Book Review: Veil of the Deserters by Jeff Salyards
Posted on May 13, 2014 2 Comments
Veil of the Deserters by Jeff Salyards
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Bloodsounder’s Arc
Publisher: Night Shade (May 19, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’m what you would call a book juggler, meaning at any given time you’ll find me with multiple books in my currently-reading list. From the moment I started Veil of the Deserters though, I ignored everything else on my plate, reading nothing but this book until I finished all 500ish pages of it in two and a half days. It was the only thing I wanted to read.
As a sequel, this was everything I wanted and more. If Scourge of the Betrayer was the delicious appetizer, then Veil of the Deserters is most definitely the main course. It’s always great to read an amazing book only to discover the second one is even better, because while the first book was the perfect tease, piquing my interest and whetting my appetite for more, here’s where we really get into the meat of it.
In my review of the first book, I talked about an air of mystery surrounding the direction of the plot. The main protagonist and narrator is a bookish scribe named Arkamondos, hired by the formidable Captain Killcoin to accompany his band of Syldoon warriors on their journey to complete a mission. We have very little idea of what the Syldoon are up to, since Arki himself is not made privy to the details of their quest. Why these rough and tough soldiers require a scribe or in what capacity Arki would be employed is also unknown. But in Veil of the Deserters, we get our answers. We get them in spades.
Not only that, the world building is much more substantial. The author fleshes out the world and the characters in this second installment, providing a lot more background information and history. Arki’s hunger for knowledge and his natural curiosity as a scribe is a great means to facilitate this; as he grows more comfortable around his traveling companions, they tell their stories and reveal their lives to him. We find out that the old veteran Hewspear is a grandfather, estranged from his daughter-in-law after the death of his son. We also learn that Killcoin has a sister, the Memoridon witch Soffjian who makes her first appearance in this novel. The relationship between the siblings is complicated, and we’re also in a position to find out why. This book humanizes the Syldoon, showing the reader another side to these men, letting us see that they are more than just brutal warriors.
I continue to enjoy these characters. They fascinated me in the first book, and here they are even more developed. What amazes me is Salyard’s talent for making each and every one of them unique. Not every author can do this. I love reading dark fantasy featuring raw, gritty badass characters – but sometimes a book can end up with a whole bunch of characters with practically indistinguishable personalities on account of how raw, how gritty, how very badass they all equally are. Thankfully, the Bloodsounder’s Arc novels avoid this pitfall. I liked each of the Syldoon for different reasons. Every one of them can stand on their own, displaying their individual quirks and qualities which can even extend to their behaviors and the way they speak, from Killcoin’s emphatic “yes?” to Mulldoos’ penchant for coming up with hilariously obscene insults. Now’s also probably a good time to mention just how fantastic I think the dialogue is, well-written and sometimes injected with dark humor.
Arki himself is a delight to have as a narrator. He’s come a long way since the beginning of the first book, evolving with every minute he spends with the Syldoon, every violent battle he witnesses. He gradually learns to shed his old life to adapt to the new one with Captain Killcoin and his men, and it’s interesting to see how the emotions war within him even as he grows more loyal to the Syldoon and makes friends among them. He’s a stronger person in this book, both in the way he is written and in the manner he carries himself.
Seriously, why aren’t more people reading Jeff Salyards?! He’s outdone himself with this one. The book all but throws open the doors to the world of the Bloodsounder’s Arc, giving us better insight into its history, politics, religion and magic. The sights and sounds get more magnificent. The battles are bigger and better. The story is far deeper now that all the cards are on the table, and Salyards isn’t holding back anymore. All around, this is an excellent book, exceeding all my expectations for a sequel.
Marie Brennan Wants you to Design Your Own Dragon
Posted on May 12, 2014 Leave a Comment
I make it no secret how much I just adore Marie Brennan’s Memoir by Lady Trent novels, so naturally I just had to share this. In case you haven’t seen this already, she’s running an amazing contest on her site.
Invent a breed of dragon or draconic cousin that might fit into Lady Trent’s world and you could have a chance for your design to be referenced in a future installment of the series and win a signed ARC of book 3 The Voyage of the Basilisk.
