales or culture is ever really used to enrich the story. Again, its not a deal breaker, but it just seems like a bit of a missed opportunity. The vampire world, though, is pretty well expanded upon, and a secret history of the world at large is also an interesting facet of the story. 

FINAL THOUGHTS  

While I wouldn't put this book in my very top tier of urban fantasy books, it's definitely in the upper range of the genre. Its flaws are far outweighed by the things that work in the story, and the characters are definitely worth exploring and keep the pages turning. I do have to mention that there are some adult sex scenes in this book, which I didn't mention earlier, so this is not a book I would recommend for young readers, but it shouldn't put off adult fans of vampire or urban fantasy. This is definitely on the recommended to read list.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Serpents Rising by Joe Jackson

 

Author: Joe Jackson

Length: 561 Pages/ 17 Hours, 5 Minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Aethon Books

Release Date: June 5, 2020

Narrator: Chelsea Stephens

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Series: Eve of Redemption, Book 3

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Amazon Link

Its always interesting to see where an author who has a multi-book arc is taking the series, especially when it's an extended series. At 11 books, I'd say Eve of Redemption qualifies as extended. When I started reading, I was wondering if this was kind of a placeholder book, or if it was moving the story arc along. I'm happy to say this is definitely a story mover, opening up new avenues of exploration for the characters, and challenging their knowledge of the world they live in.

PLOT SUMMARY

Picking up right after the events of the previous book, there is a bit of chaos in the ranks of the demon hunter's order, as it was discovered that quite a few syrinthian serpent people, servants of the demon king Sekassus, have infiltrated the order. Hatching a plan to expose them, they successfully draw them into the courtyard of the demon hunters compound in the city of Darkwind, and capture them. Kari, the new head of the demon hunter order, is weighing a journey to the underworld to help the priestess Danilynn rescue the daughter of a syrinthian high priestess she owed a debt to, and plans on using any intelligence gathered from those captured. 

After a lot of consultations to determine if its feasible, Kari decides to go, making a deal with one of Sekassus's rival demon kings, and they travel by magic to the underworld, only taking Kari, her sister-in-law Sonia, and the priestess Danilynn, as well as Kari's brother-in-law and her friend Eli. The women are to travel to Sekassus's kingdom from the underworlds capital city, since a group of women won't be accosted, being seen as harmless by the denizen's of that world. As they prepare to leave the underworld capital, they gain some much needed intelligence about the political situation, as well as how they need to proceed to get the young woman, named Sesasha, from the demon king. 

Proceeding through a path arranged for them, the party stops at a village they are guided to. The village is inhabited by mallasti, a hyena humanoid type of demon. This is where they start finding out that what Kari's order thought they knew about demons is completely wrong. Traveling with a young villager as their guide, they work their way towards Sekassus's kingdom, and along the way Sonia is learning to use her magic effectively from their guide, who's race is much more in tune with arcane power. 

Finally reaching Sekassus, they bargain for his prisoner, and Kari and the rest find out that their guide is the reason they can get her exchanged at all. When they have Sesasha, Sakassus shows how evil he truly is, shocking the entire party. As they leave to return to the capitol, they have a seven days grace period where they can't be harmed, but if they can't get out, they are subject to the whims of the king. 

What follows is a harrowing journey, as the Sekassus's forces try to delay the party, while Kari has to avoid killing the kings forces, invalidating their truce. Things come to a head at the border, where an unexpected attack comes from someone attached to Kari's deeds a few months earlier in Barcon. Barely escaping, they even add to their party, finding a lost elf from an earlier invasion of the underworld, and using his help to escape to the capitol.

Returning to the order, Kari takes Sesasha with her to meet the syrinthian prisoners, and Kari realizes Sesasha can be a huge source of help for them, since she is a high priestess of her people, who would happily turn on Sekassus. Taking Sesasha to the grave of her mother to commune with her spirit, Kari, along with a good part of her extended family, are attacked by someone who shouldn't exist, since he was killed by the king of the Gods. Returning part of the way home, Kari and a couple others travel to the temple that Kari, as Salvation's Dawn, is supposed to be able to open with certain keys. What they find there will change their plans going forward, exposing just how far behind they are of the forces arrayed against them. If they can't catch up, their world may be lost to them for good in fire and death.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

This series has to be one of the most character driven series I've ever read. While there's lots of action, strong plot and creative and expansive world building, it all revolves around the large cast of characters, with Kari Vanador as the focus. She has quickly become one of my favorite characters in fantasy. She's strong, well trained and determined to do right, but she can also be rash and caught by crushing self doubt, especially when it comes to her lack of formal education and the trauma of her childhood. She just really feels like a real person with the weight of the world on her shoulders. The secondary characters are so well written, they just fit seamlessly into the story. They are not cardboard cutouts, but well rounded characters in their own right, with strengths and weaknesses that really add to the story. The villains are well thought out, with their own motivations driving their actions, some in bewildering ways, but all seemingly for a purpose, and not just to advance the plot. I'm not sure I've ever read a better group of characters in any series.

