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. 

The Bookwyrm's Review of Decisively Engaged by C.J. Carella

Author: C.J. Carella

Length: 276 Pages/ 12 Hours, 4 Minutes (Audio)

Release Date: December 28, 2015/ March 17, 2016 (Audio)

Publisher: Fey Dreams Productions, LLC

Narrator: Guy Williams

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

With the wealth of military sci-fi today, it could be easy to get lost in the crowd. With the Warp Marine series, it has such a great premise that this doesn't happen. It's back story is reflected throughout, and its not such a far fetched idea.

PLOT SUMMARY

In the not too distant future, Earth has it's first alien contact with not just one, but two, alien races, the Risshah and the Hrauwah. The problem with this? They are fighting each other as the come into Earth's area, and the Risshah are genocidal to other species, so decide to clear Earth off while they're at it. Bombing the major cities of the planet, they are only stopped from killing all humans by the Hrauwah destroying their ship. 

The US, on the far side of the planet when the bombing started, get a bit less damage than Russia and Asia, and they end up as the representatives of Earth with the Hrauwah. Feeling guilty they led so much destruction to Earth, they help the US jump forward technologically to be able to join galactic society. Its a big, nasty universe, though, so humanity's talent at fighting wars comes in handy, as does humanities unique ability to be much less adversely effected by traveling through Warp space. This allows the formation of the US Warp Marine Corps, which use specialized warp platforms to warp onto enemy ships and take them down from the inside. This is the universe the story starts in, 160+ years after first contact.

After being scapegoated for a battle that went badly, Captain Peter Fromm of the USWMC is reassigned in quiet disgrace to the backwater planet of Jasper Five, a client state of the US. Peter is to command the US embassy Marine detachment, not exactly a glamour role. It's supposed to be a quiet place to keep him out of sight. Unfortunately, it will be anything but. The population on Jasper Five, which has a rigid caste system, is being pushed, backed by the Lanark, another alien species that hates humanity, to rise up, rebel and kill all the alien outsiders. It also doesn't help the ambassador is a coward and not too bright. 

As tensions ramp up, Peter is assisted by intel from Heather, a CIA agent working in the embassy staff, who is dedicated to keeping her fellow Americans alive as well. Things blow up when the ambassador insults the queen, which has the effect of turning the population, supported by their army, loose on the outnumbered Americans. Being supported with alien weaponry, what should be an easy to put down rebellion is a fight to death in the vein of Rourke's Drift and Little Bighorn, and if the American's want to avoid annihilation, they're going to have to use every trick in the book and every bit of their cunning to survive. What happens at the end shows that this is just the beginning for humanity, with it's very survival at stake.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

The book introduces us to a variety of characters, and they are well written, three dimensional characters. Peter Fromm is the perfect example of this. A dedicated, hard working Marine, he is dumped in the deep end on whats supposed to be a backwater, and rises to the challenge. He makes mistakes, which results in troops dying, but this is written like real military combat, and that is just a fact of war. He is willing to make the hard choices, even knowing his people may die. Heather is another excellent character. Smart, determined, sneaky and cool under pressure, she makes an excellent secret agent. She too comes across as competent and real, someone you can empathize with. There are various enlisted Marines we get to see develop as well, including my favorite, Russell Edison, who is always looking for a side hustle to pad his wallet, but is the guy you definitely want in the foxhole with you. The secondary characters get quite a bit of time as well, and are developed nicely in line with the story.

The world building is excellent as well. The changes to Earth culture based on the traumatic first contact are interesting, with the US going to a much more pragmatic system, with compulsory military service for every citizen, and a much more powerful president than before. The various worlds and polities of aliens are interesting, with some allying with the US, while others would love to see all humans, who they call warp demons, consigned to death. It's a hostile universe the author creates, with wonders side by side with the worst barbarism. It's easy to sink right into the world he created.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Any time you go into a new series, you never know what your going to get. What you get with this series debut is an action packed thrill ride with excellent military action, great character building and an expansive universe with which to expand the story. Tight plotting and pacing are also a plus. Any fan of military sci-fi should find something to enjoy in this story.

