This will conclude our special edition of Dragonmount's Fantasy Review for Shadows Beneath, the short story anthology put together by the Writing Excuses podcast team: Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, Howard Tayler, and Brandon Sanderson.  This review will be on Brandon's story "Sixth of the Dusk."

Synopsis

Sixth of the Dusk is a trapper who lives and works on the island of Patji, an island more dangerous than any others in the Pantheon.  Even the smallest insects can kill.  During a routine visit to his home island, Dusk encounters Vathi, a scholar trained on the mainland; though she shares his heritage, she has never trained on the deadly islands.  Her team of explorers is there to gather information on the birds, the Aviar, of the Pantheon.  Each bird raised on the islands has a special power, depending on its breed.  The townsfolk on the mainland want to trade and expand their power with the Aviar as their bargaining chip.  But Dusk knows the islands secrets and is hesitant to share with Vathi, who may use it to their own downfall.

Pros

This story was fantastic.  I had heard the podcast before reading, so I knew the general plotline of this story, and the secrets of the Aviar.  But even knowing all that, this story still shocked and surprised me.  There was so much more at stake than just the birds' secrets.  And Brandon spun that side of the tale like a master. 

One of the major themes was the advance of technology versus the preservation of nature.  Vathi wanted to settle the island, tame it.  Dusk sought to keep the old ways alive, keep the island and the animal inhabitants wild.  They represented conflicting views on this issue.  And each one had a valid reason and motivation for feeling the way they did.  Their beliefs and their ultimate goals really defined the story.  There was a lot to think about after the story was finished.

I admired Dusk as a character because he had some difficult truths to face, but did it gracefully.  He could have easily struggled, making his fate more tragic.  But using logic, he could see the truth of the situation and acted the way he must, rather than the way he wanted.  And Vathi did this too.  Her decisions were just as difficult.  She could have taken the easy way, but after surviving on Patji with Dusk, she realized he was right about a lot of the situation as well.  It was a nice balance, a symmetrical alliance between the two sides.  It didn't feel forced, or overly wrapped-up.  It just fit.

Cons

There aren't many cons with this story.  I may be biased, but I believe that Brandon's stories continue to improve.  I've read several of his short fiction stories, and they have been just as remarkable as his longer novels.  This tale is no different.  The shorter length may appeal to some who don't have a taste for his 100,000 word long novels.  At the same time, the shorter length may give the reader a glimpse of the world and characters, leaving them only wanting more.  One thing I will mention as a con is the humor.  Brandon's dialogue can be very witty, but sometimes it does feel a bit forced.  Vathi—like Shallan in The Way of Kings and Sarene in Elantris—makes comments that are funny, but seem so out of place within the story.  I've often compared it to the television show Gilmore Girls, where the main characters have all the right quips in all the right situations.  It's difficult for me to buy too much of that.  But, that's definitely a personal taste, and in no way takes away from the lasting effects and message of the story.

Conclusion

Knowing the plot beforehand, and knowing how much I enjoyed Brandon's other works, I was expecting a lot from this story.  And I can honestly say that it was even better than I expected.  That's difficult to do when I had set the bar so high to begin with.  Anyone who admires Brandon should read this story because it's among the best I've read by him.

Rating

5 out of 5

If you're interested in listening to the Writing Excuses podcast pertaining to this story, check out the links below.

Brainstorming with Brandon Again

Critiquing Sixth of Dusk Part 1

Critiquing Sixth of Dusk Part 2

And, of course, you can purchase this book from Dragonmount's eBook store here.  You can also purchase "Sixth of Dusk" on its own, without buy the rest of the anthology, here.

Welcome back to another special edition of Dragonmount's Fantasy Review—looking at the Writing Excuses podcast's anthology Shadows Beneath!  We've looked at Mary Robinette Kowal's "A Fire in the Heavens" and Dan Wells' "I.E.Demon."  Today's will be Howard Tayler's "An Honest Death."

Synopsis:
Cole is the leader of a security team, working for Mr. Wollreich, the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company.  One day, Mr. Wollreich presses the panic button, springing Cole and his associates into action.  Once in the boss' office, though, there's no panic--besides Wollreich looking upset and disturbed.  But, when Cole gets him alone, the boss confesses: Death had visited his office.

Pros:
Howard is the cartoonist on Writing Excuses, which is a very different medium used for storytelling.  All the same key elements are there--plot, characters, setting--but the execution is not the same.  They've had that discussion on the podcast before.  So, seeing a novelette written by a cartoonist is something special, indeed.

Naturally, his strong point is dialogue.  He's had years to perfect that.  But I was also surprised at how brisk the pace of the story was.  His words were to the point and focused, making it a breeze to read.  No wasted motion.  Just what was needed.

Howard also did a spectacular job of making Cole authentic.  Cole knew his equipment; he knew his team.  He was a true professional.  The technology he used, and the skill needed to implement it, was impressive.  I would read more about this character without hesitation.

Cons:
Though I didn't see it as a con, the story was written in present tense--which isn't too common in genre fiction.  This could be a turn-off for some readers who aren't use to this format.  However, this style helped with the rapid pace of the story; reading sentences as they are happening gives the action a more emphasized role.   I thought it was refreshing, not a hindrance.

Conclusion:
This story had all the characteristics of an enjoyable tale.  The characters were realistic, the plot line fascinating, the conclusion thought-provoking.  For being one of the first few "stories" he's written, it's very impressive.  I'm looking forward to more by him.

Rating:
4 out of 5

If you'd like to listen to the Writing Excuses podcasts for the episodes dealing with this story, the links are listed below.

Brainstorming with Howard

Critiquing "An Honest Death"

And, of course, you can purchase Shadows Beneath from Dragonmount's eBook store, here.  Next week's story will be Brandon Sanderson's "Sixth of the Dusk."

Welcome back to another special edition of Dragonmount's Fantasy Review—looking at the Writing Excuses podcast's anthology Shadows Beneath!  Last week's featured story was Mary Robinette Kowal's "A Fire in the Heavens." We will pick up this time with Dan Wells' "I.E.Demon."

Synopsis:

This story follows an unnamed main character who is a member of an explosive ordnance disposal team (EOD) in Afghanistan.  His current mission is to test whether their technology, a BSE-7, is able to disarm ground mines as the military vehicles pass over them.  What he doesn't know is that the BSE-7 stands for a Bound Supernatural Entity, and the 7 makes it a gremlin.

The demonologist on the vehicle gets killed when the gremlin breaks free from its bindings, and it's up to our hero to put the creature back inside.

Pros:

This story was hilarious.  It is the first piece I've read by Dan Wells, and I will say I'll read more.  His style was quick paced and always exciting.  The dialogue and character's thoughts were sharp and witty.  The amount of gruesome horror was glossed over a bit, but the humor was pretty dark; I can see how Wells is considered to be a master in the horror genre.  

One scene of the dark humor is when the main character has to perform a rite to seal the demon back inside the improvised explosive device (IED).  Wells says the hero "proceeded to perform unspeakably horrible acts on the body of the dead engineer. The lead engineer fainted twice before the ritual was done…"  This scene made me laugh out loud.  It takes real talent to turn something as awful as war, and as gruesome as demons, into a ridiculously funny event.

Cons:

The only thing I can call a con with this story is the abbreviations.  As someone who isn't at all familiar with military terms, I had to look up all the abbreviations.  Most of them are pretty obvious through context, but I like to know exactly what I'm reading about, so I wanted to have a definite answer as to what each thing was.

It doesn't take away from the story at all; in fact, you could say it makes it more realistic.  A military member would spend time thinking about what all the abbreviated terms mean.

Conclusion:

This story was fantastic.  There was never a dull moment.  The characters were so compelling.  The plot line ridiculous, but completely believable.  The conclusion was very satisfying.  I loved everything about this.

Rating:

5 out of 5

If you'd like to listen to the Writing Excuses podcasts for the episode dealing with this story, the link is listed below.

Brainstorming with Dan

And, of course, you can purchase Shadows Beneath from Dragonmount's eBook store, here.  Next week's story will be Howard Tayler's "An Honest Death."

This month's Fantasy Review is going to be a little bit different.  The chosen book is Shadows Beneath, a short story anthology written by the four members of the Writing Excuses podcast: Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, Howard Tayler, and Brandon Sanderson.  Each week, a different story of the anthology will be featured.  This week's will be Mary Robinette Kowal's story "A Fire in the Heavens."

But first, a quick explanation of this book.  The Writing Excuses team put this anthology together as a tool for new and emerging writers.  The book includes the initial brainstorming session that took place on Writing Excuses for each novella.  The podcasters all share their ideas and work out the overall plot for their story.  The book also includes the first draft of the story, allowing the readers to get a feel for what was added to and what was cut from the final version.  And finally, each story has a second podcast where the first draft is discussed and improved.  The bonus material in this story is overwhelming!  For the podcast episodes, there's also a link (in the eBook version) to listen to it online, rather than read the transcript in the book.