The world building is strong once again, with the underworld added as a setting, and being not at all what I would have expected. Instead of a generic hellscape, we get a fully realized world that, while different than Citaria, is definitely a wide range of settings, as the kings realms are different from one another. When the history of this world is revealed, it really expands on what the demon hunters order doesn't know, but needs to find out if Citaria is to avoid the underworld's fate.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I have to say that this is an enjoyable read. It really takes some unexpected twists and turns, with the trip to the underworld really changing how the characters see their universe at large. I'm curious to see where these revelations lead. I think this series, which is now complete at 11 books, will appeal to a wide range of fantasy fans. 

The Bookwyrm's Review of The Temple of Arrival by M.S. Olney

Author: M. S. Olney

Length: 250 Pages

Publisher: Star Forge Books

Release Date: March 31, 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Amazon Link

After reading The First Fear, the first book in this series, I was anxious to see where the story would go. Comparing it favorably to Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series, I was hoping to see more development of the characters and world he created. Here are the results, which don't suffer from the dreaded second book slump.

PLOT SUMMARY

The Liberator's success in provoking an uprising in the city of Asta, which included killing the Supreme's head enforcer, the First Fear, has emboldened them, even though they were forced to retreat from the city. The powerful Empowered Elian, who can use all the powers of the Gifted, and combine them, which is supposed to be impossible, is now one of the leaders of raiding parties trying to damage the power base of the Supreme, starting with freeing the mines of Hestra. While they initially succeed, they are again forced to retreat from a much larger force of the Supreme's troops. 

They are forced to separate, with one group moving on to the capital to try and gain intelligence about the Supreme's plans, while Elian, who is now struggling to use certain powers, goes looking for Vavius, who betrayed the movement to try and gain power on his own, replacing the Supreme. Along the way he meets an Empowered woman named Cassia, who says shes there to help protect him as he continues his mission, as well as teach him to better utilize his power. Elian remains suspicious of her, as her turning up seems a bit to coincidental.

 Proceeding forward, both groups face the Supreme's attempts to stop both groups, and Elian knows he must beat Vavius to The Temple of Arrivals, because if he gets there and seizes the power held there, he can become even more powerful than the Supreme, and make her rule look kind and benevolent in comparison. 

This all leads to a final confrontation where all the opposing parties meet at the Temple of Arrivals. Unfortunately, the power is not what it seems, and even the history of the world is shown to be a lie. The Supreme is not what they thought, but forces out of their control force a confrontation with results that have world shaking consequences for both the Supreme's forces and the Liberators, which could end with death for them all.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

There are an intriguing mix of characters in this book, with Elian getting the lion's share of attention, as he is the main protagonist. He is such an interesting character, having so much power, but struggling in his use of it. He's definitely a flawed character, trying to do the best, but often rushing off without thinking, making things worse. He comes across as a real person of his age, being forced to mature by circumstances. The secondary characters are given attention as well, to round out their personalities and story arcs, and it helps enrich the story. The villains are excellent, with Vavius really standing out, as his motivations are explored more, and we get to see just what brought him from an ardent freedom fighter to traitor to the cause.

The world building is excellent. The magic system is fully fleshed out, with a consistent set of rules, and an interesting premise with how it's powered. The ability to gain another tier of magic with sufficient mastery is also intriguing, and really adds to the story. 

The world itself is creative, with the various locations drawn out nicely on the page. The descriptions are very well done, without being overblown or excessive. You get a real feel for these places, and have no problem imagining the various locales. You really get a feel for the oppression the populace feels under the Supreme's rule, the general dystopian feel of the place, and what pushes the Liberators into their actions. Its definitely one of my favorite fantasy settings.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I was impressed with the world the author has created. Its magic system seems a bit complicated to start, but the included key to the various magics at the front of the book really helped keep track of what the various powers can accomplish. I also really appreciated the map, it helped really bring the world into focus. I am excited to see where the series goes from here, and think this series will appeal to a wide variety of fantasy fans.

The Bookwyrm's Review of The Gilded Chain by Dave Duncan

Author: Dave Duncan

Length: 432 Pages/ 13 Hours, 33 Minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Harper Collins

Release Date: September 1, 1999/ November 4, 2019 (Audio)

Narrator: Austin Vanfleet

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Tales of the Kings Blades, Book 1

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Amazon Link

While I usually review indie authored fantasy, I still have a huge collection of older traditionally published fantasy and sci-fi. This includes most of the books in The Kings Blades series, the first of which, The Gilded Chain, I'm reviewing here. The recent release of the audio version really piqued my interest, so here we go.

PLOT SUMMARY

This story starts with a young boy who's family brings him to Ironhall, where the King's Blades are trained to become the finest warriors in the world, being magically bound to their charges when they graduate. The young man takes the name of Durendal, the name of greatest hero in the history of the Blades, and a huge legacy to live up to.

We then switch to the POV of the kingdom's Chancellor, Lord Roland, as he sits in his office, running the day to day operations of the kingdom. When his biggest rival for power, the king's private secretary, comes in with an order removing him from office, Roland is relieved, thinking he can finally retire and spend time with his wife. Of course, its not that easy, and he is about to be arrested. Fortunately, Roland was gifted a King's Blade to bond to him as a guard, so he avoids being arrested, as any Blade is worth a dozen guardsmen. He heads home and apprises his wife of the situation.