The Bookwyrm's Review of White Serpent, Black Dragon by Joe Jackson

Author: Joe Jackson

Length: 395 Pages/ 19 Hours, 58 Minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Aethon Books

Release Date: May 19, 2020

Narrator: Chelsea Stephens

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 Stars

BUY ON AMAZON

I may have mentioned before that second books can be hit or miss, since sometimes the sophomore slump is a real thing. I've had a streak of good luck lately with second books, and this is no exception. It continues on from the first book, Salvation's Dawn, and really delves into the world of Citaria and the threat to the world.

PLOT SUMMARY

Five years after the events in Salvation's Dawn, Kari Vanador, resurrected demon hunter, is now living in the city of Darkwind, where she is the head instructor for the god Zalkar's demon hunter trainees. She is happily living with her mate Grakin and their son in his family's home, protected by his mother's powers as high priestess of their pantheon's head god. Life is good, especially after the life altering events five years earlier.

This all changes when a visiting noble, the infamous Lord of Barcon, Kaelen Black, comes to Kari's order in the city of Darkwind to request help finding a serial killer in his city. Given the opportunity to help, Kari jumps at it, feeling her skills are needed in the field. When Lord Black is attacked by a succubus assassin while waiting to return to Barcon, Kari realizes something else is going on besides a serial killer. Commencing her journey, Kari gathers up some allies on the way to Barcon, including Eli, a half demon warrior who worked for Kari's predecessor in the order during the Apocalypse, who has some idea what may be happening in the background, as well as Katrina and Sherman, apprentice paladins Kari met on her mission five years earlier. 

Moving on to Barcon flying on griffonback, Kari and her allies meet with Black, and find that not only is there a serial killer running around, but the local assassins guild leader, Blackwing, is also engaging in a covert war with Black. The real problem for Kari is that it seems Black and Blackwing look exactly alike, and her order thinks Black might be Blackwing, making him a murderous assassin leader. This uncertainty leaves Kari uncertain how to proceed until events occur that clear the situation significantly, and also revealing that there is another player on the field: Emma, the powerful demon sorceress Kari ran into five years earlier on that fateful mission. This simple job of finding a serial killer has turned into a life threatening conspiracy that threatens to unleash an impossible evil on the world if Kari and her group, as well as some new allies met in Barcon, don't stop Emma and the succubus assassin's opposing plans. Kari is forced to use the many fighting skills gained in two lifetimes to try and defeat a fighter who just may be better than her, which most would consider close to impossible. What results has long term consequences for Kari, her allies, and her order.

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

As with Salvation's Dawn, the characters are the driving force in this story. Kari especially is a fantastic characters. Strong and talented, she has flaws that eat at her throughout the book, and almost cost her life a time or two. While she's strong and capable, she's in no way overpowered, and she makes mistakes just like everyone else. She is very easy to empathize with, and you find yourself rooting for her through success and failures alike. The secondary characters, such as Eli and the twins, are all well written, with strengths and flaws, and some interesting back stories as well that really help to flesh them out. The villains are all interesting, having competing goals and plans to bring them about, and this really helps flesh them out.

The world building is also excellent, with Darkwind and Barcon as settings creating a really interesting atmosphere to the story. Barcon especially is drawn out very well, giving you a real feel of what the city is really like, from the slums to Lord Black's Fortress. The city inhabitants add to the world building as well, especially the clergy of the various gods, who play such a big part in various parts of the story. All told, you can immerse yourself in the settings and fit right in.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As I said, this is definitely a case where there is no second book letdown. In fact, it takes what made the first book so good, adds a deeper story line with greater consequences that hint at a huge underlying conspiracy, and creates an engrossing story that will have you turning pages and wanting more when its over. You can't ask for much more than that. It's definitely epic fantasy at it's finest.

