2016 At Grimdark Reader

Hey everyone! The Grimdark Reader is back! In the next few months, I plan to start reviewing again, starting with one of my favorite people and authors, Jeff Salyards, whose final book in the Bloodsounder's Arc Trilogy, Chains of the Heretic, is now out. The first two were phenomenal and I waited a long time for Chains to come out. There are a lot of promising books coming out this year; I really thought 2015 was a little flat, especially for new authors and series. There were remarkable releases by two of my favorite authors, Mark Lawrence and Joe Abercrombie, but I didn't see anything new and amazing and unique like in 2014 such as Mark Alder's Son of the Morning, Robert Jackson Bennett's City of Stairs, or Rjurik Davidson's Unwrapped Sky, three of my favorite fiction books, all superbly written and vividly imagined. So far this year, I have my eye on Snakewood by Adrian Selby and a new series by Michael Sullivan called The Legends of the First Empire with the first book called Age of Myth. The previous mentioned Mark Alder and Robert Jackson Bennett (out now!!) have book 2 in their series coming out as well as the final Red Queens War book called The Wheel of Osheim by Mark Lawrence and a collection of previously released and some new shorts by Joe Abercrombie set in the First Law world called Sharp Ends. Also, Scott Lynch has a new Gentleman Bastard book coming out.


I went though a lot of changes last year with my living arrangements, losing my dog (to the ex, He's alive) starting a new job, and numerous problems with my health. Not only that, all the image thumbnails on my blog broke and I didn't have the time or energy to fix them. They are fixed now however. I have no idea how many reviews I'll do this year but I plan a few. If any of my fellow bloggers or followers have read an awesome book this year or know of a great fantasy book coming out this year or you read last year, please leave a comment.

Review of The Dark Defiles (A Land Fit For Heroes #3)-Richard Morgan

The Dark Defiles by Richard K. Morgan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Writing 4/5

Imagination 5/5
Plot 3.5/5
Setting 4.5/5
Characters 3/5

My Overall Enjoyment (Not an average) 3/5


Summary from Goodreads

The final part of Richard Morgan's fast-moving and brutal fantasy brings Ringil to his final reckoning and sees the world tipping into another war with the dragon folk. And, most terrifying of all, the prophecy of a dark lord come to rule may be coming true very close to home ...

After completing The Steel Remains, book 1 in in Richard Morgan's fantasy series A Land Fit for Heroes, I knew I found something that would forever live in the canon of grimdark. I did not review the second book, The Cold Commands, but I rated it 4/5 stars and thought it was good but lacking the intensity of the first. So The Dark Defiles had a lot to live up to. Sadly, this book did not live up to my expectations but it was not a bad book either.

Some of the magic of books 1 and 2 was just gone for me. This book was a lot longer and I felt needlessly so. It did not seem as tight, clear, and concise as previous installments. I felt at least 150 pages could easily have been cut. I felt it was a bit meandering, without direction. At times I was completely lost. Partly because of the style of jumping back and forth between characters and past and present.

The writing was still very good but looking at my bookmarks in his other books, I did not see much in this one that could rival his most wonderful passages in those. As in the last 2 books, there is an excellent blend of science fiction and fantasy and some very complex ideas are articulated and done well. There is a good deal about this world I did not understand, but it was due to the complexity of the subject, not the writing.

This book is full of lore and history, my favorite part of reading fantasy. I love backstory. This is one of the most unique and fascinating worlds I have ever come across and all the questions I had about previous books were answered in this book. A large portion of this book concerns itself with explaining the history of the races and gods and their interactions with one another. Loose ends were tied up and I enjoyed the ending. The book really moved quickly the last 200 pages plotwise.

Overall, a satisfying ending but somewhat underwhelming overall book in one of my favorite series. I don't see any reason one would read this book without having read the first 2. If you have read and enjoyed those, I believe you will enjoy this final book, especially if you are a patient, thoughtful reader, which I am not. If you have not read The Steel Remains (Book 1 in the series), I consider it essential and you should give it a try. Richard Morgan is no doubt one of the best current authors in science fiction and fantasy and I anxiously await his next project

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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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 Son of the Morning by Mark Alder

Son of the Morning by Mark Alder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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


My Overall Enjoyment 5/5

From Goodreads description

Edward the Third stands in the burnt ruin of an English church. He is beset on all sides. He needs a victory against the French to rescue his Kingship. Or he will die trying.
Philip of Valois can put 50,000 men in the field. He has sent his priests to summon the very Angels themselves to fight for France. Edward could call on God for aid but he is an usurper. What if God truly is on the side of the French?

But for a price, Edward could open the gates of Hell and take an unholy war to France . . .
Mark Alder has brought the epic fantasy of George R.R. Martin to the vivid historical adventure of Bernard Cornwell and has a created a fantasy that will sweep you to a new vision of the Hundred Years War.

