Grimdark Reader Best of 2014

This was at once a great year for fantasy and a not so great year. In terms of quantity, not so great. I have 11 books to choose from that I really enjoyed of this years releases. In terms of quality, of those that make this list, they are all some of the best fantasy books I have read. This being said, it's so difficult to rank these 1-10. Even writing this, I haven't decided number 1. I have at least 5 that could easily be number 1. But since I have to choose, here goes;

1) 

This was a spectacular book! I said in my review it was some of the funnest reading I had all year. The follow up, Chains of the Heretic looks astounding. Full review here.

2) 

This book is one of the most unique fantasy books I have read. I was hooked from page one.Unwrapped Sky is a work by someone who loves to write and create. Review here.

3) 

This blew me away, Read why here.

4) 

This is historical fantasy, the best I have ever read. Here is my review to tell you more.

5)

Book 1, Herald of the Storm was a great book. The Shattered Crown took the Steelhaven series to a new level. 

6) 

The Barrow took grimdark to a new level. This is one of the most brutal grimdark books I have read yet. It's not for the faint of heart. 

7)

Mark Lawrence is my favorite author. This is a new series set in the same world as his Broken Empire series, my favorite series of all time. This is a great book. I can't wait for The Liars Key, book 2 our in 2015.

8) 

I had never heard of Greg James and came across Under A Colder Sun somewhere and read the synopsis and I was hooked. This book lived up to my expectations. It's not a long read, but it's money well spent. 

9)

Some of the best writing I have ever read is in The Gospel of Loki. A delightful new take on Norse mythology.

10) 

Joe Abercrombie is my second favorite author and this book doesn't disappoint. Half a King is tuned down a bit from his other works but it still has his trademark dark humor and grittiness. 

So this was a good year but not a great one. I had a lot of disappointments, new series I thought I would love and follow ups I thought would be even better than the first in the series I enjoyed. As the year is coming to a close, I have realized I spent to much time chasing the next great book. All of the books here are great but they were diamonds in the rough. I probably started at least 100 books that I did not finish. That says something. This coming year, I will be very selective. I will stick with authors I know and follow other blogs to find new authors. I may not even review this year and if I do it will not be as often as this year. I am very proud of this blog and all the kind words I have received from so many. Copycat blogs are even popping up, which I find to be hilarious. In one year, I have gotten 40,000 page views. Some of the other blogs I see from this year have 5000 or less views. I think everyone knows by this time where to get their grimdark news from. Thanks for following and have a great Christmas!

Review of City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Writing 4.5/5
Imagination 5/5
Plot 5/5
Setting 5/5
Characters 4.5/5
My Overall Enjoyment (Not an average) 5/5

Goodreads description-

Years ago, the city of Bulikov wielded the powers of the Gods to conquer the world. But after its divine protectors were mysteriously killed, the conqueror has become the conquered; the city's proud history has been erased and censored, progress has left it behind, and it is just another colonial outpost of the world's new geopolitical power. Into this musty, backward city steps Shara Divani. Officially, the quiet mousy woman is just another lowly diplomat sent by Bulikov's oppressors. Unofficially, Shara is one of her country's most accomplished spymasters-dispatched to investigate the brutal murder of a seemingly harmless historian. As Shara pursues the mystery through the ever-shifting physical and political geography of the city, she begins to suspect that the beings who once protected Bulikov may not be as dead as they seem-and that her own abilities might be touched by the divine as well.

Only a few times a year does a book come along that just blows me away on every level. This is one of them. The other one this year was Unwrapped Sky by Rjurik Davidson, the only other book I have read this year that is comparable in terms of imagination and its urban setting. Yet, they are in other ways very different.

This is a lore and relic lovers dream. I'm a huge fan of both, Nearly all of my favorite series include deep lore and history as well as some sort of relic, a quest or some interesting uses of them. City of Stairs has some of the most unusual and interesting relics I have ever come across and there are pages and pages of them being talked about or more importantly used. I am dying to mention a few of my favorites but don't want to ruin the surprises. As for the lore, this book is basically one huge search for the truth about the world we find ourselves in. Through the eyes of our main character, a young genius, we learn how the things in the world came to be and it's extremely fascinating and as with the relics, wonderfully imagined and unique.  I tire of the whole Game of Thrones numerous alternating point of view characters so to read a story in a more traditional limited third person point of view is very refreshing and fun.