Without further ado, I bring you:

"A Fire in the Heavens"

By Mary Robinette Kowal

This review will contain spoilers.

Synopsis:

Katin is a follower of the Five Sisters—a religious group that believes their people came to the current continent from Selen, their homeland across the ocean.  Katin has been sent, along with a hired ship and crew, to search for the ancestral homeland. 

As they sail, they spy a moon on the horizon, which gets bigger and higher in the sky the further they sail.  The crew and Katin are apprehensive about the moon's appearance, but they press on.  Finally, they spy land, and they sail into port.  The people's complexion is similar to Katin's, and those who follow the Five Sisters.  She is convinced they have found their homeland.

But, once in port, there is a communication barrier.  Katin's religious texts use an old dialect, which is similar to the one spoken on this continent, but not quite the same.  And worse, she discovers that the people here don't worship the Fives Sisters.  They worship the moon, and anyone who does not worship the moon is sentenced to death. 

Katin must fight for her life—and the crew of the ship—with a bare minimum of cultural and linguistic knowledge of this unknown land.

Pros:

This concept is so fascinating.  I love the idea of two worlds, on complete opposite ends of the world, having no knowledge of each other.  Katin is a well-developed character, one who is easy to relate to as she searches for the roots of her heritage.  There are times when the things she believes are completely shattered—like the existence of the moon—but she presses on.  She doesn't let all the stumbling blocks deter her from her faith or her path.

The language barrier on the new continent is well done.  It seems like in movies or books, we fall into that tendency of having everyone speak the same language.  Having that be one of the main conflicts was very refreshing.  Katin could communicate a little, but the language had evolved from the ancient texts the Five Sisters worshippers study.  The lack of reliable communication really added to the reality of the story and to the overall plotlines.

Cons:

The idea, though interesting, felt a little too grand to be condensed into a short story length.  I feel this tale would have done better at twice the length, or even as a full novel.  There were so many aspects that could have been explored that weren't, due to the size.  I would have loved to see more of Katin's current continent—it's mentioned, but never shown—and the way of life there.  I would have loved to see more of the new continent—much of the time there is spent in jail.  Short stories have been expanded into novels before; I hope Mary Robinette Kowal will eventually expand this one.

Conclusion:

This was a solid story.  The action, the conflicts, the characters were all well done, and interesting.  The story kept me hooked.  The ending, too, had another hook, which begs for an extended version, or perhaps a sequel.  Like Kowal's other works, its language is beautiful, like poetry; she does an excellent job of illustrating the wonders of a new world with only words as her medium.

Rating:

4 our of 5

If you are interested in buying this book, it is available here, at the Dragonmount eBook store.  You can listen to the first and second Writing Excuses brainstorming sessions on this story by clicking the links below.

"Brainstorming with Mary"

"Critiquing 'A Fire in the Heavens'"

Next week's story will be Dan Wells' "I.E.Demon."

The review might contain a few spoilers.

Kushiel's Dart

by Jacqueline Carey

Synopsis

The story revolves around Phedre. She is a child of the Night Court but she was born with an imperfection in a place where any sort of imperfection is unacceptable. The imperfection is a red mote in her eye which actually marks her as chosen of one of the gods, Kushiel. She is sold to a House of the Night Court who later sells her to a man named Delaunay with a mysterious past. Not long after she receives a warning that she would curse the day she learns Delaunay's past. Meanwhile, she starts a new life in Delaunay's household where she is taught how to observe and how to think. But when Delaunay and his household is killed and she is sold into slavery to Skaldians she learns of a plot which threatens her country and warn her people of the danger.

Pros

The plot is interesting and Delaunay's history keeps you going when the story seems to be stretching with nothing interesting happening. There are some stories which can be related to the real world which makes it easier to understand but there is a big twist in the way they are expressed.  It's interesting how the plot twists and changes and how Delaunay's teachings help Phedre save the day.

Cons

There are parts which are boring where it seems that the story would not progress. Either I was in a great hurry or there were just huge gaps between important events. And sometimes even important events stretched for so long that they didn't seem important anymore. With nothing interesting even happening, slowly the suspense begins to die at times.

Night Court. I don't like the concept of this whole stream of thinking of Night Court, though it's understandable if seen through the history of the place. Some of the Houses are just creepy.

Conclusion

This book is good for reading when you want to read a story with love, romance, intrigue, and mystery. It is a good read when you are not in mood for a light story but neither want to attempt something huge. Well, almost any sort of mood would suit reading this.

My Rating

I give it 4 out of 5

If you are interested in reading this, you can buy it here at Dragonmount's eBook store.

Welcome to another edition of Dragonmount’s Fantasy Review.

For this edition, I am examining The Emperor’s Blades: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne (Part I) by Brian Staveley. The sequel, The Providence of Fire,  is due to be published in January, 2015.

Synopsis:

The Emperor of the Unhewn Throne has been assassinated by an unknown murderer, leaving behind three children: two sons and a daughter.

His heir, Kaden, has been away for eight years, training with monks in a distant, remote monastery, learning the ways of the “Blank God” and the mysteries of the vaniate, or “nothingness.”  His training is spiritual and emotional, and deemed necessary to rule in the Unhewn throne. Mysterious creatures have returned, killing off monks and novices, and suddenly, the monastery is no longer a safe place for the new Emperor.

Meanwhile, during the last eight years, the younger son, Valyn has been training to join the Kettral--a group of fierce warriors who fly enormous birds into battle. After hearing of his father’s murder, Valyn becomes suspicious of the other Kettral Cadets, afraid for his life and that of his dearest friend. His driving goal throughout the story is to complete his training and go warn (and possibly rescue) his brother from would-be assassins.

While her brothers were away learning to be a monk and a soldier, the late emperor’s daughter Adare has become finance minister. She is bright, intelligent, and fierce. She holds the kingdom together after her father’s murder, and is seeking vengeance against his killer while patiently waiting her brothers’ return.

Pros:

I like the shifting points of view between the three siblings of Kaden, Valyn, and Adare.

I enjoyed that Adare seems to be a strong, competent, independent girl. Yes, she’s a princess, and yes, she becomes a minister of finance for the Empire upon her father’s death, but she is competent enough an individual that no one seems to question the appointment as nepotism. It is through Adare’s POV chapters that we learn about the intricacies of the Empire.

I also enjoyed that there was a younger brother without overt “jealous of big brother” tendencies. Valyn has his own dreams, to become a Kettral, and he does not seem to care that he won’t inherit the Unhewn Throne.

Cons

I wish that we had more of Adare’s perspective. Her POV chapters were scattered throughout.  The concept of vaniate is a little esoteric.  I really hate the idea of the “army without a family” like Staveley uses for the Kettral (or that George R.R. Martin uses with the Night’s Watch and the Kingsguard). That’s a personal preference, however, and does not interfere with my enjoyment of the story as a whole.

Rating

4/5.  I’m excited to see what happens in the next adventure of the story!

If you are interested in reading this book, it can be purchased from Dragonmount's eBook store here.

Welcome to another edition of Dragonmount's Fantasy Review.  This edition will talk about the novella The God Engines by Hugo award winner, John Scalzi.

Slight spoilers will follow.

The God Engines

By John Scalzi

The Synopsis:

This story is about a god who rules over the land and the Bishopry Militant.  This god, the one all people in the empire worship, is only supreme because of his many followers.  Other gods, the Defiled, are chained and tortured for their powers, their followers' faith not strong enough to give them the power to escape. 

Ean Tephe is the captain of the ship The Righteous, with a special mission to convert new followers among the stars.  The faith of someone who knows no gods is greater than someone who has converted.  So Tephe's mission is of the highest importance to his god.  The added faith of so many would make the god much more powerful. 

While travelling, Tephe gets caught in a struggle between the two powerful gods, his own and the Defiled acting as his ship's engine.  But, when they reach their destination, his own god's acts are not in line with what Tephe thinks is right.  He questions his god, and the Defiled is able to break free.  When the gods pit their powers against each other, Tephe and his crew are at their mercy.

The Pros:

The writing in this story is amazing.  The mood is dark and foreboding.  The characters fleshed out and interesting.  The universe, and the gods, so alive and detailed.  Scalzi did an incredible job on this story.

One thing I really enjoyed is that it makes you think.  It's not pro-religion or anti-religion, as I saw it.  It's more a question of looking at religion, seeing both sides of it.  And because of this, though it deals with some deep subjects, like faith and trust, it's not preachy or heavy-handed.  It seemed almost philosophical to me.  A detailed look at a system of deities and their followers, but still remaining objective.

The ending is beautifully ironic and tragic.  It was jarring, and so well crafted, it may be one of the best endings I've ever encountered.  There are several shocking moments throughout the story, lots of surprises and plot twists, but nothing compares to the ending.

The Cons:

The only con I could find with this book is the length.  It's very short.  I think this world and magic system could be developed far more than it was.  That isn't to say the story is lacking anything; it's nearly perfect the way it is.  However, the world is so interesting; I hope Scalzi will visit it again.  Using the power of chained gods for star travel is such a unique idea!