Expertly written, highly detailed, and vividly imagined, this is an outstanding work of historical fiction/alternate history which pulled me in with its prose and story from page 1. Even at 700 pages, I did not feel it was too long, rather I was sad for it to end because I wanted more. For those that follow my reviews, you know I prefer books on the short side but this was so fun and so epic that I don't think it would have been the same shorter.

I did not plan on reviewing this however it was so good I want to say a few words about it. Being only very vaguely familiar with the time period in which the story takes place (The Hundred Years war from 1337-1453 between England and France), I wasn't overly interested in reading this. It was on my radar but until I saw Mark Lawrence mention how beautiful the prose was I still wasn't sold. Mark, my favorite author, has never let me down on a recommendation so I decided to move on this book sooner rather than later even though my TBR pile is insane right now. This is one of the best books this year, and probably in my top 10 of all time.

It takes the story of Christianity, of which I am a believer, and turns it on its head. I don't get the impression the author is malicious in his take on the history of Christianity but certainly there are some who would not be able to handle a work that so twists what they believe. For me, the story the author tells is incredibly thought provoking, causing me to think about religion, history, warfare, and philosophy in new ways.

Son of the Morning is overflowing with sorcerers and magicians, devils, demons, angels, fallen angels, imps as "familiars", saints, Watchers(Nephilim),and includes Satan, Lucifer, and God all interacting with a huge cast of priests, kings, queens, princes, mercenaries, generals and other characters from both France and England. Knights Templars and Hospitallers also make appearances and are very important to the story. Wildly imagined and often horrifying demons and devils are released from Hell as its doors are opened and closed using magic circles and relics from saints and angels. There are relics galore, all being fought over and searched for across the continents, and as I am a huge fan of relics this alone is a huge attraction to me. There is tons of political intrigue and warfare which includes a naval battle as well as sieges and ground warfare. The plot is complex and multi-layered and at times overwhelming to follow but well worth the effort.

I read this as more of a plot based book rather than a book focusing on getting to know the characters. The character building was very good and I enjoyed many of them. However, because of the constant action and introduction to new characters it just seemed like the plot and action was what fueled my obsession with this book (as well as the wonderful writing and imagination).

This is a dark book, set during a dark time. There are really no "good guys" and for me I did not know who to root for, which is a crazy feeling while reading. This is a time period of epic civil unrest and church dogma and its very fascinating to see how these elements play out on a large and small scale. Disease and violence are parts of everyday life and the writing brings us to that time. It was very atmospheric; I felt like I was there.

I have about 50 pages left in the book. I will be very sad when I finish and I don't know how another book will live up to the standard set here. But I felt that way before and I have some great looking books coming up. No matter how this ends, I can't wait to go back to this series and I pray that the next is released soon. This book comes with the highest possible recommendation. I just don't see how someone could not like this book. It's so unique and I have never read anything like it. If you are looking for a book to get lost in and unlike anything you have ever read, try this.

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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Review of Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer #1) by Robin Hobb

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

My Overall Enjoyment 4/5

After reading this fine book, I understand why it is considered a classic and has garnered near universal praise and acclaim. Most likely, I have never read such strong character development. I really felt that plot was very secondary to getting to know the main character Fitz. He was highly relateable, complete with the flaws and contradictions that make up every person. I got to know him better after every page of this beautifully written book. This was truly some of the finest writing I have read in epic fantasy. There were many great characters in this book, including the stablemaster, both his teachers, the Fool (probably my favorite character), and the princes Regal and Verity. Each was wholly unique.

The world the author created is deep and complex and at times I felt a little lost but that is probably due to not taking my time. The pace was slower than I prefer (until the last quarter or so) but in a character focused book that is usually the case. The plot was very good and had me guessing what would happen next. The magic system was also very good and was subtle as well which appeals to me. I loved what was called the Wit, a type of magic one can use to communicate with animals. Being a dog and animal lover, I loved the scenes with Fitz and the various dogs he had throughout the story. I also enjoyed the other magic called the Skill, which was a way to communicate across distances. There is a lot to be built on this magic in coming books. There were several unique and extremely clever sub-plots, all of which added mystery to an already great main plot full of political intrigue. The backstory of the world is another highlight, and each chapter begins with a small snippet of something from its history, a device I love in fantasy books. Each snippet is tied into the events in the coming chapter.

Highly recommend for all fantasy fans. This is a huge epic fantasy book, a true classic. Although its mostly pretty dark, I don't think it's really grimdark. Assassin fantasy books are very popular in the last few years, but this is one of the best. My only minor complaint has to do with my personal preference, which is that I enjoy fast moving, action-packed books, more in sword and sorcery style. While this book has some good action scenes, the action is not prominently featured. I look forward to reading the next book in the Farsser trilogy!