Durendal, if you couldn't guess, is also Lord Roland, and the book switches between the two viewpoints, going back in the past for various important parts of his life, and then switching to the issues going on in the present. We see how, after his training, Durendal is bonded to his first charge, a spoiled noble who's gifted a Blade because his sister is the king's mistress. We get to see what the magical bond means, since it allows a blade to go without sleep for long periods of time, and forces them to defend their charge's life at all cost, including allowing them to fight long past injuries that would kill a normal fighter. 

We get to see Durendal caught up in a scheme by his charge to betray the king, and his bond forces him to go along, to eventual tragic consequences. This leads to Durendal being bonded directly to the king, and joining his household Blades. Rising though the ranks, he is tasked with a mission that takes him for years away from the kingdom,  tasked with bringing back a Blade that has supposedly been made into a gladiator slave in a distant land. This mission has a direct tie in to the end of the book, since what they find there will have dire consequences 30 years in the future. 

Upon returning, Durendal continues to rise in the ranks until he is eventually Blade commander, until the night the king is magically attacked by disgruntled magician's guilds, and Durendal saves the king's life, and is rewarded by being made the king's new chancellor. The years pass by and we get to the present, where we find that the king is finally dying, but something tied into that long ago mission is afoot, and will have horrible consequences for the kingdom, and possibly the world, if the king and his secretary aren't stopped from recreating what Durendal discovered all those years ago and thought he'd stopped then.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

While this book is very plot driven, the characters are surprising well rounded, especially Durendal and the King. Durendal is by every measure a fantasy hero of the old school, fearless, skilled, ruthless when necessary and a ladies man, and yet he also has flaws and blind spots you don't expect in such a traditional type character. His failures are as much a part of his character building as his many successes. The king is very much in the mold of King Henry VIII, starting out a vigorous, brash and energetic king, then getting fat and impatient with dissent as he gets old. He even alienates his daughter/heir. The secondary characters are given some love, especially the various Blades Durendal works with over the years, each given their own personalities, not just roles they play to move the story. 

The world building is solid, with the kingdom being pretty well described and populated, with the magic being fairly low key, but powerful in its way. The foreign locations are fairly well written, and you get a good feeling for the larger world, and the kingdom's place in it.

NARRATION

The narration is fantastically handled by Austin Vanfleet. He makes me think that every fantasy novel should be narrated with a scottish accent. He has such a good voice, with a smooth voice that creates many different voices for the various characters, giving them each their own unique life. His narrative pacing is some of the best I have ever heard, never dipping into a monotone, and really immersing the listener into the story. I will be happily reviewing more of his works in the coming months.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is the kind of traditional fantasy that could be seen as old fashioned, since the protagonist is not some shades of grey antihero, but is very much a hero. However, he is a flawed hero, making him much more than a two dimensional cutout, and the story is so well told that it keeps the reader engaged, with twists and turns that keep you guessing.  I suspect this book will appeal to a wide range of fans, from teens to fans of old school pulps. 

The Bookwyrm's Review of Sapphire of Souls by M. R. Mathias

Author: M. R. Mathias

Length: 437 Pages/ 6 Hours, 22 Minutes

Publisher: Mathias Publishing

Release Date: August 17, 2017/ August 5, 2019

Narrator: William Hahn

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Series: Fantastica, Book 2

Rating:4/5 Stars

Amazon Link

I have been a big of M. R. Mathias for quite some time. He is one of the pioneers of the indie publishing scene, and its really amazing to see that variety of stories and series he's written since his first book over a decade ago. Fantastica is a worthy addition to his portfolio of series, with broad appeal.

PLOT SUMMARY

The story picks up with Braxton and his companion, the mercenary Nixy, surviving their sea journey in search of the Sapphire of Souls, the weapon that will hopefully help them defeat the powerful demon Pharark. Joining them are are a sorceress, several elven hunters, and two dwarves, one of whom is crown prince, and they are all determined to help save the kingdom of Narvosa from Pharark and his pawn, the necromancer Reaton-Stav. The problem with finding the Sapphire is that its been missing for a 100 years since the elf carrying it was eaten by a dragon, who then flew off. 

Proceeding through the Wilderkin, the wild forest area they must traverse to try and find the jewel, the group is in a race with the wood trolls controlled by Pharark to discover the hiding place of the jewel. The situation gets even more tense when Braxton is thought lost when the group is attacked by a giant serpent, and ends up separated some distance from the group. This turns out to be a blessing in disguise, since Braxton ends up meeting a young girl with a magical amulet similar to his, allowing her to access the void and use magic as well. Traveling with an old dragon named Emerald they've met, they must try and reunite with their friends, while trying to get another weapon, Bloodstone, that can harm Pharark. 