Conclusion:

This is one of the best stories I've read in the past few years.  It's fiction, but with a deeper purpose; you can read it for entertainment, but there's so much more beneath the surface, so much to think and explore.  Scalzi surely is a master storyteller, just from the way he crafted this incredible tale and world.

On a side note, after finishing this book, I was able to meet Scalzi at the Phoenix Comicon in 2013.  I told him how much I enjoyed this story, and he kind of laughed.  He said that this book is so different in style and tone than all his others—I guess he's pretty well known for the humor in his writings; The God Engines didn't have very many humorous situations.  So, he said I would be in for a shock if I expected this kind of thing with his other books.  I haven't had a chance to read any others by him, but make sure you keep that in mind if you also want to delve into Scalzi's collection of works.

My rating:

5/5 stars

The God Engines is not available in the Dragonmount eBook store.  However, there are several others by Scalzi, including Redshirts, which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2013.

Welcome to another edition of Dragonmount's Fantasy Review.

Slight spoilers will follow.

Legion

By Brandon Sanderson

The Synopsis:

Stephen Leeds is a genius.  But rather than claim his own brilliance, Leeds manifests hallucinations, or "aspects," that contain incredible knowledge in their specific field.  In this way, his aspects are smart, not him.  With aspects that specialize in weaponry, theology, chemistry, and languages, Leeds is summoned to solve the crime of a missing camera.  The only thing is that the camera can take pictures of the past—and it's a threat to national security.

Leeds doesn't take cases easily.  Monica, a security consultant for the company making the camera, sort of bribes him with a picture from the past, a picture of Sandra, his ex-girlfriend, leaving on a train.  With that sort of technology, he could finally find out where she went.  So, he takes the case.  Armed with such aspects as Ivy, a psychologist, Tobias, a history expert, JC, a gun-totting ex-Navy SEAL, and Kalyani, a translator, Leeds goes to Jerusalem to find the camera and the scientist who invented it.  

The Pros:

This story contains all of Sanderson's best writing quirks: humorous situations, witty dialogue, and the surprise ending.  The interaction between Leeds and his aspects are some of the funniest writing I've encountered.  Each aspect is developed so well, with their own interests, backgrounds, nationalities, religions.  And all of them have their own problems too: Tobias has hallucinations of a man in a satellite that updates him with the weather, Ivy's has trypophobia (the fear of anything with a pattern of holes), Armando thinks he's the Emperor of Mexico, Adoline has OCD.  This rich development adds so much flavor to the story, and to Leed's activities.  There was never a dull moment in this book because the characters are so interesting and rounded.

The plotline is simple, but enough to keep the story going.  Once they arrive at Jerusalem, they encounter terrorists, which adds to the action of the book.  Everything is quick paced.  And the underlying themes of science versus religion—or maybe a world where the two could join—leaves the reader with something to think about.  Nothing is determined one way or the other at the end of the novella, only further questions remain.  A book that can accomplish that, and not get preachy, is rare.

The Cons:

The only con for this book is the fact that it's over too soon.  At only 88 pages in the hardcover versions (96 pages according to Kindle), this book is tiny.  The story and events are wrapped up perfectly, but like a good movie, you don't want this one to end.

Conclusion:

This is one of my favorite Sanderson novels.  It's a great place to start for someone who just wants to try him out.  Once they read this, they'll be hooked to his writing style, his character development, and his hilarious dialogue.  I could not recommend this book enough.

Rating:

5/5 stars

If you want to give this one a try, you can buy it here, at Dragonmount's eBook store.

On a side note, the sequel, "Legion: Skin Deep," is rumored to be out later in 2014.  I cannot wait for it!  (This link is for the limited release of the leather bound, signed version, only 2,500 copies; an eBook version will likely be the same price as the eBook of "Legion.")

This review might contain a few spoilers.

In the Midnight Hour

by Patti O'Shea

Synopsis

Ryne is a troubleshooter, like a police for the magic using Gineal. She has been assigned to hunt down her old mentor, Anise, who has been using dark powers. Ryne has confronted Anise many times in the past few years but has never been able to defeat her. Anise's dark powers grow and soon Rye may be too weak to fight her.

Ryne has a weird fascination with a cartoon show, DSPI because she notices a man's soul trapped in the main character. She frees that man, Deke from the cartoon. He might hold the key to defeating Anise.The spell was not perfect and Deke will return to the cartoon in two weeks. Her only hope lies in defeating Anise. But the spell to free him pushed into areas of grey magic and she could hear the dark side calling to her. Soon, she might not be able to resist the lure of dark powers.

The book follows Ryne's journey as she tries to make sense of her relationship with Deke while trying to defeat Anise.

Pros

There are mini-cliffhangers and shocking discoveries at the end of the chapter that hold the interest into the next chapter.  Ryne's past, as it begins to surface, shows another side to the character, a tougher Ryne.  Deke, irritating at first, grows likable once it shows how he tries controlling Ryne's emotions (for her own good). The story is not as much of a love story with no thought as I initially though.

Cons

Deke does not come out as the charming hero he is being shown.  The book has too many curse words. I usually don't like it when the book gets too many curse words.  The love story has more focus instead of the search for Anise.

My Rating

I'll give this book a rating of 3. This is not really a good book but for a light read, its not as bad as some.

If you interested in reading this book, you can purchase it here in Dragonmount's e-book store.

[EDIT:  The deadline has been extended to April 30th, 2014 for anyone who would like to enter!]

Welcome to this special edition of Dragonmount’s Fantasy Review. This month, I want to take the opportunity to present to you the two books that make up R.A. Salvatore’s latest release: DemonWars: First Heroes. This book is not a new book, but instead encompasses two books: The Highwayman (2004) and The Ancient (2008). The two novels are the beginning of Salvatore’s epic First King series, a prequel to his popular DemonWars Saga.  And to celebrate this new release, Tor Books is giving away one copy to our Dragonmount readers!  Post in the comments section below before April 30th, 2014, and you could win a free copy.  The winner will be randomly selected from all those who leave a comment (unfortunately, only residents within the US or Canada can win).

Or, you can buy these books separately in Dragonmount's DRM-free eBook store: The Highwayman and The Ancient.

Synopsis:

The Highwayman

The Highwayman is the origin story of the series’ hero Bransen Garibond. Bransen was born to parents who were members of two vastly different religions. His father, Brother Bran Dynard is a priest of the church of Blessed Abelle; his mother, Sen Wi, is a mystic of Jhesta Tu, a foreign and mysterious philosophy that Brother Dynard set out to study.  Due to circumstances of fate, Bran is killed and Sen dies in childbirth, leaving the boy to be raised by his father’s dearest friend.

Bransen is born with severe birth defects, causing him to be the source of ridicule in his small hometown. As he grew up, he discovered his father’s notes on Jhesta Tu, and began practicing the methods of his mother’s people. After spending several years in a Abellican monastery, he finds a magical gemstone (a powerful piece of the Abellican faith) that allows him to walk, talk, and live the life of the Highwayman.

As the Highwayman, Bransen becomes a local Robin-hood type hero. He robs from rich, helps out the poor, and romances his childhood crush, the woman he later marries.

The world of the Highwayman is dangerous. The Abellican faith is still in its infancy; the church was founded less than a century before the events of the series, and the Abellicans are struggling with other religions. Bransen’s father was ostracized for marrying a Jhesta Tu heathen, and Bransen was later forbidden from studying his mother’s religion.

The background plot of the Highwayman involves a war. Pryd Holding, where the story is set, is at war; there is a prince who is desperate to produce an heir, religious conflict, and the ravages of war on the common folk.

The Ancient

The Ancient picks up shortly after the end of Highwayman. After the events of the first book, Bransen, his wife and mother-in-law must flee Pryd Holding, and are headed south, when Bransen is tricked into traveling to a distant land to help fight in the war. The story gets complicated when Bransen loses his Abellican gem, making it next-to-impossible for him to fight.

The war is more readily evident throughout The Ancient. The Samhaist religion, along with the Ancient Badden, the most powerful of their numbers, wish to destroy the Abellican order that threatens them. A small monastery is built in the shadow of the Ancient Badden’s palace, on a lake near a small, tribal civilization that the Abellicans hope to convert.

War breaks out on all sides: the tribe verses the Abellicans, the tribe verses the powries (a race of dwarves that are fierce and warrior-like), the Abellicans verses the powries, and ultimately, the Ancient Badden verses everyone else.

Pros:

I like the exploration of Bransen as a disabled hero, and how he looks back to his parents and their varying faiths to overcome significant birth defects. His wife loves him both as the Highwayman and as his ‘alter ego’ the Stork, showing that this disabled hero loves and is loved, no matter what. The first book sets the stage for the remainder of the Saga of the First Kings and for the later events in the DemonWars Saga.

I also really enjoyed reading the stories of the young Abellican church. In the main DemonWars book, the Abellican church is the most important religion. The years are marked in Corona from the death of St. Abelle. I enjoyed reading of the religious struggles, and of the wars surrounding them.