Review of The Duchess of the Shallows (The Grey City #1) by Neil McGarry

The Duchess of the Shallows by Neil McGarry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

My Overall Enjoyment 3.5/5

From Goodreads-

A game is played in the fog-shrouded city of Rodaas, and every citizen, from the nameless of the Shallows to the noblest of the Garden, is a player or a pawn. And no one is as he appears.
Not Minette, brothel-keeper and obsessive collector of secrets. Not Uncle Cornelius, fearsome chief of the gang of brutes and murderers known as the Red. Not the cults of Death, Wisdom, and Illumination, eternally scheming and plotting along the Godswalk.
And certainly not the orphaned bread girl known as Duchess.
Yet armed with nothing more than her wits, her good friend Lysander and a brass mark of dubious origin Duchess will dare to play that game for the most coveted of prizes: initiation into a secret society of
thieves, spies and rumormongers who stand supreme in a city where corruption and lies are common coin.
The Grey.

This was an enjoyable, quick read. It's a thief story, which has been popular the last few years but this one is done very well and worth the read. I found the protagonist interesting and unique for this type of story. It was a bit hard for me to relate with that particular character but it was still a pleasure to get to know her and her story. In a short amount of time, the authors create a very rich world. Some great background information is mixed in throughout the book which gave added depth to the world.

The strongest point of this book is that it is not overly ambitious. The main story is about a heist and the set up for that. If a reader doesn't want to get involved in another huge epic story, this is a great book to pick up. The writing is very good and the dialogue is strong and believable. There were very few unnecessary details which is always a plus for me. The ending was great and set up for what could be an even better second book.

This world is on the bleaker side which appeals to my taste. Recommended for fans of thief stories or if you enjoy exploring unique fantasy worlds.

Review of Among Thieves (Tales of the Kin #1) by Douglas Hulick

Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Writing 4/5
Imagination 4/5
Plot 4.5/5
Setting 4.5/5
Characters 3.5/5

My Overall Enjoyment 4.5/5

Goodreads description-

Drothe has been a member of the Kin for years, rubbing elbows with thieves and murderers in the employ of a crime lord while smuggling relics on the side. But when an ancient book falls into his hands, Drothe finds himself in possession of a relic capable of bringing down emperors-a relic everyone in the underworld would kill to obtain.

I am so glad I gave this another try. I think it is an excellent book! Perfect for fans of thieves, assassins, and stories about seedy underworlds. This was a quick read. By that, I mean it was very smooth and very readable and not overly descriptive or meandering. Douglas Hulick has created a great world and we just get a taste in this first book. Rich in history and lore, I loved learning about the origins of the empire, the unique magic system, how different areas are controlled as well as all the characters back-stories. I loved the descriptive names of different occupations like Agony Men(torturers), Mouths(magic users), Noses(information gatherers/sorters), Ears(Spys), etc. Some crazy plot twists, this was also a mystery story, with all the different intrigues that includes as well as a hunt for relics, an especially attractive story-line to me. There are a lot of characters, some of them well imagined but a few others seemed a little flat. This book, to me anyway, was more plot driven than character driven, so the few characters lacking development doesn't affect the quality of the book, just something I noticed. The book wraps up nicely but after reading this, you will want to read the next one Sworn in Steel, coming out this summer.

Normally, I don't like to compare books but after reading reviews of this book and the comparisons with Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie a mention is inescapable. It is obviously similar to The Lies of Locke Lamora in that the main characters are thieves but to me it stands on its own with its own merits. As for the Joe Abercrombie comparisons, I don't see it. Very different to me.

Great book and highly recommended! One of the best fantasy books I have read that features a criminal underworld with thief/assassin type characters. This is a very fast paced book; one you won't be able to stop reading. Check it out!

Review of Blood and Iron (The Book of the Black Earth #1) by Jon Sprunk

Blood and Iron by Jon Sprunk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

My Overall Enjoyment 3.5/5

Goodreads description-

It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn't even begin to understand.
Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn't last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen's court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire's caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both.

A solid first book in a new series set in an epic fantasy world, with a grimdark tone and tons of magic. Loaded with an extraordinary amount of plot twists and turns, I was genuinely surprised more times than in many other books of recent memory. The author was excellent at leading you down one path with a character and then throwing something believable yet totally unexpected into the mix.

Pretty quick pace and action filled in a sword and sorcery style, events move quickly and the book covers a lot of ground. The characters were fleshed out well, each had a unique voice, and I found myself interested in their lives. The stand out element of this book was the magic system. It is very heavy on magic so if you enjoy that, you should really like this book.