As the two parties get closer to their final goals, their enemies aren't idle. Pharark has more Trolls and the giant Gothicans trying to attack Narvosa through their neighboring kingdom, and Reaton-Stav is trying to create an army of the dead while he tries to get a spell book that will increase his power immensely. These disparate threads come together later in a climactic clash that has repercussions for the greater world, with the results leaving both sides more determined than ever that they are on the path to victory, with only time telling whose vision will win out.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

Like the first book in the series, this book is very character driven. The author does an excellent job creating characters that are sympathetic while being strong and determined to do whats right, as far as the protagonists go, and creates some truly villainous antagonists that you can really loath. Braxton is kind of a traditional hero on the hero's journey, so he does have struggles and failures along the way. The other characters are given attention as well, expanding their stories to draw the reader into their lives. The villains are pretty much irredeemable evil villains, but are powerful enough that they have to be seen as a threat to the world.

The world building, as I've come to expect from this author, is excellent. You really get a solid feel for the world he has created, and it tends to draw you right into the action. It is a high magic realm, so you get your fair share of fireballs and other magic flying around. The settings are top notch, and are so well described you fell like you're walking the paths through the forest and down the halls of the castles. It's pretty much a hallmark of this author's writing.

NARRATION

The narration is handled by William Hahn. He has a big, deep voice, so his narration reflects that, really jumping out of the speakers at you. He does a good job creating different voices for each of the characters, and his narrative pacing is good, moving the story along at a nice clip. I look forward to hearing him narrate the rest of the series.

FINAL THOUGHTS 

With a writer as experienced as M.R. Mathias, I had no doubts the book would be a polished, enjoyable story that avoided being a cliche of a fantasy novel. I was correct, and what we got was a well rounded story that should appeal to a wide range of fantasy fans. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of this series to see how it ends.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Mountain of Madness by Derek Prior

Author: Derek Prior

Length: 235 pages/ 8 Hours, 12 Minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Homunculus

Release Date: 2019/ January 6, 2020 (Audio)

Narrator: Mike Carnes

Series: Annals of the Nameless Dwarf, Book 2

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Rating 4/5 stars

Buy on Amazon

I have to admit, I am a sucker for stories with dwarves in them. Gruff natured, hard drinking, hard fighting dwarves to me just make a fantasy story better. Books like Markus Heitz's Dwarves, D.A. Adams's Brotherhood of Dwarves and J. Zachary Pike's Orconomics are just catnip for me. When I read the first book in this series, Ravine of Blood and Shadow, I knew I'd found a series easily as good as those other. Mountain of Madness does nothing to change that opinion, being an outstanding addition to this series.

PLOT SUMMARY

The story picks up one year after the tragic events in the dwarven city of Arx Gravis, where the now nameless dwarf was duped into taking up the black axe, which drove him into a magical rage that led him to killing many of his fellow dwarves thinking they were demons. The only thing that stopped him was being separated from the axe and having an ocris metal helmet permanently bonded to his head, and being placed into stasis until he can be separated permanently from the axe. Hearing a familiar voice, Nameless awakens before he's supposed to, alarming the guards and leading to a confrontation with a large part of the guard force with his cellmate. The various factions come together to try and kill him, but he is saved by the magical entrance of a swords-woman, an assassin and a wizard, who are there to help Nameless's cellmate escape, and decide take Nameless with them. 

Having escaped Arx Gravis, but now being a nameless exile, a fate worse than death for a dwarf, he decides to accompany the group on their quest to stop the evil wizard Sektis Gandaw from unmaking the entire world with the power of the captive goddess Etala. Realizing they need to try and get armies on the move to try and stop him, the group, made up of Aristodeus the wizard, Zaylus the holy order knight, Rutha, a mercenary, Shadrak, an assassin and Nameless, proceed to the nearest human city.  The group ends up in an inn on the seedy side of town, and run into Albrec, Shadrak's old partner in the assassins guild. They send Zaylus to warn the city leaders, which is a mistake, since his order is banned in the city. and Zaylus is beaten and sentenced to death. This leads to a wild series of events as the Nameless, Shadrak and Albrec have to break him out and escape, while Aristodeus and Rutha leave on a mission of their own.

Escaping the prison, Zaylus, who wields a magic sword tied to his mental purity, kills a helpless guard, and can't use the sword anymore. This is a huge issue, since that sword was one of the only weapons that could possibly stop Sekris. While Aristodeus trains Rutha in his tower to use another magic sword that might work against Sekris, Nameless, Shadrak, Albrec and an old dwarf teacher of Nameless's approach Sekris's mountain to try and take him on, while trying to figure a way for Zaylus to use his sword. What happens next is an action packed confrontation as Nameless's group has to infiltrate the mountain, avoiding or fighting the traps and monsters in their way, while Aristodeus and Rutha try to confront Sekris on their own, while Sekris attempts to destroy the world with the stolen power, and the results of their success or failure have world shaking consequences.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

This is a character driven book, especially with Nameless, as he struggles to find his place in a world he never expected to ever be in. He is such a great character, strong and brave, but haunted by what he did in Arx Gravis and wondering if he will ever be worthy again. His companions are such a great group as well, with so many strengths and flaws making them seem like real people, and really help to sink you into the story. The villain, Sekris Gandaw, is kind of a trope, the evil wizard that is irredeemably evil, and is a bit over the top, but still makes an effective villain, since his power is so overwhelming. He's just kind of old school, having a more pulp villain feel. 