Something else I really enjoyed were the vignettes that began each chapter, each one from a history or diary which brought more depth to the world. Each one of them held my attention and increased my desire to further explore the world. They all seemed to connect with events going on in the subsequent chapter so I thought it was a very fun way for a reader to be part of the mystery.

A final aspect I enjoyed was the urban setting which was drawn vividly and realistically. It also had extremely fantastical elements, all which fit in beautifully to make this darkly atmospherical story one you could see in your mind and feel in your bones. It's not a pleasant world. It's a dark and dreary world where the humans live a meager existence, cut off from their history and past with little hope for the future. The ending was great, wrapping everything up and leaving room for a second book.

This took me a bit to get into to be honest. Probably a hundred pages. It was by no means bad or boring, I think it just took time to get sucked into a new, intricate world. The rest of the book was a slow read for me. I can read a 450 page book in a day, easy. This took me over a week. But I savored each day with this book. I read a few chapters a day and felt that was sufficient. I let it digest, thought about it, and anxiously waited to pick it back up. That's rare for me. Books I am not in to, I don't feel like picking back up. Books I love, I usually can't put down. With this book, I think I liked it so much that I knew if I didn't put it down, it would be over too soon. If Robert Jackson Bennett can deliver a second book as wonderful and fantastic as this, I'll be a lifelong fan. Highly recommended for everyone!


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Under A Colder Sun (Khale the Wanderer #1)-by Greg James

Under A Colder Sun (Khale the Wanderer #1)-by Greg James

5 of 5 Stars

Writing 4.5/5
Imagination 5/5
Plot 4.5/5 Setting 4.5/5
Characters 4.5/5
My Overall Enjoyment (Not an average) 5/5

Blurb from Manderghast Press

Khale the Wanderer: dark warrior of legend, a reaver with a demon’s soul. King Alosse: ruler of Colm, willing to risk everything to save his city and its people. Princess Milanda: an innocent, kept pure since birth, unknowing of her fate. Neprokhodymh: the cursed city of sorcerers where Khale must make a sacrifice that will scar him for life, or fall into darkness forever.  

Right out of the gate, I have to say I loved this book. I thought it was tremendous. It had everything I love in a fantasy story. It's self published, which has the potential to cause some hesitance but I assure you this is a wonderfully written dark fantasy novel. This is not the author's first book, he has over a dozen others and I am anxious to start them.

The inspiration for this book comes from Robert E. Howard's Conan and Karl Edward Wagner's Kane. Not only did Greg James nail the tone and atmosphere of their style, I also saw some of Moorcock's Corum and Elric characters as well as Gemmell's Druss. I rank this with any of those stories as a favorite. 

Briefly mentioned already, the first thing that impressed me was how atmospheric this book was. I walked where Khale walked, felt what he felt, saw what he saw. This is a short book but it is packed with vivid descriptions and encompasses a huge world and although we get a nice glimpse of it here, you can see that there is much more going on here. We are fed deep and dark mysteries about the past as well as Khale's history, which is still a mystery to me, especially after reading the two very short stories included at the end. Khale is similar to Conan and Kane in that he is a badass but make no mistake, he is his own character, possibly more brutal than either. The world is harsh and cruel as are the characters and magics. There are horrific elements in the story which fit in so well in the setting he has created.

The plot never stopped advancing, there were no lulls in the action or unnecessary conversations for "character development." I never wanted the book to pick up the pace, or get to another scene or character. I was genuinely shocked multiple times by plot events and character deaths as well as their decisions. Being thrown way off from what I suspect is a highly pleasurable reading experience for me because it is so rare.