Cons:

I have not read all the DemonWars books, and thus I felt like I was missing out on some of the references within the story. As prequels, I’m certain that the two books contain a few hidden gems of references that long-time readers of the DemonWars will enjoy. I feel like I missed out on something there.

Missing references is a minor complaint, one that can be rectified with a read of the complete DemonWars Saga. The only real big problem I had with either book was in the Ancient. Bransen was tricked to travel away from his wife and mother-in-law, conscripted in a war. I missed the interaction between Bransen and his family. His love and his wife, gave Bransen a reason to struggle, something beyond revenge or money, and away from his wife, I found Bransen to be a little colder, less relatable.

Conclusion:

If you’ve read the complete DemonWars Saga, these books (or the special DemonWars: First Heroes edition) will be a great read. If you have not read the DemonWars, the stories are still fascinating, and a good read, but be prepared to possibly miss references to the other works.

My Rating:

4 of 5

On March 4th, The Words of Radiance, the second book in Brandon Sanderson's epic The Stormlight Archive series, came out. So this month the review will be on the first book in the series.

The Way of Kings

by Brandon Sanderson

This post will contain slight spoilers.

Synopsis:

The world of Roshar is a rocky and hostile place, with fierce highstorms sweeping over the land, and with plants that withdraw into the ground to protect themselves from the elements. We meet several people, from the Alethi nobility, to low slaves. The story centers around these characters: Kaladin, once a surgeon's son, now a slave and a bridgeman in the kings army; Shallan, a young noblewoman, who's looking for patronage with Jasnah, who is the king's sister and a world-famous scholar and heretic; Dalinar, the king's uncle, who is plagued by mysterious visions during highstorms, and his son Adolin, convinced his father is losing his sanity; and Szeth, a mysterious assassin.

Each book in The Stormlight Archives will center around one character and their back story, and this is Kaladin's book.

Some years ago, the current Alethi king was assassinated by Szeth, and a race of people called the Parshendi claimed responsibility. Since then, war has raged on the Shattered Plains. The king and all the highprinces live in permanent camps there.  This is where we first meet Kaladin, in a slave transport on it's way to the Plains. He ends up being sold to Highprince Sadeas as a bridgeman, the lowest of the low in the army. The Shattered Plains live up to its name; it consists of plateaus that can only be traversed with bridges, and bridgemen die in the dozens on every run. Kaladin starts to feel a responsibility for his crew, but the demons from his past haunt him. In addition, a mysterious spren has attached herself to him, and he starts to discover he has unknown powers.

Dalinar is a soldier, now forced to play political games as the uncle to the king. He is dissatisfied with the war and the Alethi way of thinking and competing. His brother, the last king, directed him to a book called The Way of Kings with his dying words, and Dalinar is starting to realize things about the past--about the Voidbringers--through the visions that he receives when he blacks out during highstorms. He wants to unite Alethkar, and end the war, but he does not have the political power to do so, yet.

Shallan has traveled far to meet with Jasnah Kholinar, a scholar and the sister of the king. Shallan's official story is that she is there to learn and study with Jasnah. In reality, she is there to steal Jasnah's Soulcaster, a powerful magical device, to save her family from economic ruin. But Shallan is a scholar at heart, and she soon finds herself torn between the responsibility for her family and her own desires. We also find out Kaladin isn't the only one who's starting to learn about having mystical powers. And what exactly is it Jasnah is researching about the Voidbringers?

The Pros:

It's a Brandon Sanderson book, so we know that the worldbuilding will be great. The world is complicated and confusing, yet makes all kinds of sense, and it feels real. The Alethi society is built up around the male arts and the female arts, and divided between lighteyes (the nobles) and darkeyes (the common people). It's very divided and the rules are strict, and it both engages and enrages you as a reader. The magic system is intriguing, logical, and very exciting. Although we don't understand everything yet, you are left with the feeling of craving to know more and more. The characters are well fleshed out, interesting, complicated, and their stories, although they seem unconnected at the beginning, slowly becomes intertwined. The interludes between parts of the book introduces other minor character in other places of the world, fleshing out the world even more. Worldbuilding truly is Brandon Sanderson's biggest strength, and here he does his best work to date.

The Cons:

It's a very long book, and it takes a little while to really knit together the stories. That is the only critique I can manage to find for it.

Conclusion:

This book is amazing, and a must-read for any fantasy fan. Sanderson slowly unveils what will be his major saga. I will rank this up in my top three favorite book series ever, together with Wheel of Time and Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles. I do not have enough praise for this book. I will simply use the words of Patrick Rothfuss to describe it: "I loved this book. What else is there to say?"

My rating:

5/5 stars

This book is available in Dragonmount's eBook store, here.  You can also pick up Words of Radiance here.

Welcome to another edition of Dragonmount's Fantasy Review.

Spoilers will follow.

Thirteen Orphans: Breaking the Wall

By Jane Lindskold

The Synopsis:

College sophomore, Brenda Morris, is taken by her father to meet an old family friend in northern California.  When the man, Albert Yu, shows up with an obviously altered personality, Brenda's father calls for help from Pearl Bright, a famous, but aging, movie actress. 

With Auntie Pearl in the picture, Brenda is finally told the truth about her heritage.  Her father comes from a line of magicians who were exiled from a different world: the Lands Born from Fire and Sacrifice.  He is the Rat of the Chinese zodiac, and is able to perform all sorts of spells.  Brenda is her father's successor, and will inherit all his skills when he dies.  Auntie Pearl is the Tiger—the oldest of the Orphans, and unofficial leader of the group.  Their ancestors fled from the Lands with the child Emperor to keep him from being assassinated—Albert Yu is the descendent of the Emperor, the Cat of the Zodiac.

Brenda is thrust into the middle of struggle between the Orphans on Earth, and their counterparts back in the Lands.  Their foes are stealing memories of the Orphans, as well as their magical powers.  When Brenda's father's memories are stolen, she must step up into her role of the Rat, whether she's ready or not.

The Pros:

The magic system of this novel is based on the symbols and combinations used in Mahjong.  I loved how new it was—not the same old magic systems.  Even with little knowledge of the game, I was able to follow along well enough with what the characters were doing to invoke this magic.

The character development is interesting.  The story is split between two character point-of-views, Brenda's and Pearl Bright's.  This gave great contrast to the situations they encountered—Brenda seeing everything as a young woman who knows nothing of the Orphans or their powers, and Pearl who is the oldest of the Orphans and has the most power and understanding.

Brenda also begins to develop feelings for one of the members of the rival group.  Despite the typical Romeo and Juliet parallel, Brenda's feelings offer insight to her character, as well as those of Foster—the rival Tiger. 

And most of all, I love how Brenda's relationship with her father changes over the course of the story.  When his memories are stolen, he cannot help against the enemies.  Brenda is left alone to try and use the Rat's powers.  At the end, when his memories are restored, he begins to resent her newfound ability.  It brings an interesting dynamic into the story for the next book in the series.  I really enjoyed how Brenda's abilities added to the confusion instead of solving the problems.

The Cons:

The writing style was a bit sloppy, in my opinion.  The flow wasn't as good as it could have been.  I also wish more of the Thirteen Orphans could have been worked into the story—we are only introduced to a few of them.  Also the magic system, while interesting, could have been explained a bit more.

Conclusion:

The concept of this story appealed to me so much; it made reading it a cinch.  I didn't get bored or disinterested at all through the novel.  The characters intrigued me, and their different personalities really made their interactions believable.  I will definitely read the next book.  The second in the series is Nine Gates; the third is Five Odd Honors.

My rating:

4/5 stars

If you're interested in giving this book a try, you can buy it DRM-free, here, from Dragonmount's eBook store!

Welcome to another edition of Fantasy Review. This review might contain a few spoilers.

Domain

by Steve Alten

Synopsis:

The story is based on the Mayan prophecy that the world would end in 2012.

Dominique Vasquez is a psychologist transferred to the case of Michael Gabriel. Her superiors think she is new and easily manipulated and would help in their motive of keeping in their care. But Michael Gabriel spent years with his father, Julius Gabriel, researching about the end of the world. He is convinced that the world would end unless he does something. But he is kept under psychologists so he cannot escape. He sees hope in Dominique as she believes he can get well and works to get him out of that institution but even she does not believe his talk about the world's end.

But things take a turn when mysterious things start happening. Things hidden for thousands of years awaken and wreck havoc. Dominique can believe Michael and try to get him out while being chased by people in powerful positions.

This book is followed by Resurrection and Phobos. 

Pros:

This book provides an interesting look at 2012. This book was first published in 2001 and it's interesting to see in which areas we have developed and in which we have not.

I have had experience with some other fiction on the Mayan prophecy of the world's end and to be honest I find this to be the best among them.

The facts are quite thoroughly researched. If you have ever heard about ancient alien conspiracy theories, you might get the references.