Recommended for fans of sword and sorcery, grimdark, and anyone who enjoys jumping into a unique fantasy world.

Review of Herald of the Storm by Richard Ford

Herald of the Storm by Richard Ford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Writing 4/5
Imagination 4/5
Plot 4/5
Setting 3.5/5
Characters 4/5
Grimdark 4.5/5

My Overall Enjoyment 4.5/5

Goodreads Description-

Welcome to Steelhaven... Under the reign of King Cael the Uniter, this vast cityport on the southern coast has for years been a symbol of strength, maintaining an uneasy peace throughout the Free States. But now a long shadow hangs over the city, in the form of the dread Elharim warlord, Amon Tugha. When his herald infiltrates the city, looking to exploit its dangerous criminal underworld, and a terrible dark magick that has long been buried once again begins to rise, it could be the beginning of the end.

I wish I stuck with this last year because it's great. After a bit of a slow start, which was why I set it aside last year, the different story-lines really hooked me and I found myself anxiously turning pages awaiting what happens next. I think there are 5 main characters, and with the exception of one of them, which was well done just not for me, I enjoyed them all immensely which is rare for me. Even in ASoIaF, I might like half the viewpoint characters and could just as soon leave the rest. I most enjoyed the apprentice magicker Waylian because through him we learn a lot about the history of the world and how magic has played a part. The scene with the Archmages was one of my favorites and it included my other favorite character, the "herald" who was really mysterious but had too few scenes. I would be interested in learning more about him.

Overall pretty grim world and characters, excellently written actions scenes, some unexpected twists, characters you thought might become good that didn't and ones you thought wouldn't did, and all of the characters threads converged to a believable and satisfying conclusion while setting up for what I hope will be a long series. The worldbuiding was good, just right for a reader who doesn't want to invest a huge chunk of time learning religions, factions, tribes, etc in yet another epic tome, as was the magic system, which I enjoyed exploring. This book has a sword and sorcery feel to me, less emphasis on the world and more on the characters, not at all to say the former was lacking, but it seemed pretty character driven. The writing is great and I flew through this book, it was very fun and easy to read. Great character and place names which always increases my reading enjoyment. This is the third time this year that giving a book a second try has paid off huge. The second book in this series comes out later this year, The Shattered Crown and I can't wait to read more Richard Ford!

Highly recommended! If the first few chapters seem a little slow, don't give up. It is well worth sticking with it for this excellent book. Grimdark readers should enjoy this book. It is a bit less grimdark than some others so those new to the genre should enjoy but it also has the brutalness that typifies the genre. The following video captures the feel for this book very well.

Review of Unwrapped Sky by Rjurik Davidson

Unwrapped Sky by Rjurik Davidson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Writing 5/5
Imagination 5/5
Plot 5/5
Setting 5/5
Characters 5/5

My Overall Enjoyment 5/5

This is an ARC from Netgalley. This book comes out April 15.

Goodreads description-

Caeli-Amur: an ancient city perched on white cliffs overlooking the sea; a city ruled by three Houses, fighting internecine wars; a city which harbours ancient technology and hidden mysteries. But things are changing in Caeli-Amur. Ancient minotaurs arrive for the traditional Festival of the Sun. The slightly built New-Men bring their technology from their homeland. Wastelanders stream into the city hideously changed by the chemical streams to the north. Strikes break out in the factory district. 

In a hideout beneath the city, a small group of seditionists debate ways to overthrow the Houses. How can they rouse the citizens of the city? Should they begin a campaign of terror? Is there a way to uncover the thaumaturgical knowledge that the Houses guard so jealously? As the Houses scramble to maintain their rule, it becomes clear that things will change forever in Caeli-Amur.

Stunningly beautiful and original, a mix of steampunk and ancient mythology with a blend of action and suspense, this is a readers book. The descriptions of the city Caeli-Amur and its technology were astounding; it was so easy to imagine the trains, steamers, machines, moving about this world. The opening scene at the Festival of the Bull, which introduces the Minotaurs and the main character Kata, a philosopher-assassin (a concept I love), is one of the best I have read, so good I had to stop reading it several times to absorb and savor it.

A few other things I loved; the cover was the first thing that lead me to this book as it's gorgeous; the story-line of the goddess Aya, although not big, it was mysterious and added another layer of depth and wonder; the magic system, known as thaumaturgy, was so fun to learn about and fit in perfectly with this world; the character Max's quest to find the Great Library in the Sunken City, Caeli-Enas was my favorite story-line; all the references to books that make the world so real and the lore so deep; the philosophical discussions Kata has with the Minotaur; and lastly, the astounding writing, among the best I have read, Rjurik Davidson gives a masterclass in prose writing with this book. Not since I read Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence have I been this enthralled and enamored with a writers style.