If Greg James continues to write such well-written and engaging stories, he should gain a large following. Based on this book, I can confidently say I will be picking up his next Khale the Wanderer book and hope he writes many. I think that will be easy to do as his style of writing leads to short but fulfilling and action packed sword and sorcery tales. It was a huge hit for this long time fan of the genre. Great introduction to a great series.

Review of Half a King (Shattered Sea #1)-by Joe Abercrombie

4.5 of 5 stars

Writing 5/5

Imagination 4/5
Plot 4.5/5
Setting 5/5
Characters 4/5

My Overall Enjoyment (Not an average) 4.5/5

About the book from Goodreads

“I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.”

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand.
The deceived will become the deceiver.
Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.
The betrayed will become the betrayer.
Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.
Will the usurped become the usurper?
But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy.

This is an excellent book! I compulsively read it and finished in two days. Not uncommon for me when I enjoy a book. Joe Abercrombie successfully enters the YA market but in no way does that diminish this as a book for all ages. It has a somewhat lighter feel than his other books and the main character is a young prince which is part of the appeal to a younger audience but it's still violent and and edgy, with a dark foreboding feeling throughout. The normal foul language is scaled way back as well.

One of the reasons I love reading an Abercrombie book is because of the witty and clever writing and Half a King does not disappoint. Beginning to end the writing is wonderful. The dialogue, descriptions, and narration are all laced through with his trademark dark humor and clever turns of phrase.

This is a fantasy world and it's done amazingly. I was especially interested in some of the world back-story, always something that fascinates me because I love new creation myths that authors build and this has a great one. There are some other very cool references to certain races and places in this book that left me wondering more about this world's origins but I won't spoil it for the reader. Magic was also completely or nearly non-existent and I do enjoy magic so that was a bit of a disappointment.  I do believe there will be some great mysteries unveiled in future books and hopefully magic is introduced.

As for plot, it was action packed and fast moving, and I expected nothing less. A few of the sequences were a bit boring and kind of standard to me, meaning I have read similar scenes many times, although not usually so well written. The ending was great and it sparked my interest for the next in the series. I thought it was wrapped up nicely, without any annoying cliffhangers.

I originally wanted to give this 4/5 stars but bumped it up to 4.5/5 while writing this because I really did like it. I just didn't love it. When I read The Blade Itself, I immediate put it on my "favorite of all time" bookshelf. But this one won't go there. Perhaps it is because the last two years I have developed a very specific taste in reading and I have read so many fantasy books that it really takes a certain style of book to get me to love it. Part of the reason is that it just wasn't brutal and dark enough for my taste although it has those elements. Also, I didn't really love any of the characters, even Nothing, who was the mysterious one here and probably my favorite. I still think about some of Abercrombie's First Law series characters, like my favorite Logen Ninefingers, also Rudd Threetrees, Glokta, Bayaz First of the Magi, and Shivers. For the person who reads 10-20 books in a year, I would recommend they make this one of them. It's a beautiful book. For the YA, who enjoys fantasy or even is hesitant to pick up a book, I heartily recommend this book to them as a must. For the fantasy lover who has been reading for many years, I also highly recommend this book. There's something for everyone in this book and objectively, it is one of the best books out this year.

Review of Prince of Fools (The Red Queen's War #1) by Mark Lawrence

5/5 Stars

Writing 5/5
Imagination 4/5
Plot 4/5
Setting 4/5
Characters 5/5
Grimdark 3.5/5

My Overall Enjoyment 5/5

Bonus

Humor 5/5

Goodreads book summary

The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign, she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sister—unseen by most and unspoken of by all. 

The Red Queen’s grandson, Prince Jalan Kendeth—drinker, gambler, seducer of women—is one who can see The Silent Sister. Tenth in line for the throne and content with his role as a minor royal, he pretends that the hideous crone is not there. But war is coming. Witnesses claim an undead army is on the march, and the Red Queen has called on her family to defend the realm. Jal thinks it’s all a rumor—nothing that will affect him—but he is wrong. 