Cons:

It is written in present tense. I find it difficult to read books written in present tense. I won't notice it for a while but once I do, it doesn't stop bugging me.

If you keep up with the series, the timeline gets difficult to follow. By Phobos, there has been so much of past-present-future-past-future that you start losing sense of what is happening when.

My Rating:

For only this book (not taking into account the rest of the books in the series), I will give it a rating of 4/5.

If you are interested in reading this book, you can buy it here from Dragonmount's eBook store.

Welcome to another Edition of Dragonmount’s Fantasy Review. This review will contain slight spoilers.

Night’s Rose

By Annaliese Evans

Synopsis:

Rosemarie Edenberg, who is known by the name Briar Rose, hunts down the ogre tribes who hunt the humans of the earth. Like Sleeping Beauty, she slept for (almost) a hundred years. She did not wake up to a kiss from a perfect prince, however, but to something much darker.

From that moment, she worked to eliminate the ogres. She has two men who hunt with her: Ambrose, her fey advisor, and Gareth, a vampire. The story is more mature than what I’d expected to find: the romance starts within the first chapter.

Hot Button Issue/Spoiler: In her past, Rose was raped, and one of her two men involved in her love triangle ‘let it happen.’ It made the romance between the two a little more sordid, a little less appreciable.  This issue right here made it harder for me to complete the book.

Pros:

The story does is an interesting mix of history and Sleeping Beauty, a fairy tale with romance. The relationships are complex, and the adaptation of the fairytale are intriguing. Rose herself is a strong woman, and I think she was a fascinating character.

Cons:

The book was really hard to get into. While I ordinarily enjoy historical fictions, and I love the story of Sleeping Beauty, it was very hard for me to get started with reading the book. Perhaps it is because of the inclusion of vampires in the tale. I have recently read far too many vampire stories in recent years. Or, it could be that the tale hit into the steamy romance almost from the beginning.

My Rating:

2/5 Mostly because of the hot button issue.

If this book seems to spark your interest, you can purchase it through Dragonmount’s eBook store.

Welcome to another edition of Dragonmount's Fantasy Review.  This will contain slight spoilers.

Shades of Milk and Honey

By Mary Robinette Kowal

The Synopsis:

Set in an alternate history of Regency England, Jane Ellsworth—an old maid at twenty-eight—has resigned to being unnoticed while her younger sister, Melody, takes in all the suitors around.  However, Jane's skills with glamour—a magic that involved taking "folds" out of the ether—is skilled and unrivaled. 

Jane has feelings for their neighbor Mr. Dunkirk, but he seems to only have eyes for Melody.  But when Captain Livingston takes up residence next door, and shows an interest in Melody, Jane feels pleased that she might finally be the object of Mr. Dunkirk's affections.  But to complicate the situation further, Livingston has also shone an interest in Dunkirk's sister—Elizabeth—as well as his own cousin—Miss FitzCameron. 

In the midst of it all, a rival shows up, Mr. Vincent, with glamour powers equal, if not surpassing, Jane's own.  As she struggles to win Dunkirk's notice, and keep out of Vincent's, Jane has to help Melody and Beth stay out of trouble with Livingston.

The Pros:

The tone of this story is very true to its Austin-esque inspiration.  The dialogue, the character's motivations and goals, the interactions with society, all fit the era and the mood.  It's true to that genre without being difficult to read or follow.

The love triangles (or rectangles) are nothing new, however Jane's plight of being the ugly sister is uniquely refreshing.  We see the story from her angle, instead of the pretty one who goes to all the society dances.  Jane is the outsider—and though her skills with the magic system are impressive—it's not enough to win her a husband.  I really enjoyed the contrast to the normal heroine.

The Cons:

The magic system was interesting, however, it didn't add too much to the overall story.  It worked its way into a few of the plot points, but not so much that we were given a detailed explanation of its uses and limits.  It's never quite explained what the ether is, and what the magic's point is in the world at large.

However, I believe this is rectified in the sequel, Gamour in Glass.

Conclusion:

I wasn't sure what to expect when I read this book.  Having never been a fan of the Romance era stories, I wasn't quite sure I'd like this style.  However, his tale was simply, yet elegantly told.  Kowal did a magnificent job keeping everything within the Regency realm.  A little bit of romance, a little bit of magic, a little bit of Austin-esque lingo all perfectly combined for a great read.

My Rating:

3/5 stars

If you're interested in giving this book a try, you can buy it DRM-free from Dragonmount's eBook store!  And for more by Ms. Kowal, you can also check out her Writing Excuses Podcast, which is co-hosted by Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells.

As you may have noticed there have been Fantasy Reviews for the past two months. This month's book is The Black God's War: Splendor and Ruin by Moses Siregar III.

This review will contain slight spoilers.

Synopsis:

The story revolves around a war between two groups, the Rezzians and the Pawelon. The kings of both countries won’t settle for peace easily. They want annihilation of the other group. Caio, the spiritual leader of the Rezzians joins the war at the same time Rao, the Pawelon prince, joins it. Both sides hope that it would help in victory of their side. But both princes want peace.

Lucia, daughter of the Rezzian king, gets a message from the Rezzian god of death, Lord Danato, that the war would continue on for another ten years unless she journeys to his Underworld. Lord Danato has been plaguing Lucia for years ever since her mother died while giving birth to Caio. Lucia doesn’t believe what he says but it may be the only way….

The Pros:

The story has an interesting plot. It keeps you interested as you try to figure out the plot, Lord Danato’s role, and who will win the war.

The characters also keep you interested. Lucia’s life, her pain, her struggle, her choice make for an interesting read. Then there is Caio, a gentle person who channels the power of the goddess Mya to heal others. Rao, who wants peace for his people. Naryani, Rao’s lover who would do anything to protect him. Aayu, Rao’s bhai, who would help Rao with anything. Indrajit and Brirarji, two Pawelon generals with less than clear motives.

Both races don’t understand other’s magic and think them to be superstitious. The Rezzians believe in ten gods (though Lord Danato is mostly forgotten) and pray for the gods to help them. The gods do listen to their prayers and answer them. On the other hand, the Pawelon magicians are sages who have their sadhana for magic.

The story arouses sympathy for both the sides. The events are introduced through Lucia at first, and the incidents which happened to her could make anyone feel for her. So, the story starts with sympathy towards the Rezzians. As the story introduces us to Rao and the Pawelons, and we come to know about what all they have suffered, it makes us sympathize with them. Through the whole story, I wasn’t able to decide who to support.

The Cons:

The story can go slow at times. Some events stretch for too long and suspense is kept for too long that it starts to lose its effect.

There are too many references from places. The chapter titles hint at Greek Mythology, the Pawelons hint at Indian, and there are more that I didn’t figure out. While they are interesting, I put them here in cons because I don’t know if everyone will like the terms from foreign languages. Most of the Pawelon names are Indian names and many words you may not understand are from Hindi/Sanskrit.

Conclusion:

I kept drifting from the story and had to leave it at times. But for all the faults the story kept me interested and thinking about it at weird times.

My Rating:

4.2 out of 5

If you want to read it, you can buy it here at Dragonmoun'ts eBook store.

As you may be aware, Dragonmount has occasionally featured reviews for books within the sci-fi/fantasy genre. We are now making this a regular, monthly feature. On the first Wednesday of every month, the Front Page Bloggers will feature a book that we’ve recently read. Last month, Mashiara Sedai reviewed The Six-Gun Tarot by R.S. Belcher.  Feel free to add your thoughts about the book in the comments section.

This review will contain slight spoilers.

Replica

By Jenna Black

Synopsis:

The setting is in the futuristic “Corporate States.” Corporations have taken over the governance of the states, and the former State of New York has been bought out by a company called Paxco. Paxco is the company that has led the charge in manufacturing human replicas. Replicas allow a person to live on once the body has died: a replica is a near-perfect clone of a human being--and because they are updated monthly, replicas have most of the memories of the original body. The book is told primarily through the point-of-view of Nadia Lake, a 16-year-old girl who is promised to marry Nate Hayes, the heir to the Paxco Fortune. After a party, Nate is murdered, and Nadia is the last person to see him alive. The police suspect Nate’s "secret boyfriend,” Kurt; but Nadia and Nate's replica know that Kurt could not have murdered him. Nadia and the replica must find Nate’s murderer, soon.

The Pros:

Perhaps the most enthralling feature of this is the two main characters. Nate Hayes is the “Chairman Heir” of Paxco. His father is CEO of the corporation that owns the state, the corporation that owns replication technology. Nate likes to be shocking--he breaks social rules and niceties whenever he can, flirts shamelessly with all the young ladies, and lives a secret life. Nate is gay. Although homosexuality is accepted in the general population, the upper classes disapprove, and Nate has an entire hidden part of his life to help keep that side of his life secret from the world. And, once the whole world is convinced it is his secret boyfriend who has killed him, Nate's replica goes out of his way to prove this was not the case.