Highest possible recommendation for all fantasy readers. If you love to read refreshing and unique fantasy this is a must read. If you enjoy fantasy filled with mythology and lore this is an excellent book. If you love books with great magic systems, this has one. If you love steampunk elements, this book is full of them. If you love books about books, this has that. If you love quests for knowledge, this has one. If you love beautiful wring, it doesn't get any better. If you love political intrigue, this is full. There is nothing about this book I didn't love. Nothing. I can't wait to buy a hard copy for my library.

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Review of Red Axe, Black Sun by Michael Karner

Red Axe, Black Sun by Michael Karner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

My Overall Enjoyment 3.5/5

Goodreads description-

Dryston of Decia, a poisoned fighter, his ex-lover and sorceress Kyra Celeste and a girl with a death list tattoo will decide the fate of a whole world. Walking on a thin line between good and bad, survival and heroism, they struggle to solve the puzzle of secrets and conspiracies. In a war marking the end of time unpredictable magic, drugs, dead bodies, monsters and a secret plaster their ways and put feelings, loyalties and morals to the test. Will they find the man who is guilty of Dryston’s slow death? Is there a cure? With the fate of the world uncertain, prophecies told and legends rising, how will Dryston and his comrades decide the world’s fate?

Sword and sorcery, filled with standard fantasy types including mercenaries, dwarves, orcs, elves, necromancers, sorceresses, and assorted other beasts and monsters. There is a sea battle and a siege as well as close fighting and bar fighting. Some political intrigue and treachery, a torture scene, a crypt scene and a sewer scene. I enjoyed this book and although it had a few high fantasy elements it was most reminiscent of old school pure sword and sorcery, one action filled scene after another in a merciless world. The characters were typical gritty anti-hero types and I enjoyed getting to know them but wasn't overly connected to any one in particular. The writing was good, fun and easy to read. Decent lore, but I would have liked a bit more. Satisfactory ending, a major thread left for another book. I'll definitely pick it up when it comes out.

Recommended for sword and sorcery fans. This is a very good book and although its not my favorite book, it was a pleasure to read. It's a quick read and can be found on Amazon for cheap and is well worth it. I have read many books that were expensive but didn't provide as good a reading experience as this.

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Review of The Steel Remains-Richard Morgan

The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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

My Overall Enjoyment 5/5

From Goodreads-

A dark lord will rise. Such is the prophecy that dogs Ringil Eskiath—Gil, for short—a washed-up mercenary and onetime war hero whose cynicism is surpassed only by the speed of his sword. Gil is estranged from his aristocratic family, but when his mother enlists his help in freeing a cousin sold into slavery, Gil sets out to track her down. But it soon becomes apparent that more is at stake than the fate of one young woman. Grim sorceries are awakening in the land. Some speak in whispers of the return of the Aldrain, a race of widely feared, cruel yet beautiful demons. Now Gil and two old comrades are all that stand in the way of a prophecy whose fulfillment will drown an entire world in blood. But with heroes like these, the cure is likely to be worse than the disease.

Add Richard K. Morgan to Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, and David Gemmell as a writer to be known for his prose as well as writing dark and gritty fantasy set in a large, vivid world. The writing was truly outstanding! This is one of the smoothest, page turning books I have read in a long time. There was only one quick part about 1/3rd in that I felt was a little slow/too descriptive but once I was past that it was back to non stop happenings, events moving the plot along, not needlessly defining and describing. The book had some memorable philosophical passages which strongly reminded me of Mark Lawrence and David Gemmell, two excellent writers. Two memorable passages here-

"But I’ve also learnt that the tongues of men are not much leashed by concern for accuracy or truth. It seems lies come very easily to your race. They lie to those they lead, to their mates and fellows no matter how close drawn, even to themselves if it will make the world around them more bearable. It is hard to know what to believe in this place."

"Humans, short-lived and locked out of the grey places for life, do not do well with uncertainty. If they cannot have what might, what could, what should, and perhaps most awful of all what should have been, then they will dream it up instead, imagine it into being in whatever twisted or beautiful form suits, and then drive their fellows to their knees in chains by the thousand and million to pretend in chorus that it is so"

This is no coming-of-age story. After a brief opening scene, involving "corpsmites", a scene which will be with me for a long time, we are introduced to the plot and thrown right in with the mercenary and former soldier Ringil on his mission to rescue his cousin who was sold into slavery. Relentlessly violent, although I really did not feel it was over the top, humorous, a dark and twisted world full of interesting characters and monsters, great lore/mythology, very cool magic which was extremely imaginative and also disturbing, I couldn't have asked for more in a fantasy book. To top it all off, there were strong elements of science fiction but I still consider this as fantasy, not science fiction. The mix was amazing and I would love to tell about these elements but it would probably be a major spoiler.