After escaping a death trap set by the Silent Sister, Jal finds his fate magically intertwined with a fierce Norse warrior. As the two undertake a journey across the Empire to undo the spell, encountering grave dangers, willing women, and an upstart prince named Jorg Ancrath along the way, Jalan gradually catches a glimmer of the truth: he and the Norseman are but pieces in a game, part of a series of moves in the long war—and the Red Queen controls the board.

After two months of looking at Prince of Fools (Mark Lawrence’s follow up to Emperor of Thorns and the final book in my favorite series of all time) in my ereader queue, it is finally gone. PoF was my number one anticipated novel of the year so I did not want to read it to soon and I like to savor my favorite authors books. Expectations are high; Mark Lawrence has many fanatical fans, myself included. Before PoF came out, I already thought him to be the best current writer in fantasy, or in any genre, and an amazing and provocative storyteller. Does PoF live up to his reputation and fans expectations? An emphatic and resounding YES! By all accounts PoF is an amazing, wonderful book. And there is a dog in the beginning named Pluto, my dogs name, and a great name for a dog!

First, who does not love vikings? I have been on a major viking reading theme and have probably read 30 or more books about them this year as well as following the excellent show, Vikings. In PoF, Jalen, also known as the Red Prince, ends up with a traveling companion who is a monster of a Viking named Snorri. Snorri is a total badass out for revenge for reasons revealed in the story. Jalan is of royalty and far down in the line of succession, and is very different than any main character I have come across, mainly he is a coward and a liar. The main characters, as well as the other minor characters, are brought brilliantly to life. Jalan could not be more different than Jorg (the "hero" of The Broken Empire series). As in the best books, the characters are believable and you want to see what happens to them. Often, I get halfway through a book and realize I just don’t care what happens to the characters or how the story ends up. This is definitely not a problem here. After each event or conversation, I anxiously want to see what happens next, not only in the story but to the characters. Neither Snorri or Jalan are particularly pleasant persons, yet there is a strong affinity with them. Having been so emotionally invested in the Broken Empire series, when Jalan and Snorri cross paths with some of the Brothers, as well as a certain young prince, I was astounded at what occurred.  I set the book down for several hours after that because it was so epic!

The Broken Empire was dark; very dark (some disagree). This is dark as well, but it is insanely humorous and definitely has a lighter feel. Jalan and Snorri’s witticisms and banter are hysterical. It had me laughing out loud multiple times and smiling untold times. Instead of the brutality featured in the Broken Empire, this book has humor. There is action, killing, and violence, done expertly and cleverly, but the humor is what jumps out for me.

The writing is expert. No other writer is as clever as Mark Lawrence. The dialogue and narration are both concise and succinct. There are aphorisms galore. I bookmarked more pages than I can count to go back and read (my free ereader doesn't allow highlighting so this is one book I need to get up a physical copy). I had the idea to insert them in this review but much of the pleasure of reading Mark Lawrence is coming across them in context so I will leave them for the reader to discover.

The plot is thoughtful and suspenseful and at times full of horror. There is magic of a mysterious type and it is very important to this story but not overpowering. We learn a lot about numerous new cities and towns as well as some lore and history of this post-apocalyptic world as Jalan and Snorri travel.  We also meet very interesting people throughout the journey and it is always fun to see what Mark dreams up next and what obstacles the characters will face.

With this book, Mark Lawrence shows he is one of the premier fantasy writers of this generation and of all time. I love the Broken Empire world and do not believe I would ever tire of it. No matter what Mark writes, I will be the first in line. But I do hope he continues in the Broken Empire with another series after this one. For now, I can not wait for book two. I recommend this without hesitation or qualification to everyone.

Review of Veil of the Deserters (Bloodsounders Arc #2) by Jeff Salyards

Veil of the Deserters by Jeff Salyards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Writing 4.5/5

Imagination 4/5
Plot 5/5
Setting 4.5/5
Characters 5/5

My Overall Enjoyment 5/5

Goodreads book summary

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

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

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

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

This was an absolutely addicting journey, and some of the most fun reading I have had this year. This book surpasses the first Bloodsounder's Arc book, which was excellent and I gave 4.5 stars to, in terms of writing, depth, plot, and character and world building. Everything Jeff Salyard's did great in Scourge of the Betrayer, he does even better here.