If Nate is a prince, then Nadia Lake is almost an archetypal princess. She’s being pushed into an arranged marriage with the "prince of the realm." Nadia has a general dislike of the other upper class girls her age, but is very concerned with how things appear. She has agreed to the marriage, even knowing about Nate’s homosexuality, to keep up appearances with her family. Nadia is generally just a shy, introverted character, a mild doormat. This is a story that is as much a tale of Nadia learning she has a backbone as it is of investigating Nate’s murder. She soon ceases to be a wallflower, and learns to stand up for herself, and her friends.

I was really afraid that the core romance of the book was going to be a cookie-cutter romance. She’d love him, he’d love her, and other cheesy romance story tropes. The complications of both Nate and Nadia’s situations make it more unique. Prince Charming is homosexual, and the two are more friends than lovers. There are potential love interests introduced for both Nate and Nadia, and I am curious to what direction the series will take in the future.

The Cons:

I feel like the book was just a little too short for my interest. While this is partially remedied in that it is the first of a book series, I feel that there was just so much of the world that was missing. Society seems  to have no middle class: either you’re wealthy or you live in the “Basement district” where crime happens. The historian in me would like to see and read more of how the corporations took over the states, and I’m curious about what the rest of the world looks like. What are some of the other corporations?

Conclusion:

I like that the tale had a more complicated twist on a young adult romance novel. I read the story very quickly. I like that the female lead is starting from a weak position, that of a doormat, to one who is becoming pretty strong on her own.

My Rating:

4 out of 5

If you're interested in trying out this book, you can buy it from Dragonmount's ebook store.

In the past, Dragonmount has occasionally featured reviews for other books within the sci-fi/fantasy genre.  We're going to start that up again!  So, on the first Wednesday of every month, one of the Front Page Bloggers will feature a book they recently read.  Feel free to add your thoughts about the book in the comments section.

This review will contain slight spoilers.

The Six-Gun Tarot

By R. S. Belcher

Synopsis:

The setting is Gulgotha, Nevada in 1869.  Jim, a fifteen-year-old, is on the run from the law, trying to find a place of safety.  Or, is it the mysterious jade eye, the last memento of his dead father, that's drawing him to the town of Gulgotha?  When he gets to town, Jim is taken under the wing of Mutt—a Native American deputy—and Sherriff Highfather.  But magic is in the air, and Jim's arrival might be the only thing that will save the people from an ancient evil.

A battle that predates the world—a battle between angels and demons and the darkest evil—is about to unfold in the small town.  The folk need to band together, each with their own abilities, and save Gulgotha from the clutches of darkness.

The Pros:

This book's main drawing feature is the character development.  Each character is unique, with a rich back-story and relatable motives.  Jim—arguably the main character—has trouble in his past for killing a man.  He's so young, but still so tortured by his decisions.  Mutt, the deputy, is only part human—the other half comes from his deity father, Coyote.  This makes him an outcast with the humans, and his supernatural family.  Sherriff Highfather has saved the town from countless evils, including giant bats and a ghoul in the graveyard.  He is interesting because he cannot be killed.  He's been hanged three times, and still has not died.  The rumors around town say it's because "it's not his time."

There are other great characters too.  Maude Stapleton trained with a pirate queen in her youth and passes on her skills to her daughter.  Harry Pratt, the mayor, hides his homosexuality behind multiple wives.  And there are even angels: Biqa, who refused to fight for God in His battle to gain supremacy over the cosmos, and Lucifer.

The way the characters interact with each other and their surroundings is what makes this story so incredible.  Everyone has their secrets, most of them dark; as dark as the evil that surrounds their town.

The Cons:

One of the few things I disliked about the book was the point-of-view switches.  It was written in omniscient point-of-view—meaning the reader can see and hear every character's thoughts.  This made it difficult to tell which thoughts were attributed to which character.  There were no scene breaks to let the reader know they were in someone else's head.

Still, Belcher did a fairly good job with the difficult point-of-view.  It hampered the story, but didn't crush it.

Conclusion:

This book kept me interested for every page.  It had a dark, and sometimes gritty, story line, but also humor, and the possibility of redemption.  There were themes of faith, of letting go, of forgiveness, and of revenge.  It had something to please any reader. 

My Rating:

4 out of 5

If you're interested in trying out this book, you can buy it from Dragonmount's eBook store.

The Dragonmount Fantasy Review Interview

Patrick Rothfuss

Hey everyone! I’ve got a bit of a special surprise for you. Our next review isn't due until June, but this was burning a hole in my pocket and I couldn't wait to share it. Following my review of Patrick Rothfuss’ bestselling novel, Wise Man’s Fear, the author himself was kind enough to take time out and do an interview with us. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed making it.

James:

Last time you hung out with Dragonmount (before Name of the Wind was published) you said “maybe after I sell a million or so books, I'll be too fabulous to accept personal messages", and yet here you are. How’d you avoid the megalomaniacal urges of being a Fantasy God? Or are you just hiding them—in which case how does it feel to be a megalomaniacal fantasy god?

Pat:

You're obviously overestimating my success. I haven't sold anywhere close to a million books.

James:

I don't suppose I can cling to the 'or so' element of that question?

No?

Alright.

As I understand it, you had already written out the entirety of Kvothe’s story in an early draft form before The Name of the Wind was published, and now are in the process of revising and fine tuning it. I was wondering if you could explain to us what’s involved in that revision process?

Pat:

You know what it's like when your car doesn't run. So you take it apart, then replace a bunch of the parts and put back together again and then it works?

Yeah. Me neither.

But that's pretty much what I did with the book. Except instead of a car, it was my novel. It's a metaphor, you see. I can't explain to you what I do to a book in 50 words or less any more than I could teach you how to fix a car. It's just too big.

James:

Ok, love the car analogy, it expresses the complexity of writing--my follow-up is: what about fine-tuning. For me, I can point to each book that I've written and see the things I've learned from writing them--is it the same for you? Is there anything specific you learned writing/revising Wise Man's Fear?

Pat:

A lot of things. Hundreds of things, really.

The problem is that while all cars work in pretty much the same way, all stories are different.

James:

Could you give us an example of something you changed in the Wise Man’s Fear (from the original rough draft), and why you changed it? (forwardslash how it evolved, etc).

Pat:

Well, just to pick one thing out of the dozens…. I expanded and improved the Adem section from about three chapters to the current length it is now.

Why? Because the way I wrote it back in 1999 sucked. It was like a lame 80's training montage. The Adem had no real unique culture of their own. None of the language or the philosophy they have now. They were cheap cardboard cutouts.

James:

Are you expecting Day Three to take the same amount of time to fine tune as Day Two?

Pat:

Maybe.

James:

How much work remains to be put into it?

Pat:

A lot.

James:

There is a lot of information out there on things new authors should not do in the first work—no novels of over a 120,000 words for a fantasy manuscript, for instance, and I recall reading an agent’s blog that listed a ‘story within a story’ format as an ‘argh rejection’, yet your books have done many of these supposedly bad things, and done very well with them. So my questions are...

Did you encounter problems in trying to get published due to these elements?

Pat:

Yeah. Probably. It probably didn't thrill agents when they read my query letters and it said, "200,000 word epic meta-fantasy."

But then again, I sucked at writing query letters. So trying to pick one particular thing that turned them off is probably a fool's errand.

James:

Did you ever consider changing your story because of them?

Pat:

Not really. I didn't know I wasn't supposed to be doing any of that stuff. I was just writing the story the way I thought was best.

James:

What are your thoughts/advice to aspiring writers in regards to these elements? Is there merit in the resistance to their use?

Pat:

Okay. First and foremost, you have to realize I'm not a role model. I'm an aberation. A statistical anomoly. Following in my footsteps is about the dumbest thing you could ever do.

Secondly, you need to realize that most writing rules aren't laws, they're rules of thumb.

That means you can break them, but you probably don't want to. And if you *do* break them, you better have some good reasons why.

I didn't have good reasons, that's probably why it took me so long to write and revise these books. I had to figure a lot of that stuff out for myself. I reinvented the wheel a few times.

James:

Reading the story, one can feel that the world we’ve not yet seen is vast and complex, perhaps even beyond what we have seen—is this correct?

Pat:

Yup.

James:

How much time do you spend on worldbuilding?

Pat:

I don't know. A thousand hours? Two thousand? A billion?

James:

I’m going to indulge in some fan hero worship for a moment and rave about the Adem. They are one of the most interesting elements I’ve seen introduced to a fantasy world in a long time—so is your depiction of the faen world, or the concepts of sympathy, but I’m geek-locked on the Adem for the moment.

Pat:

That's nice to hear. I'm rather proud of them.

James:

Where did you get the idea for them?

Pat:

I didn't really "get the idea" for them anywhere. That implies that I sort of…. I dunno…. bought them out of a catalouge or something. Or that I dug through a history textbook and found them there.

Truth is, I made them. It wasn't paint-by-numbers worldbuilding where I just took mongols and gave them a different haircut. I built Ademre from the ground up. Culture, mythology, language, philosophy, economy, I put it all together very carefully.