As far as world building, it's an excellent fantasy world, from Arx Gravis to the city life, to the underground tunnels of Sekris's mountain lair. Magic is not commonplace, but it's not unknown, especially with regards to artifacts. I'd probably rate it middle fantasy in regards to magic and technology. While not unique, it does have some fun with the dwarven realm and culture, which are pretty developed in the story, especially the history and mythos. All told, it's another strength of the story.

NARRATION

The narration is handled quite well by Mike Carnes. He does an excellent job bringing the characters to life, especially Nameless, who is channeling his inner Gimli for all he's worth. He has knack for finding just the right tone, cadence and accent for each character. His narrative pacing is excellent as well, never falling into a monotone. I look forward to hearing him narrate the next book in the series.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This book is a perfect example of a book that not only avoids the sophomore slump, but continues the story in such a way that it brings you even more into the story. The characters and world building mix with the solid storytelling to create a book that will appeal to a wide range of fantasy fans. I look forward to reading/listening to the next book in the series.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Forgotten Soldiers by Joshua P. Simon

Author: Joshua P. Simon

Length: 265 Pages/ 8 Hours, 57 Minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Joshua P. Simon/ Podium Audio

Release Date: December 14, 2014/ May 19, 2017 (Audio)

Narrator: Steven Brand

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Buy on Amazon

I happened to pick this book up on sale, but was a bit over whelmed with review reads at the time, so I was only able to listen to it recently. It turns out I should have gotten to it sooner, because wow, what a story! The themes of this book hit home, since I served in the Army with the last of the Vietnam era vets, who told us of returning to a divided country that didn't want them, and had a skewed image of what they had done while deployed. This book was an emotional roller coaster for me, but in the best way.

PLOT SUMMARY

The Kingdom of Turine has been at war with the neighboring empire for a decade.  Included in that army are a large amount of conscripted soldiers, among whom is a special group of soldiers who work for the commanding General as his special ops group. This group is led by Sargent Tyrus, himself conscripted at the beginning of the war, and the brains behind most of the General's strategic wins. He is also one of the rare people immune to magic, a valued trait in a soldier. When the enemy reportedly finds a magical relic that will win them the war, they mobilize for a full scale attack against the Turine forces. Tyrus convinces the general to deploy forces to flank the invaders, as well as sending his unit behind the lines to try and get the weapon from the enemy. Sneaking through enemy territory, they find the sorcerer's encampment where the relic is held, and after an intense struggle, manages to win the day, including killing the enemy's top sorcerer. 

Returning the weapon to their camp, they find the enemy has surrendered, agreeing to become a vassal state to Turine, as long as they promise to bury the relic and forget it exists. Not so shockingly, the King wants the relic studied, and Tyrus sister, Ava, his unit's mage, goes with the relic to the capital while Tyrus and his unit are released from service, along with several larger units.

As the group of soldiers returns home, they find as they go that they are not welcomed as conquering heroes, but looked at as akin to rabid dogs that were killing innocent civilians, raping and pillaging their way through the war, and now just wanted to return and take what the people who remained have. This leads to soldiers being attacked in a small city when they stopped for the night, and them having to fight their way clear. As the soldiers continue on, the party grows smaller as soldiers return to their various homes, until its just Tyrus and a few of his squad left. Reaching the road to Tyrus's farm, they separate and Tyrus heads for his farm to be reunited with his wife and children.

Tragically, this isn't what happens, and Tyrus finds that his hopes and dreams are destroyed as his farm has been sold, and his family shattered by a series of events he had no knowledge of, since the army has had an information blackout for the past 5 years. In fact, the army messed up and sent a message that Tyrus was likely dead, and this forced his wife to make decisions that eventually led to tragic results for her. Determined to reunite with his family, he finds his children indentured to his childhood enemy, a rich bully, and end up on the wrong side of the law after fighting him and his bully boys to get his kids back. He and the children are trying to leave town when Tyrus runs into two of his former squad mates that found a similar welcome for them, and as they are about to leave town, a mob approaches to stop them.

 Its here where the story gets crazy, as a portal opens, and Tyrus's sister Ava pops out, telling them they need to leave town immediately, since the king's magicians are about to mess with the relic and bad things are going to happen. All of a sudden, there is a flash from the direction of the capital, and people collapse into seizures. Tyrus and his kids alone are ok, since they have  immunity to magic, but the townsfolk are wrecked, and Tyrus has to decide if he and the family should run for it or help the town. This leads to wild series of events, as the blast was just the beginning of what could possibly be the end of the world if Tyrus doesn't do everything he and his people can do to try and stop it, all while dealing with a village that wanted to string him up not too long ago. His decisions will have greater consequences than Tyrus could have imagined.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

The characters in this are such a treasure. I think Tyrus may be one of my favorite all time characters in fantasy. He is such a tragic character, having to deal with so much loss and horror, and yet he still finds ways to struggle past and remain functional. He's such a well rounded character, with his flaws given just as much light as his strengths, making him resonate with me as a reader. The secondary characters are also fully realized, his old squad mates especially reminding me of people and times I had in the army. They just come across as real flesh and blood characters. The villain is a bit of a trope, the rich childhood bully grown into the town bully, but he doesn't go overboard with it, and he is still effective as the foil to Tyrus. 