I love Jeff Salyard's writing. It exudes atmosphere; I am able to enter into the world he has created and exist. The dialogue is among the best in fantasy. Each character has a unique voice and it was such a pleasure reading the different characters go back and forth. I usually prefer narration to dialogue when reading but this novel has really opened up a new world to me. I often skim dialogue and find it boring but the writer here really brought this group of soldiers to life. It was clever, funny, crass, and often over-the-top and there was always something interesting being said which kept me turning pages at stop lights, dinner, check-out lines, walking to my car, taking out the trash, etc.


These Syldoon soldiers are as tough and grim as any in fiction. The narrator, Arki, who is a scribe by trade, was less grim but had strong character development as well. I enjoyed every character in this book. There was never a time I wished a scene would end as is often the case for me and I will skim a particular character I don't really care about. Even in excellent books such as the ASoFaI series, there are numerous people I really don't care about. There is a decent amount of characters, perhaps 7 or 8, which play large parts. This strongly appeals to me as I do not like books with 30 or 50 or more minor characters as well as the 10 or 20 main characters and the book goes on for 1000 pages. Recently, I gave up on 2 very famous books because there were just hundreds of characters and I felt I needed to keep notes or constantly consult a Wiki. I do not like that and my patience wears thin with that. In no way am I implying this book does not have depth because it does. It is just very, very focused. In 450 or so pages, Jeff Salyards is able to create a world and characters as rich as any secondary fantasy world.


The first book, Scourge of the Betrayer, had some solid world building and I mentioned in my review the author dropped hints of a much larger world to explore. And I was right in a major way! This book is loaded with relevant history and journeys to numerous locations around the region. We learn some of the major characters backstories, giving an added layer of depth to already great character development. We learn more about the religion in this world through numerous plot devices (I say "plot devices" because I don't want to give spoilers). We learn some history of the Godveil, which we almost knew nothing about after the first book. We get more information about Bloodsounder, Captain Braylar's flail. Magic enters much stronger in this book, a unique system involving memory magic, which is I loved learning about.


As for the plot, it was full of mystery and had me anticipating and guessing what would happen next and most of the time I was very surprised. The action scenes were written expertly and there were many types of warfare including sieges, ambushes, and shieldwalls. It felt like the writer was a veteran soldier of numerous campaigns. The pace was perfect, heavy on action and advanced quickly, with brief pauses in which to learn some needed history of the world or characters. There were no pointless parts in this book which seemed like a waste of time or just something to take up pages.


I can't recommend this book enough. Even if you did not read the first book in this series, this book can stand on its own. And if you did read the first book, you should be able to get right back into this world. Within 20 pages, it felt like no time passed between this book and the last one even though I have probably read 50 books since then. And if you do start with this book, you will surely want to read the first one because you will crave more of Braylar's adventures. I sometimes find it lazy to compare a book to another book in a review but it is inevitable here. It had a very similar feel to Joe Abercrombie's First Law books well as Glen Cook's Black Company series. If you are looking for something in that style, this is a must read series!

Review of The Barrow by Mark Smylie

The Barrow by Mark Smylie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Writing 4/5
Imagination 5/5
Plot 4.5/5
Setting 5/5
Characters 4/5

Overall enjoyment 4.5/5

Goodreads Summary

Action, horror, politics, and sensuality combine in this stand-alone fantasy novel with series potential. Set in the world of the Eisner-nominated Artesia comic books.
To find the Sword, unearth the Barrow. To unearth the Barrow, follow the Map.
When a small crew of scoundrels, would-be heroes, deviants, and ruffians discover a map that they believe will lead them to a fabled sword buried in the barrow of a long-dead wizard, they think they've struck it rich. But their hopes are dashed when the map turns out to be cursed and then is destroyed in a magical ritual. The loss of the map leaves them dreaming of what might have been, until they rediscover the map in a most unusual and unexpected place.
Stjepan Black-Heart, suspected murderer and renegade royal cartographer; Erim, a young woman masquerading as a man; Gilgwyr, brothel owner extraordinaire; Leigh, an exiled magus under an ignominious cloud; Godewyn Red-Hand, mercenary and troublemaker; Arduin Orwain, scion of a noble family brought low by scandal; and Arduin's sister Annwyn, the beautiful cause of that scandal: together they form a cross-section of the Middle Kingdoms of the Known World, brought together by accident and dark design, on a quest that will either get them all in the history books, or get them all killed.