James:

And when did you learn the truth that man-mothers aren’t real?

Pat:

What makes you think they are real?

James:

That’s an interesting question to ask of a gay man. Your point is taken, though.

Pat:

It's amazing to me that people end up getting hung up on that aspect of that book. People believe crazy shit. That's what a culture is: the crazy shit people believe.

Of course, the key is that sometimes they aren't the crazy ones. Sometimes their ideas are the right ones and they only seem strange to us because of what we were taught when we were young....

James:

That is… apt. I’ve no other word for it.

That’s it for this interview. Pat, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions!

The Dragonmount Fantasy Review

The Prince of Nothing by R. Scott Bakker

This month on Dragonmount's Fantasy Review, I’ll be looking at R. Scott Bakker’s The Prince of Nothing Trilogy, which is the first series in a two part set that will be called The Second Apocalypse. I should probably begin it with a content warning, because this series is much darker and contains much more adult content than the Wheel of Time. There is sex, violence and coarse language in abundance, so with that in mind, let’s continue.

What is the Prince of Nothing series about?

The Prince of Nothing is a story on three levels. The uppermost level deals with the growing Holy War between two major religions, the Inrithi and the Fannim, in the area known as the Three Seas. The political vying of the various kingdoms, empires, religious orders, and magical Schools on the Inrithi side of the conflict, is the tapestry in which the series is laid out. And to the knowledge of most involved, this is the only game being played. The second level involves the machination of the Unholy Consort, who wish to bring about the Second Apocalypse and the return of the No-God, Mog-Pharau, and their opponents, the Mandate School of magic who retain the memories of their founder, Seswatha, who lived through, and fought in, the First Apocalypse.

Into this walks the third level of the story; Anasûrimbor Kellhus, an unknown, and largely unknowable element to those involved. Kellhus is one of the Dûnyain, which are a reclusive monastic society dedicated to the study of logic, rationality and reason. Added to the thousands of years of selective breeding, and the process of training the Dûnyain call ‘conditioning’, this upbringing results in a warrior whose abilities to study, analyse, understand and predict those around him to such an extent that ‘world-born men’, as the Dûnyain name them, become like children before him.

Kellhus enters the Three Seas from the Ancient North, a land devastated in the First Apocalypse, with a purpose—hunting down his father, another Conditioned Dûnyain, presumably to end the threat he poses to the secrecy of the order. Perceiving a weapon in the Holy War, Kellhus sets about a coldly calculated manipulation to usurp it.

Why Do I Suggest This Series to Wheel of Time Fans?

The scope of this series, like the Wheel of Time, is vast, spanning a continent with a multitude of ethnicities, religions and nations, and a history going back thousands of years. As with the Wheel, there is the over-arching theme of good versus evil, though in this context the shades of gray are much... murkier. Bakker uses this set up to explore much deeper themes, much as Jordan was want to do, and like Jordan, he drew heavily on real world events, history and mythology in the construction of his world, granting it a sense of depth and solidity.

I spoke above of the darker, more adult tone, and that is true, but for those who enjoyed the complexity of the Wheel—especially in the nature of character growth and worldbuilding, then there is much to be found in The Prince of Nothing.

Themes, and the Importance of Philosophy

Within the Prince of Nothing Bakker explores the depth of the human condition—from the dangers of the coldly rational mind to the extremes of religious fanaticism, Bakker shows the sordid truth of how history is built—one lie at a time. And yet, even as Kellhus slowly subverts the Holy War, you see him learning, both through his interactions with his teacher, Drusas Achamian, and through philosophical extremes his assumed role within the Holy War take him.

The Literary Style

Whilst beautifully written, Bakker’s style does not lend itself to casual reading. Heavily anchored in Bakker’s literary past, the complicated prose is in some ways both the highlight and the major setback in Bakker’s novels. It will take you to the heights of the emotional and metaphysical struggles of the characters—if you stick with it.

The Role of Magic

The only other comparison I would draw is that if you liked the One Power, I suspect you will enjoy the magic of Bakkers world. Not that the two are in anyway similar, but the magic Bakker has woven is a thing of dark philosophical implications, beautifully examined in the relationship between the Mandate Sorcerer, Drusas Achamian, who is at once both the most hopeless and hopeful characters of the series, and Kellhus himself. And in that, it evoked in me a similar sense of fascination as the One Power, and the potent effect it has on its channelers (especially the men).

Conclusions

The Prince of Nothing is a complex and beautifully woven story, and brings to the table far more than a hack and slash battle. It’s themes, it’s character development and the sheer potency of the writing, make it in my opinion, a must read—though that being said the content and the style of the writing could very easily be off putting to some.

You can purchase the first book, The Darkness that Comes Before from Amazon here.

The Dragonmount Fantasy Review

The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

Welcome back to Dragonmount's monthly fantasy review. This month's review is on Steven Erikson's epic fantasy series, The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Don't let the singular use of the word "book" confuse you either, each "tale" in the Malazan world is a book in its own right, and quite a large one at that. The tenth and final novel in the series, The Crippled God, was just released bringing to a close the main sequence series. However, several other novels set within this world are still planned.

What is The Malazan Book of the Fallen About? Why Would I Recommend it To Wheel of Time Fans?

The Malazan world is the only fantasy world that I've encountered which is larger in scope than that of the Wheel (George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire would also come close, I suppose). The series takes place across six continents, involving empires, nations, city-states, and religious uprisings. There is hundreds of thousands of years of history layered through the story. You have dragons and shape-shifters, and an entire pantheon of selfish gods ready and willing to manipulate mortals. And, moreover, Erikson is ready and willing to show you them all.

When armies march, in the Malazan world, you don't ride just behind the eyes of the generals and their small council of worthy notables, you get in deep and dark with the individual marine squads on the front line. You meet the enemy and learn to like them--or not, as the story needs. You get to see the political machinations behind the war, the games of assassins and emissaries.

What is the Value in this Style?

Well, the writing itself is pretty engaging, if sometimes given to being overly verbose. In my opinion the greatest value in this is that Erikson does the prep-work damned well, and as such when it comes times for the climax, it becomes explosive--when Anomander Rake draws his sword, you will want to jump up and down. When the Bonehunters decide to march on a rival empire, you'll be ready to scream. When High Mage Quick Ben does... well, anything, you'll probably clap, even if it makes you look stupid. Indeed, when it comes to the ending of each of these books you'll have been brought to understand what's at risk, who's at risk, why the characters are risking it--and then you get to watch as Erikson weaves all this neatly together into an ending which explodes off the page.

Alright, So What Are The Downsides?

Erikson doesn't really ease you into his world--rather he drops you in the ocean at midnight, and then proceeds to whip up a storm. I've compared it to being introduced to the Wheel circa A Crown of Swords, but even that's not entirely accurate as Erikson continues to run--constantly working in more and more elements of the world. I think it was the end of the third novel, Memories of Ice, that I felt I was truly beginning to get a grip on the world.

Of course it is not a truly insurmountable problem. The characters are interesting, the plot is gritty and engaging, so the fact that you are filled with a vague sense of confusion over what's what and why things are the way they are doesn't necessarily detract from the enjoyment of the story. But even though you might be a bit confused about it, Erikson is not, and you will come to understand everything.

You Didn't Really Answer the Question. What's The Malazan Book of the Fallen About?

The series does have an over-arching storyline, though it doesn't become truly apparent until the later books, nor do you realize the ways in which the events of the earlier books are moving toward or supplying for that overlying arc. So in book one, Gardens of the Moon, we have the Malazan invasion of the continent of Genebackis, and all the politics that responds to that. In book two we jump to the continent of Seven Cities with the beginning of the uprising of the cult of Drhyjna the Apocalyptic, and book three were back to Genebackis. Though characters and sub-plots crossover in each of these books they are largely self-contained stories, with their own endings.

So yeah, just trust me when I say it's quite a ride.

Final Comments

To those who enjoy the scope of the world-building within the Wheel of Time, The Malazan Book of the Fallen will blow your mind. Beyond that, the characters and plot--and perhaps more significantly, the key character moments and plot points, are all chock full of awesome. Though it should be warned that this is a somewhat darker series than the Wheel, including far more graphic violence and sexual content.

You can purchase the first book, Gardens of the Moon here and support Dragonmount.

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The Dragonmount Fantasy Review

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss

I get asked a lot what books I’d suggest Wheel of Time fans read whilst they’re awaiting A Memory of Light, to such an extent that I thought it might be fun for everyone is we had a regular review of other fantasy novels on the site, fantasy novels which hold something similar to the spirit of Mr Jordan's work--be that in terms of scope, style, themes or whatever. With that in mind I thought that a monthly WoT-oriented look at some of the other shining stars of fantasy could be worth some time.

This month's entry will be on the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. The first book, entitled The Name of the Wind, was released in 2007 and the second book, The Wise Man's Fear, was released worldwide on the first of March 2011.

What are the Kingkiller Chronicles About?