The world building is a solid as you're likely to find in a fantasy novel. Turine is basically a fantasy version of the US during the Vietnam War, as soldiers returned to scorn and derision, just trying to return to the lives they were forced away from, shattered by what they experienced in the war. The prose describing these places and situations is just fantastic, really drawing you into the world, which is all you can ask of any author creating a new world. It's just done in such an impactful way, you can't help but feel you're right there in the middle of the action.

NARRATION

The narration is ably handled by the talented Steven Brand. He is one of my favorite narrators, and this is just another example of why that is. He does such a fantastic job of creating individual voices for the various characters, breathing life into each of them. His narrative pacing is some of the best in the business, with a crisp delivery that really keeps the story flowing, and his accents and tones are perfect for the story. I can't wait to hear him narrate the rest of the series.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This was a difficult review for me, because I really did feel so badly for Tyrus and his fellow soldiers, having served with soldiers who had been through similar situations, and having heard their stories. Tyrus returning to tragically find his hopes dashed was a gut punch that when it all finally unfolded it actually left me in tears, and considering I have the emotional intelligence of a rock sometimes, that says a lot for the talent of the writer. I can't recommend this book enough to fantasy fans, and I'll even make a specific recommend, something I usually won't do. If you liked Peter McLean's Pries of Bones series, which starts with a similar premise but then goes a very different path, this may very well appeal to you. Definitely one of my top 10 all time reads of any genre.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Winter Harvest by Dawn Chapman

Author: Dawn Chapman

Length: 484 Pages/ 13 Hours, 23 Minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Mountaindale Press

Release Date: April 24, 2020

Narrator: Neil Hellegers

Series: Space Seasons, Book One

Genre: LitRPG/Sci-Fi

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Amazon Purchase Link

I've gotten a chance to review read some LitRPG lately, and I have been really enjoying it. When I got a chance to do a review of Dawn Chapman's new LitRPG title, I jumped, since I am such a fan of her sci-fi work. It turns out she has written a seamless hybrid of LitRPG and space opera that kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what came next.

PLOT SUMMARY

In a future where your final school test scores determine whether you go on to a life working in a technologically advanced society, comfortably working for one of the corporations that run things, or end up downloaded into a VR body, fighting a war with hostile aliens on the far side of the galaxy, Kyle is all set. He's smart, determined and prepared for the tests. When the results come back, though, he is shocked to see that he has failed, and he must report for download while his body is disposed of. 

Resigned to his fate, Kyle gets uploaded, only to find himself downloaded onto the wrong planet, one with experienced troops, as opposed to a noob area where he should have been downloaded. He also finds he has special tech that allowed him to keep all his memories, while hiding his stats and abilities from other troops. He is almost immediately in over his head, as the area he spawned in is under threat from an alien race of giant wolfman like aliens, and the combat is only heating up. Making some allies in the fight, Kyle still ends up dying and re-spawning, finding the cost is a small percentage of his memories each time he dies and re-spawns. It doesn't help that he apparently has a bounty on his head, and some of the other troops will do anything to collect. 

Determined to try and survive, Kyle gets into the mech shop and figures out how to bypass the security and level overrides on a couple mechs, and he and one of his allies start training to use them, only to have an attack his the base that moment, forcing them to use their mechs to help repel the opposing forces, even if their hacking the mechs could result in their own side erasing them. They end up in a pitched battle and even find some incredible new uses for the mechs, and Kyle finds that one of his antagonists might not be what he seems, and that the world they're all fighting for may be much different as well.

Winning a combat test to win a slot on the team that has been trying to kill him for the bounty, Kyle finds their leader, Taito, has an agenda of his own. They make plans to try and escape the world they are on, while taking out the biggest threat to them all: Saskia, their ruthlessly efficient killer teammate. They manage to aquire a broken down ship that Kyle sets to fixing up, but this leads him into direct conflict with Saskia and her new team of killers, leading to a showdown which ends in ways they didn't see coming, leaving Kyle wounded and set into a healing tank as they depart.

Waking in the tank, Kyle sees blood on the outside of the tank, and opening it, finds the ship has been boarded and Taito fighting for survival. Realizing there is only one way to save Taito, Kyle sacrifices himself by jettisoning himself and a boarder out of the ship, allowing Taito to escape. Waiting in space, Kyle's specialized tech keeps him alive, but he slowly passes out, awaking on an alien world, naked and freezing, not having re-spawned but having landed somehow. Meeting up with a new team, who decide to help him, he finds they are much higher levels than he is, and that he is way off course from where he was trying to get to. 

Realizing that Kyle is dead meat if they don't get him leveled up, they take him on a crash course of grinding, basically letting him level up just by being part of their team, and getting him some specialized gear in the process. This all leads to the climactic battle which has far reaching implications for not only Kyle, but for so many other people stuck in the VR, since Kyle has found out secrets that weren't supposed to be known by anyone, and that the company in charge of the VR, Arndale Corp., will do anything to keep from coming out.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

Being a LitRPG world, anything is possible, but the author keeps things grounded in a science fiction reality of just a relatively believable sci fi world. You can actually see a lot of what she  has written as possible, given technological breakthroughs with nano tech, robotics and weapons tech. The LitRPG elements are fairly standard, being mid-level crunchy, meaning there is stats and level/character building, but not overwhelmingly so. Its definitely a world I'd like to go gaming in, as long as I could get out at the end.