This whole book was refreshing for me and was another reminder of 1) why I am a compulsive reader, often putting down books which don't interest me and 2) why I usually give a book at least 2 chances before giving up. I tried this book a few months back and didn't really get into it. I thought it held promise so I tried again and it really blew me away.

If you are looking for something new and refreshing; rich, imaginative, and immersive; often dark and violent yet at the same time with a sense of hope and redemption, pick up this book. However, if you are overly sensitive, you may have a hard time with some of the materiel but give it a try anyway. Highest recommendation!

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A Review of Moon's Artifice-Tom Lloyd

Moon's Artifice by Tom Lloyd
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

My Overall Enjoyment 3.5/5

From Goodreads-

Tom Lloyd kicks off a spectacular new fantasy series, perfect for fans of George R. R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie and, of course, Tom Lloyd!
In a quiet corner of the Imperial City, Investigator Narin discovers the result of his first potentially lethal mistake. Minutes later he makes a second.
After an unremarkable career Narin finally has the chance of promotion to the hallowed ranks of the Lawbringers - guardians of the Emperor's laws and bastions for justice in a world of brutal expediency. Joining that honoured body would be the culmination of a lifelong dream, but it couldn't possibly have come at a worse time. A chance encounter drags Narin into a plot of gods and monsters, spies and assassins, accompanied by a grief-stricken young woman, an old man haunted by the ghosts of his past and an assassin with no past.
On the cusp of an industrial age that threatens the warrior caste's rule, the Empire of a Hundred Houses awaits civil war between noble factions. Centuries of conquest has made the empire a brittle and bloated monster; constrained by tradition and crying out for change. To save his own life and those of untold thousands Narin must understand the key to it all - Moon's Artifice, the poison that could destroy an empire.

This book started extremely well and I was flying through the pages. Very good writing, good starting pace, and excellent character and world development. It setting actually reminded me of Low Town, which I loved. It's essentially a relatively dark, fantasy detective story. Right from the start, it is obvious the author had a grand vision for this world. Very interesting caste system, and I like the concept of the Lawbringers. I also enjoyed the lore of the Gods, which was a bit different for me. My favorite character was Enchei, a total bad ass warrior from another generation and who is best friends with another main character Narin, who I did not enjoy very much, I thought he was a wimp. I didn't care for another character , Kesh, the female lead either. She is done well but her character is just something I have read too many times in the past. However, I have read many reviews praising her character, which was indeed well done.

The plot is strong, a crime/detective story to find out who is behind the Moon's Artifice poisonings, what is Moons's Artifice, and who is Irato, the man that was introduced to us before being pushed off a roof by a God. We learn who the "bad guys" are and get to know from them the reasons behind their actions. Also, there are guns, which is a unique element to this more traditional fantasy world.

Halfway through, this book started loosing me. I skimmed a bit from that point until the last 100 pages which was a great conclusion and answered a lot of questions. There is nothing I can point to in this book saying it's not a great book. It really is well done and I think most fantasy readers will enjoy it. I thought the line between good and evil was very clearly defined and I never doubted who was "good" and who was "bad". To me, that kind of pushes it out of Joe Abercrombie or George R.R. Martin territory and into the standard, or traditional, epic fantasy category rather than the grimdark fantasy which is very popular, as those two, and many other, authors prove.

Recommended for fantasy fans of all stripes and colors, especially flintlock and detective/crime fantasy. While I didn't love this book, I enjoyed it and felt it was very good, even excellent at times, but I'm not a huge fan or detective type stories and the middle was a little slow.

A Review of Tome of the Undergates (Aeon's Gate #1)-Sam Sykes

Tome of the Undergates by Sam Sykes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Writing 4.5/5
Imagination 4.5/5
Plot 4.5/5
Setting 4/5
Characters 3/5

My Overall Enjoyment 4.5/5

From Goodreads about the book:

Lenk can barely keep control of his mismatched adventurer band at the best of times (Gariath the dragon man sees humans as little more than prey, Kataria the Shict despises most humans, and the humans in the band are little better). When they're not insulting each other's religions they're arguing about pay and conditions. So when the ship they are travelling on is attacked by pirates things don't go very well.

They go a whole lot worse when an invincible demon joins the fray. The demon steals the Tome of the Undergates - a manuscript that contains all you need to open the undergates. And whichever god you believe in you don't want the undergates open. On the other side are countless more invincible demons, the manifestation of all the evil of the gods, and they want out.

Full of razor-sharp wit, characters who leap off the page (and into trouble) and plunging the reader into a vivid world of adventure this is a fantasy that kicks off a series that could dominate the second decade of the century.