The Kingkiller Chronicles tell the story of a man named Kvothe. Or, perhaps more accurately, tell the story of a man named Kvothe telling the story of a boy named Kvothe. It begins with a historian seeking out the older Kvothe to get from him the true story of his infamous youth, which Kvothe finally agrees to. From there, over the next three days (each day at the inn being one of the books in the trilogy) Kvothe tells the historian his story. And what does that story cover? I'll let Kvothe tell you himself...

My name is Kvothe, pronounced nearly the same as "quothe." Names are important as they tell you a great deal about a person. I've had more names than anyone has a right to. The Adem call me Maedre. Which, depending on how it's spoken, can mean The Flame, The Thunder, or The Broken Tree.

"The Flame" is obvious if you've ever seen me. I have red hair, bright. If I had been born a couple of hundred years ago I would probably have been burned as a demon. I keep it short but it's unruly. When left to its own devices, it sticks up and makes me look as if I have been set afire.

"The Thunder" I attribute to a strong baritone and a great deal of stage training at an early age.

I've never thought of "The Broken Tree" as very significant. Although in retrospect, I suppose it could be considered at least partially prophetic.

My first mentor called me E'lir because I was clever and I knew it. My first real lover called me Dulator because she liked the sound of it. I have been called Shadicar, Lightfinger, and Six-String. I have been called Kvothe the Bloodless, Kvothe the Arcane, and Kvothe Kingkiller. I have earned those names. Bought and paid for them.

But I was brought up as Kvothe. My father once told me it meant "to know."

I have, of course, been called many other things. Most of them uncouth, although very few were unearned.

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

You may have heard of me.

These stories are themselves compelling, but in many ways it is in Rothfuss' skill as a writer, combined with the fact that Kvothe himself is not the most reliable narrator, that the true value of this book comes forth. Kvothe tells the story he wants to tell, and Rothfuss has him tell it beautifully. And, mixed between, interludes in which we get tantalizing glimpses of the modern Kvothe, and see both how the stories inform the man that comes to be--and at times more intriguingly, how they don't.

The Story; A Tale of a Boy That Grows Into a Wizard-Warrior

Whilst Jordan's story has been around long enough to set the archetypes these days, it doesn't do to forget that he told something original, something which had not been done before. Taking the classical story of the provincial young boy thrown out into the world at the whims of evil powers to learn to be a fantastical hero and leader in the war--only Rand's magic was not wondrous so much as scary, his role was not heroic so much as it was hopeful that when he was done destroying things, something might be left. His sword in the stone was flawed, his wise magical helpers were self-involved and childish, and he was--as heroes go--given a rather shoddy lot of it.

Rothfuss also takes the archetypal image of the hero, and plays with it. Through the stories of Kvothe's achievements an image is built, and then through the sardonic storytelling of the elder Kvothe that image is cut down again and again. Kvothe the Bloodless, to proud to bleed. Kvothe the Arcane calling lightning from the sky--if you have expectations on what should happen, they won't. And the few times they do, Kvothe Elder quite disdainfully refuses to tell the story.

Indeed, Rothfuss not only plays on what you want to see, but on what you don't. There were several times I found myself thinking 'ok, come on Rothfuss, we get it--Kvothe is cool' then reading the next chapter and practically feeling Rothfuss giving me a little slap on the face and saying 'come on man, you didn't think I'd be that obvious, did you?'

So what are the differences, and the downsides? Difficult question, as everyone appreciates stories differently. I will note, for instance, that people often complain about the abruptness of Jordan's climaxes. Battles built across books occurring in a smattering of pages. With that in mind, the WoT Fan should be warned--Kingkillers is definitely a story that is sold in the telling. The style of Rothfuss' writing (portrayed in the first person narration of Kvothe) is engaging, but also bound to Kvothe's inner nature. Thus, Kvothe is far more interested in telling the story of his fascination with a puzzle in a book, or the day spent trying to track down his girl, than he is in depicting his glorious and epic victories.

In effect, if you're looking for epic battles, you won't find them. That's not the story that's being told here, and if you're like me, that's fine. Something is being built, slowly and carefully--the juxtaposition between Kvothe Younger and Kvothe Elder is enough to show that, and for that I am content to wait, and enjoy the journey.

The World, A Home Fit For A King

Worldbuilding was one of Jordan's great skills--the scope and size of the Wheel of Time is something that many fans cite as being the element that draws them back to the Wheel time and again. Now Rothfuss only has two books out, so it’s impossible to compare to a twelve book series, but I will say this, based on the world he has shown so far, I do think Rothfuss has worldbuilding skillz. With a Z.

The Adem, for instance, a military society every bit as rich as the Aiel, with customs and language quirks that are amongst the most interesting things I've read in fantasy in a great long time. I'll leave you to discover those for yourself, however, and end with this note: his world is expansive, and his skill in showing us that world is, if anything, growing.

One other parallel I would draw is this--Patrick likes to use songs and stories to tell the history of the world. A tool Jordan also uses from time to time, though not as heavily--and like Jordan, he uses it to mess with the reader. The same story can be told in different places with different endings or the same endings told in stories with different players, and from this a picture of the past, confused and fuzzed, begins to emerge, tantalizing us with the depth of the world.

It's hardly a technique unique to either of them--but it's one I like, so you'll just have to live with me telling you about it. :D

Mr Rothfuss Brings New Life to a Style Tolkien Created and Jordan Revolutionised. Or Something.

Ok, so yes--that title is a bit wanky. Sounds like it came off a dustjacket of a b-grade book--or at least that was what I was hoping for. But I'm sure there is a rule somewhere that says all new fantasy authors have to be compared to Tolkien in a review, and I'm not one to break the rules--besides, there is a point I wanted to make, and that is this--it's all about the magic.

As a lead in to making this point, I would direct you to a blog entry Brandon Sanderson wrote on the subject of magic systems which he calls Sanderson's First Law. It rather excellently covers the various types of magic systems in fantasy stories, and the roles they subsequently play in the telling of the story. It's a worthwhile read.

But for simplicity here, let’s say there are two types. Hard Magic, which has its own set of clearly defined rules which are shown to the reader. I may be biased, but I've always regarded Jordan as the best Hard Magicist (Hard Magi?) about. The One Power with all its (post tSR) clearly defined rules and limitations is the perfect Hard Magic system, to my incredibly loyal mind. Tolkien's soft magic system, on the other hand, is beautiful. It's mysterious, invoking in us a sense of wonder that is not often felt in this modern world of hard science. The days in which maps ended with marks saying 'Here Be Dragons' are past, but they have an appeal which lingers, and are explored in the fantasy genre.

And here's the thing, Rothfuss does both, and well. Between the clearly defined sympathy, which Kvothe studies like a science, to the mysterious weaving of moonlight that is a gesture of magic from the Faen, to the Naming of Names which hangs between (or perhaps below, propping it all up) Rothfuss depicts a world which has both the intellectually intriguing element of hard magic with the sense of wonder that we so often feel at the prospect of anything fae and unknown in soft magic.

So should we put 'the love child of Jordan and Tolkien' on the dustjacket? I think so, if just for the spluttering that would result. But irrespective I'm sure you all take my point--others do hard magic. Other's do soft. Rothfuss has done something that is new--for me, at the least. He's dabbled in both, and it works well. Very well.

Production Times; A Cautionary Tale

Ok. So did you notice at the beginning that I said The Name of the Wind was published in 2007, and The Wise Man's Fear in 2011. Yeah... Rothfuss takes his time. The thing is, so did Jordan. And, though I worry about the parallels, so does Martin. And what I notice about all three is that they all produce really good books.

There is a sense of polish to The Wise Man's Fear, a sense that each word, however innocuous, adds to the insights of the world, the characters--or even just adds to the smooth flow of the writing itself, a thing that is subtle but which shouldn't be underestimated in terms of its value. If that takes time to produce (and I believe there is quote somewhere saying Jordan usually did somewhere between 8 and 11 drafts per novel) then so be it.

I brought this up because I know a lot of you find the wait between new books annoying. Not so for me--tell me an author takes his time, and I'll come to the table full of wide-eyed excitement. But that's me, and I can be somewhat odd.

Rothfuss' storytelling is engaging and interesting. Though it is not what you would picture as a standard Epic Fantasy series, it is nonetheless deeply engaging. He uses many older techniques that I have not seen in some time--a story within a story, the switchback between first person and third person prose, the impact of a narrator’s personality on the portrayal of the story--and thus the inherent truthfulness of the narration itself--but he uses them all in a fresh, new way which in effect rejuvenates them.

I think the Kingkiller Chronicles will appeal to anyone who enjoyed the scope of the Wheel of Time. Rothfuss is most certainly not Jordan 2.0, but rather, like Jordan has begun something new, and all of his own, and it gladdens me that even as the Wheel ends, new Fantasy epics are rising to keep the genre alive and well.

Check out Patrick's official website

Hope you enjoyed all that. This is the first time out, so feel free to leave feedback on what you liked and didn't like.