Characters are a definite strength of this story. Kyle especially has an interesting character arc, having to face the loss of his life's ambitions and make a new life in the VR, finding out along the way who he truly is, and having to determine which paths to take for success. He didn't start off the usual callow youth who grows into the role, but a competent young man who's skills allow him to flourish in a situation he never expected to be in. The secondary characters are an interesting bunch, with some coming on to the story briefly and moving on, and some being much more integral, and being more heavily detailed. Taito and Saskia especially get some attention, as their characters dynamics affect a lot of what Kyle does in the beginning and middle of the story, and Saskia turning out to be one of the antagonists and a part of a larger conspiracy was a major turning point in the story.

NARRATION

The narration is performed by one of my favorite top five narrators, Neil Hellegers. He has an amazing range of voices, using various tones, accents and cadences to differentiate the characters, bringing them each to their own life. His narrative pacing is excellent, never being monotone, but paced in such a way as to keep the listener engaged. I'd consider this some of his best work.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed this story. It was a nice blending of sci-fi/space opera and LitRPG elements, which is nice in a genre that usually focuses on fantasy elements. It had engaging characters, excellent action sequences and an underlying conspiracy, which is a favorite trope of mine. I do like a story where characters actions have broader consequences to the larger world. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for quality read with great world building and characters. It should appeal to a lot of different readers. 

The Bookwyrm's Review of Leap of Faith by J.S. Grulke

Author: J.S. Grulke

Length: 359 Pages

Release Date: December 18, 2019

Series: Anura Rising: Book One

Genre: LitRPG

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I have been getting more into LitRPG of late, and when offered a chance to review Leap of Faith, I jumped, so to speak. It just had the look of a light bit of fun, and while it was, it turned out to be a bit deeper, which really worked.

PLOT SUMMARY

Henry Thomas is a high school kid dealing with a series of life tragedies. After a life altering bad decision, Henry decides to end his life by parking on a train bridge. When he meets his end, he is surprised to come to at all. Awakening on the world Anura, he meets a man named Verlos, who tells Henry he's being given a second chance; a chance that, if he accomplishes certain tasks, will result in him being reunited with his family. There's only one catch: He will have to do it in his new body, that of a man sized humanoid frog in what amounts to a role playing game universe.

Accepting the deal, Henry starts to move through the area he got left in, a swampy area. He runs into some other frog men, who don't take kindly to him being in their territory. Deciding to fight them, he manages to beat a couple, but when the fight starts turning against him, he tries to escape and is captured. Returning with Henry to their village, Henry discover's they are called Bruggs, one of several different tribes of frog men. The village just had a bunch of villagers stolen by gnolls, who plan on sacrificing them in dark ceremonies. Henry is given a chance to earn the Brugg's trust if he agrees to a quest to rescue the villagers. Realizing he has nothing to lose, he agrees, and goes to find them. He has to bring the tribes shaman with him, a kobold named Ott, who can hopefully use his magic to help the mission.

This quest is the start of a much larger dangerous adventure for Henry, because the Gnolls are the least of his problems. It turns out they are working for Nergal, a powerfully evil being who is looking to destroy Anura and it's inhabitants, using a magical poison gas cloud he produces to do it. Barely escaping Nergal and the gnolls, Henry returns to the village, only to have it be attacked by monsters, forcing the survivors to flee. This leaves Henry in charge of the villagers, his life literally tied to their survival, although he gains buffs by their being attached to his leadership, which disturbs Henry, being a loner and not wanting to lead anyone. 

Escaping the area, Henry and Ott discover a hidden area that would make a perfect site for a new village. Unfortunately, the current inhabitants are willing to kill anyone who enters to keep secret the reason the area remains hidden. After a crazy series of events, Henry must finally do what he hates, trust others to help him, if he is to have a chance to defeat Nergal. The way that battle occurs is completely unexpected, and the results will have unforeseen repercussions for Henry's group and the wider world.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

Deep characterization is not something a lot of people would associate with LitRPG, and in a  lot of cases, that's accurate, since the stories tend to be lighter and more comedic. Leap of Faith, however, is a bit different in that regard, especially with the main character. Henry starts the book as a selfish, shallow loner who doesn't see the value in other people, because they will let him down. As the story progresses, though, you realize this is a defense mechanism to deal with a traumatic upbringing, with tragedy and abuse mixed throughout, until Henry's final acts in the real world leading to his rebirth in Anura. Throughout the story you can see Henry refusing responsibility, making mistakes and paying the price again and again, as he slowly grows to realize the world is larger than his immediate concerns, and he must step up and accept he can't remain a loner all his life, and must give of himself. In short, actual character growth. I have to admit, the physical character growth was amusing, too. Having a buff where you have a 10% chance of decapitating someone with your tongue was a funny bit of character creation.