A few initial thoughts about this book... Whoa! Why did I wait so long to read this?? Why does this book only have 603 ratings on Goodreads? Why does it only have a 3.32 Goodreads score? I have never read a book that is so downright brutal and twisted yet so funny. I think I laughed out loud more often reading this book than any other book in recent memory. I planned to use numerous quotes from the book to show the hilarity but on second thought I think out of context it won't work as well. Sam Sykes can really write. The descriptions, as well as the dialogue, worked extremely well for me. The creatures and monsters and everything else imagined in this world were wonderfully described, both terrifying and hilarious. This book is worth every minute invested just for the ridiculous, completely over the top dialogue between the characters. And if you enjoy brutal battles, horrible deaths, and grotesque creatures, there is an abundance of that as well. This book was just full of insane situations, things I could never imagine happening, and it was delightful time and time again to read what atrocities the author concocted next.

There were several main characters, of which Lenk (the leader)was the most fascinating and developed. However, and probably because of the pace, I didn't connect much with any character and thought that character development was the weakest part of this book. That being said, it's not really a major problem, because this book still worked great. Echoing a few other reviewers, I thought the initial battle was a bit long and I think this book could have been trimmed down by maybe 100 pages. That's really my only complaint and it is pretty minor; also, it is the only thing that holds this back from 5 stars.

Highly recommended for fantasy and grimdark fantasy readers, readers who enjoy humor, clever dialogue and excellent writing, and any reader looking for something new and different.

A Review of Hard to Be a God-Arkady Strugatsky

Hard to Be a God by Arkady Strugatsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Writing 5/5
Imagination 5/5
Plot 3.5/5
Setting 4/5
Characters 3/5

My Overall Enjoyment 3.5/5

This is primarily a science fiction book although it isn't "heavy" science fiction; it is fantasy too. The last half is filled with lots of action, violence, torture, and bleak scenes. As far as the writing, it's beautiful. It's an achievement in literature and translation as this was originally written in Russian. Just for that alone it it was fun to read. The story is about an agent sent from an advanced Earth to an alien planet of humans living in a middle ages setting to monitor and advance it's culture. There are many philosophical themes in this book; the nature of man, the use of religion to slow progress, how a society evolves and many others. There are little gems like this throughout;"He listened to the profanity outside the window. What a powerful language! It has incredible entropy!" I freely admit I didn't spend near enough time studying these themes because I read this quickly.

I felt there was a lot of dialogue and I strongly prefer narration so this took away a little of my enjoyment. That being said there are tons of great little conversations. One of my favorites went like this: "Don't abuse terminology, Anton! Terminological confusion brings about dangerous consequences." How true is that! I didn't love this book but it was pretty easy to get through and it was fun and made me think. It can be read in a few hours at most if you are a decent reader. I would like to reread this one day.

I highly recommend this book to science fiction as well as philosophy fans. Recommended for fantasy fans and grimdark fans as I think this will be something they would enjoy.


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Review of The Emperor's Blades (#1 Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne)-Brian Staveley

The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Writing 4/5
Imagination 4.5/5
Plot 4/5
Setting 5/5
Characters 3.5/5

My Overall Enjoyment 4.5/5

The Emperor's Blades largely lives up to the massive hype surrounding it as well as my own as I was have been anticipating it for months. It must be very difficult to be a debut author with that much to live up to because it was on so many ”best upcoming fantasy” lists even though the author is mostly unknown. After finishing this book I do see why many were excited about it. Also, Macmillian put on a masterclass in book advertising that all authors and publishers should look at to be more successful in getting their own books in the public eye.

When taken as a whole or broken down into smaller elements of a story, this book is extremely good. This is a very epic story, with world building similar in scale to A Game of Thrones, Gardens of the Moon, and The Way of Kings. There are 3 points of view, all by children of the emperor, 2 sons off training and the sister as a minister in the capital city. Secondary characters are very minimal which I like. I enjoyed the plot-lines almost equally and no one character really stuck out at me in a way some have in other books. The 2 brothers take up most of the scenes with the sister having a smaller, yet important part. The author used the 480 pages very well; it didn't seem too long and a lot happened. It was a pretty quick read with the beginning 1/3rd a little slow but that is the case in nearly all epic fantasy I have experienced. The plot starts to advance much quicker and stay pretty steady for the rest of the book.

The religious system is excellent. There are numerous different “cults” and bits and pieces of world history sprinkled throughout referring to ancient races, gods and goddesses, and kings of old. This makes a very rich, believable world that I enjoyed learning about. Learning about a world's history (lore/myth/back-story or whatever you want to call it) is one of my favorite parts in epic fantasy and there is no shortage here yet there are no parts that were just huge “info dumps” or “council of Elrond” scenes which bother some readers (I love those kinds of scenes). Magic is not introduced introduced until well into the story and then very gradually and it just kind of creeps up but by the end I thought it really worked well for the story. There are also a couple different beasts/monsters in this book, all of which were well executed and add depth and flavor.