The Bookwyrm's Review of Psycho Killers In Love by C.T. Phipps

Author: C. T. Phipps

Publisher: Macabre Ink

Release Date:  TBA

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I make no secret of the fact C.T. Phipps is probably my favorite author writing today, indie or traditionally published. I was given a chance to review an early copy of his latest book, so of course I jumped at the opportunity. I'm definitely glad I did, this being a stand alone that still ties into his United States of Monsters, and adds to the rich tapestry of that collection of series.

PLOT SUMMARY  

In a world where slasher movies are based on real slashers, such as Fred, Mike, the Camp Killer and The Camp Killer's Mother, William and Carrie England know all about it. Their father, Billy Jones Patrick, was one of the original slashers, one who specialized and slumber parties, sororities and even Christmas. Needless to say, they had some lousy Christmases over the years. When their father was finally killed, they were both grabbed by the authorities and put in an insane asylum, since they were thought to have the slasher gene. Turns out they did, although the state didn't really know that. Now in their 20's, William and Carrie have escaped from their years of shock treatments, drug therapy and other warped government experimentation, and are on the run from the law.

Unfortunately, they can't escape their father, who, although he's dead, still keeps hanging around as a ghost. Stopped off in a small Kansas town, which it turns out is a nexus for slashers, William, who has never actually killed someone, has a weird feeling when a customer enters the diner they're in, as he can see the evil and murders the man has committed. Feeling an overwhelming need to murder the man, and with a voice in his head, the Spirit of the Hunt, egging him on, William follows him out of the diner to the back parking lot. 

As he is about to murder the man, the tables are turned on him and William is murdered by the man instead. Just before he dies, though, he sees the man get killed by a woman with a golf club who was locked in the man's trunk. When he regenerates back to life, Carrie comes out and they meet the girl, Nancy. It turns out she is whats known as an Artemis, those rare girls at the end of horror movies that end up killing the slasher. It turns out that like William and Carrie, she has supernatural abilities, such as strength, speed and regeneration. 

She explains she was at a bachlorette party that was captured by a group of rich people to hunt for sport. Deciding they needed to help her, they retreated to their house, an abandoned drug house, where they make a discovery: there is a staked vampire in the basement that has been drained of blood. This discovery leads to a wild series of events, as the drug makers return, and William and crew end their threat, awakening the vampire at the same time, who agrees to help them take the people hunters down and rescue Nancy's friends. 

This leads to revelations about the group that has surprise origins with Billy and his contemporaries, and also the mysterious force behind the hunter's group. A force that has a completely unexpected link to William and Carrie's past, that might have world altering consequences if not stopped. Can a couple slashers, a slasher killer and a vampire possibly stop the threat, and do they really want to?

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

As with any book by C. T. Phipps, the characters are what drives the story. William, Carrie and Nancy are just such interesting characters, fighting (or not) against their very genes and forces outside their control trying to mold them into the very stereotypes they were meant to be. William and Carrie were basically trained to be killers, and while Carrie embraces it, William has fought it, even going so far as to get his CPA, as far from being a slasher as you can get. Nancy is in a similar state, as her mother and grandmother were both involved as victims of slashers, and are the source of her Artemis genes. They aren't perfect, and defy their stereotypes, as William and Nancy should be deadly enemies, yet find themselves drawn to each other. There are a lot of fun dynamics within the group. None of them feel like cardboard cutouts, but just people dealing with unusual issues. The villains are an interesting bunch, tying into various other parts of the various US of Monsters books, adding backstory to those as well. We get an idea of their thought processes, and their actions are consistent within their character arcs. All told, an excellent group of characters.

The world building for this book is a strength as well. Its a world with a layer of the supernatural just out of sight, where supernatural slashers, vampires, demons, zombies and other assorted supernaturals exist. Tying into the other books, anyone who's read any of those knows just how much more supernatural world there is. This one delves into a more horror oriented corner of that universe, where the things that go bump in the night really are trying to kill you. You can tell the writer has a wealth of knowledge of the slasher genre,  and puts it to good use building this corner of his shared universe.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Shared universes tend to be hit or miss in my opinion, but C. T. Phipps just keeps adding new corners to his universe, adding new layers of goodness. They all interconnect in various ways, but each maintain their own distinctiveness. I consider this to be a worthy addition to his universe, while still being able to stand on its own. I definitely recommend this one as a must read.