The secondary characters are fleshed out as well, with Ott and the hunter Kai getting the most attention, but even the minor characters get a look into their lives and motivations. Nergal makes a good villain for the story, being powerful and truly evil, but his motivations remained a mystery, even if it was just watch the world burn, which seemed a bit of a missed opportunity to expand the character to me. That's a minor point, though, and didn't affect my enjoyment of the story.

The world building for Anura is creative, seeking to keep it from being a two dimensional typical game universe. There are a variety of fantasy races as well as ones the author created specifically for the book, and they work well within the setting. The world itself has a wide variety of settings, from swampy marshes to river valleys and forests. The magic is intrinsic to the world, and the gods of the world are actual beings, which can effect the world around them. The nature god Kana is a huge surprise, quite literally. You'll understand when you read the book.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While Leap of Faith may look like a goofy, lighthearted fluff LitRPG, it was written with care and skill for plot, characters and world building. It has actual organic character growth, with a flawed protagonist that you grow to understand more as his story is revealed. I would definitely recommend this one to fans of the genre, as well as more traditional fantasy fans. I understand that Soundbooth Theater is working on the audio version, and when that one comes out, I'll update this review to cover that version as well. Definitely give this book a try.

The Bookwyrm's Review of They Eat Their Own by Amanda K. King and Michael R. Swanson

Authors: Amanda K. King & Michael R. Swanson

Length: 276 Pages

Publisher: Ismae Books

Release Date: May 19, 2020

Genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 Stars

I read and reviewed Things They Buried, the first book in this series, about a year ago. I was hugely impressed that a debut novel could be so polished and creative, mixing genres seamlessly to create something entirely new. It created a world where genetic manipulation is common, while some things, such as photography, are rare and expensive. The first book had quite a few horror elements to boot, but this book takes an entirely different, but just as effective approach, not suffering a sophomore slump at all.

PLOT SUMMARY

Starting about a year after the events of Things They Buried, the story starts off in a way I didn't expect: a pirate raid on a ship off the coast of Dockhaven. The ship, a merchant vessel, is carrying a variety of cargo, but apparently has some special items the pirates are looking for: items from a dig in a lost civilization. After getting what they came for, they ensure they will not be identified by any crew, permanently.

We then move to Dockhaven, where we see Sylandair, Duke of Chiv'vastezz, in a high stakes card game with some of the movers and shakers of Dockhaven society, including his rival Flark, who own's the building Sylandair and his mate Aliara, called Rift, live in. Idra, The Mayor of Dockhaven, and another of Sylandair's rivals, is also playing. There is a lot of political and financial intriguing going on with the game, as Flark is trying to influence Idra, who owes substantial loans to Flark, and is holding up other building plans he has. The tension at the table gets especially bad when Flark's minions implode one of his buildings with people still inside it, creating political issues for Idra. 

Meanwhile, while the game is going on, Rift agrees to help Dreg, one of the Thung Toh thieves/assassins guild members, on one of his jobs. The job involves breaking into Flark's penthouse, and retrieve shipping guild ledgers, and permanently remove the guild member, now Flark's mate, permanently. In addition, they are to bring a artifact, a Voshar mask, back to Sylandair. The mask is the one thing an enemy from their past needs to enact her evil plan.

While all this is going on, Sylandair is dodging assassination attempts, and when Rift and Dreg return to the party the card game is held at, they end up going with Sylandair, Idra and Flark's ex Daisy to Flark's yacht for a game with higher stakes. What happens there is a crazy series of events, which even the quick witted Sylandair and Rift could not have seen coming, and which leaves them with more questions than answers about certain events in the city. It does present some new opportunities in the future though, as Sylandair and Aliara have some decisions to make.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

This is one of those books that mixes creative characters who push the story along with fantastic world building. The characters from the first book, with the emphasis on Sylandair and Aliara, get more depth throughout the book. Adding a bit more to their backstory, you find out even more clearly how they got where they are, and get a closer look at their decision making process. The events of the previous books have left their mark on them both, and they are still dealing with the trauma, especially Aliara, who's injuries almost killed her. She is unsure if her abilities will return completely, and this doubt really helps makes her a more sympathetic character, while still leaving her to grow back to her strong, resilient self. Sylandair too is a complex character, with strengths and flaws that really make him ring true. The secondary characters are all well written, written as well rounded characters with strengths and flaws, which really helps sell their various stories.

The world building is such a strength of this series. Dockhaven, in my opinion, is one of the best settings in fantasy/sci-fi, on par with the great ones such as Lankhmar, Ankh-Morpork and Sanctuary. It is so well described, you can practically smell the sea salt and feel the wind blowing the stink from the slums. The dichotomy of high tech and low fantasy really shines through, and creates such a unique setting. You really do get a feeling of a hive of scum and villainy, with a thin veneer of gentility over it. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

The change in tones between the first and second book could have gone badly wrong if handled by the wrong authors. Fortunately, Amanda and Michael were the right authors, and did an amazing job shifting tones from a sci-fi/ fantasy hybrid with some serious horror elements, to what I think of as a down and dirty Ocean's Eight kind of heist story with an underlying conspiracy. I can see this book appealing to people on both sides of the sci-fi/fantasy divide, and create new fans of both.