Summing up for experienced fantasy readers I would say this book is a combination of the Malazan Books of the Fallen by Steven Erikson in terms of world building and Joe Abercrombie in terms of grittiness; and, in both world building and grittiness, Mark Smylie is as good as both those huge names and goes even further adding elements of provocative sexuality. This book is a major investment as it will immerse you in an unbelievably huge new world with a massive cast of characters to get to know.

The world is expertly detailed and immense. To me, this book strikes of older epic fantasy in that the setting is often more of a focus than the characters. The maps and glossary come in handy because there are so many characters and places that without a reader could become confused quickly. I thought the author did a great job of introducing everything and it was rare I needed to consult either of the former but they are there which is nice and many will rely on them. This being said, there is no lack of character building and interestingly my favorite character is Erim, who receives the least time but that is probably the reason for my fascination. She seems very complex and mysterious. Another main character who was deeply drawn was Stjepan, although I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to pronounce the name. Fortunately, most of the names and places were easy enough to remember.

The plot was multi-layered and complex which, although this was a quest type story, it felt very fresh and it was enjoyable figuring out its complexities. It caused me to think; a lot, which some readers might find difficult but I found pleasurable. The lore and history are woven tightly into the plot and there is so that it could make up its own book. I thought it was wonderfully delivered as well. Sometimes in fantasy, lore can be placed a bit awkwardly but not here. If you love lore, as do I, this book has some of the richest I have ever read. The ending was excellent and sets up for what could be an even better second book.

Sometimes I read reviews critical of some perceived philosophy in a book, an authors motives, or what they believe are the authors personal beliefs. Those reviews annoy me so I try to avoid them. Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion and people read into things in different ways but I think a review should be about what specifically a reviewer liked, what excited them, and what they didn't like rather than their interpretation of the book. I'm not interested in a reviewers abstract interpretation of a story. If you tell me what you like and what you didn't, I will use that along with the description and blurbs to decide whether to read it or not. I mention this because there is so much going on in this book that it is inevitable that some reviews are going to get into a verbose rendering of what this book is about. I loved this book for its fantastical elements, excellent story lines, and the beautiful world the author has created. I had fun reading it.

This is also a book that, because of its dark themes and adult subjects, will certainly provoke controversy and with that negative reviews based on that. If you're an adult who's prone to offense, I can say with confidence you will find something in this book to be offended about. People will complain about the violence, cussing, sex, deaths, etc. If you don't enjoy books which have the those elements on a regular basis, then save yourself the grief and time and skip this. You will be unable to objectively rate this book. This is a book for adult fantasy fans that can handle adult material and are not so easily offended. Even though this book is obviously edgy, I don't think that was its primary purpose. I got the impression the author is a lover of fantasy and wanted to create a highly unique world with realistic characters and a great plot that would be fun to read. Perhaps some of the scenes were a little over the top but that really just added to the atmosphere of this world. I was troubled at times but I enjoy reading troubling events. It provokes emotions and I learn more about myself in the process.

I hope this book gets the recognition it deserves because I rank it with George R.R. Martin, as well as the authors I already mentioned, Steven Erikson and Joe Abercrombie, in terms of quality, grittiness, and epic world building. If you enjoy grimdark, and those 3 authors, this is a must-read book. If you love epic fantasy, and even if you're not a fan of grimdark, try this anyway for its epic scope and classic questing for a lost relic storyline. I think you will be amazed at what Mark Smylie has done here. I know I am.

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