The Bookwyrm's Review of The Usurper by James Alderdice

Author: James Alderdice

Length: 475 Pages

Publisher: Lost Realms Press

Release Date: April 22, 2020

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Rating: 5/5 stars

Buy on Amazon

I'm usually not a big fan of prequels in storytelling. Filling in the backstory sounds like a good idea, but in a lot of cases, falls flat as they either throw the kitchen sink into it trying to add backstory, or they do something that's inconsistent with the story's current points. Luckily, The Usurper is not that book. Fleshing out the mysterious backstory of main character and events of the first book, Brutal, we get a rousing story all its own that leads right into the first book.

PLOT SUMMARY

In a disputed border area between the Kingdom of Vjorn and the Duchy of Derenz, the armies of both kingdom and duchy skirmish daily, preparing for a battle to determine the latest winner.The duchy uses a large force of mercenaries known as the Sellswords, led by Gathelaus, a giant of a northerner who has never known defeat on the battlefield. The forces are facing a stalemate, until one night, it all changes. The Kingdom's commander, Prince Roose, sneaks behind the lines and meets with the Duke of Derenz and Gathelaus and asks for their help. He tells them Vjorn's King Forlock is an evil ruler, completely out of control, and he is willing to cede the disputed land to the Duke if he will provide troops to help Roose overthrow the king and allow him to take the throne. Seeing a chance for gain, the Duke agrees to send all his mercenary troops, under the command of Gathelaus, to invade Vjorn with Roose. 

Roose planned for this coup, and separated the various army units from the capital. However, it seems the King is not a complete fool, since his court wizard has spied their movements, and Forlock has invited in the country's wild barbarian neighbors to invade, burning and looting ahead of Roose's forces, leaving them no fodder for their horses. Realizing they will all end up dead if they are delayed too long, Gathelaus comes up with a plan to deal with them. What follows that plan is a wild series of events, including battles, betrayals, an attack by a demon, unexpected deaths and flashbacks to various points in Gathelaus's life. 

The flashbacks show how Gathelaus became the ferocious fighter and tactician he is. Whether its fighting fellow Northmen for land, working as a bodyguard, becoming a war leader in a Mongol-like horde or fighting the last Emperor mage of a fallen empire, he has lived 10 lifetimes of action and adventure in 20+ years.  These all tie into facets of the present, ending in the final confrontation at the capital, in a wild headlong rush to destiny for Gathelaus and company, as the only options are victory or death!

CHARACTERS AND WORLD BUILDING

I would have to say that the characters and world building in this book are equally strong, and are both focused on throughout. In Gathelaus, we have a modern day pulp action character, kind of a more sophisticated Conan type. An excellent warrior and tactician, he has risen through life on his own merits, finally leading his own mercenary army. He's not infallible though, and does have some failures in his life, and that definitely informs his decisions throughout the story. He's much more thoughtful and well rounded than I expected. The secondary characters all get some attentions, adding to the story in their own right, and not just as weapons holders for Gathelaus. The various villains are an eclectic collection, from female assassins to an insane emperor mage, and they all play well against Gathelaus and his companions, really helping to round out the story.

The world building is excellent, with a variety of settings throughout the book helping to set the tone. From a volcanic island newly risen from the ocean, a lost hidden city with magical protections to a prison fortress Gathelaus was once a "guest" of, they all lead to the penultimate goal in the book, the capital of Vjorn. This city, while not super heavily detailed, is given life by the story taking place within it, and really helps immerse the reader into the world.

FINAL THOUGHTS

As I initially said, prequels are hit or miss. in this case, it's a definite hit. It really adds a quality backstory to one of my favorite characters, and adds a bright new star to the ranks of ferocious pulp barbarian heroes/anti-heroes. This is one I would wholeheartedly recommend you read today, and then dig into the rest of the series.