The whole ending sequence was great and has me looking forward to the next installment in this series. Rating this was hard and I dislike the 5 point rating scale. For me, it falls a little short of a 5 because while I really liked this book I didn't love it as I have a few other books. However, I enjoyed it better than a lot of 4 star books too so I give it a 4.5/5 for personal enjoyment. Having read hundreds of fantasy books this is in the top tier of epic fantasy.

As for grimdark elements, it definitely has some of the violence and types of characters that stand out in grimdark but this is more of a standard epic fantasy book. At times dark and gritty but it didn't exude grittiness like most of the other books that fall into the grimdark genre. Being a grimdark lover, I can recommend this for those readers as well as those looking for a new epic fantasy series.

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A review of Nameless: The Darkness Comes (The Bone Angel Trilogy #1)-Mercedes Yardley

Nameless: The Darkness Comes by Mercedes M. Yardley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

My Overall Enjoyment 4/4

Shape-shifting wolf demons, references to Children of the Corn and Cthulhu, a character named Sparkles and an angel named Demon Patrol, along with clever and snarky dialogue and a super fast-paced action filled plot. I enjoyed this urban fantasy/paranormal book a lot, a genre I don't read much of due to the YA feeling I often get. While this is definitely a book for adults, I believe that mature YA readers would also enjoy this. I read it in just a few sittings and the pages kept turning quickly. Nameles is dialogue driven book, something that can annoy me or even cause me to put a book down as I strongly prefer narration but when done right and cleverly, as is the case here, it can be a pleasure to read. There were multiple twists and turns in the plot which came largely unexpected to me and it kept me anticipating what the author would throw in next. I enjoyed the dark and creepy overall tone and how it was mixed in with lighter, funnier parts and I actually laughed out loud on the first page of the epilogue. Decent character development and although I didn't have a major connection with any of the characters I felt like I was reading about real people. This is an excellent debut and I am excited to see what Mercedes Yardley does in the future. The ending, brutal and macabre as it was , was handled well and has me excited for the next Bone Angel novel.

Highly recommended for urban fantasy and horror readers who enjoy a fast paced book with lots of action and great writing.

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Review of Lord of the Silver Bow By David Gemmell

Lord of the Silver Bow by David Gemmell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

Overall Enjoyment 3.5/5

David Gemmell is one of my all time favorite authors so it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed this book. This book is a bit different than most of his other works such as the Drenai series(Legend)in that it falls better into the historical fiction genre rather than gritty epic fantasy. Although the historicity of the city of Troy is much disputed as are the stories The Iliad & The Odyssey I don't see this as historical fantasy, 1) because of the lack of magical and supernatural elements and 2)the largely geographically and anthropologically accurate elements. That being said, this is an excellent story about events before The Iliad and icludes many of the wonderful characters from that story including Odysseus, Kings Priam and Agamemnon, Paris, Hektor, Helikaon (Aeneas), Andromache, and Helen comes in near the end. Two of the main story lines include that of Andromache and Helikaon, the latter I enjoyed much more. Perhaps that is because I loved The Aeneid so much it was fun to learn more about Aeneas. Odysseus was an excellent character but his story ended about halfway through; too soon. As usual, the character building was excellent and it was interwoven with battles and violence but I thought this book was slower going than past Gemmell books. It really took me quite awhile to get into this story but to be fair I just started my blog and that took up a lot of time. The last 1/3 was action packed, filled with Gemmell trademark violence and action.

An interesting conversation took place between Helikaon and Gershom. This is the highlight of that conversation-"Osiris is the hero god, the lord of light. Set is his brother, a creature vile and depraved. They are in a constant war to the death. My grandfather told me of them when I was young. He said that we carry Osiris and Set struggling within us. All of us are capable of great compassion and love or hatred and horror. Sadly, we can take joy from both.”
“I know that is true,” said Helikaon. “I felt it as those sailors burned. The memory of it is shameful.” The sentence "Sadly, we can take joy from both”, as does the whole conversation, speaks volumes to me about the grimdark genre and why it plays on a readers emotions so strongly as compared to other works of fantasy. There is a conflict between good and evil, love and hate, which we play out on a daily basis and this conflict is a feature I have seen in most of the grimdark books I have read. While it's obvious grimdark leans heavily toward the "hatred and horror" aspects, they also contain elements of the heroic, and the good.

Recommended for historical fiction, historical fantasy, ancient mythology, and The Iliad and Odyssey fans. Grimdark readers should enjoy this but I recommend they start with the Drenai books first.

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