Here’s an example entry the author gives:
WYVERN — A reptilian creature native to northern and eastern Anthiope, possessing hind limbs and wings, but lacking forelimbs, which disqualifies it for consideration as a “true dragon” under the criteria of Sir Richard Edgeworth. Wyverns are typically 3-4 meters in length from nose to tail, with a comparable wingspan, and light of build through the chest. Their coloration is mottled brown and green, for protective colouration in the treeless hills that are their usual habitat. They typically hunt by waiting in an elevated position and then launching into the air when prey is sighted. Their venom is paralytic, and kills the prey through asphyxiation. Wyverns are solitary except when they mate, but the male will follow the female until she lays her eggs, after which they incubate in the care of the male, who feeds them and teaches them to hunt after hatching. Juveniles rarely stay with their father for more than three months, by which point they are capable of independent sustenance.
The deadline is on Thursday so get creative! Check out the link to Marie Brennan’s website for more information and to send her your entries. And if you haven’t read these books yet, I highly recommend them. Who could say no to dragons?
Interview with Chris Willrich, Author of The Silk Map
Posted on May 12, 2014 Leave a Comment
We’re thrilled to have Chris Willrich, author of the Gaunt and Bone novels join us for an interview today! Published by Pyr Books, The Silk Map is the sequel to The Scroll of Years, out in stores now. Be sure to check out my review of the book and see why I love this series. Fun, adventurous, and set in a fantasy world inspired by Ancient China, it’s one of the most unique sword-and-sorcery books I’ve ever read.
Also, remember to enter our GIVEAWAY for The Silk Map if you haven’t already! Just a couple more days left until the deadline!
And now without further ado, I present the awesome Chris Willrich. Happy reading!
Mogsy: Hello, Chris! Welcome to the BiblioSanctum and thanks for joining us today!
Chris Willrich: Thanks very much for having me.
M: The characters Persimmon Gaunt and Imago Bone first appeared in your short stories before bursting onto the novel scene with The Scroll of Years and now The Silk Map. How would you describe the books to someone new to your work?
CW: Gaunt and Bone, a poet and a thief who love adventure and each other, criss-cross a fantasy world, facing strange villains and bizarre dangers, on the most arduous quest they’ve ever undertaken — to settle down and raise a family.
I also enjoy Pyr editor Lou Anders’ description of The Scroll of Years — “It’s Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, except that they’re lovers and Fafhrd is pregnant.”
M: Was there anything that prompted you to go from the short fiction format to longer works with Gaunt and Bone? Did the writing process feel all that different, or did you find any particular advantages or challenges to the novel format?
CW: The Scroll of Years began as a novella that got out of hand. It reached the awkward length where it was probably too long to see magazine publication, but too short to see book publication. I looked for ways to expand it, and the best approach seemed to be to enhance the roles of some of the supporting characters. My agent at the time, Joe Monti (now editor for Simon and Schuster’s Saga imprint), also had the great suggestion to add an action-packed prologue. Luckily all the parts clicked.
I’d written other, unpublished, novels before, so it wasn’t completely unfamiliar territory. And I’d played a bit with important supporting characters in the earlier Gaunt and Bone stories, especially the wizard in “A Wizard of the Old School” (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, August 2007.) But there were still some surprises moving Gaunt and Bone to a longer format. I think in the shorter works the two leads are a little more archetypal, a little more emblematic of the “poet” and “thief” titles. In the books you start to see their hair come down a little more. There’s more time to watch them daydreaming, shooting the breeze, and thinking about food. That’s fun, but it’s a slightly different flavor. The trick is to make Gaunt and Bone definitely the same two characters for any readers who (bless them) read all of this stuff the whole way through. Another angle is that with more space, I can develop an entertaining supporting cast, some of whom I’ve gotten very fond of. They bring lots of different perspectives to the situation. All the above has an impact on pacing, which is something I’m very interested in. The Scroll of Years and The Silk Map each have a different rhythm, I think. Scroll to me is more of a meander. Silk is more of a gallop.
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| Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, June 2000 |
I should fess up that although I’m having a blast, moving into novels isn’t entirely an artistic consideration — it’s only by working on novels that I’m finally able to justify my writing as a “job,” something that brings in money for the family. Before that it had to be sidelined, for practical reasons.
M: Gaunt and Bone are an incredible and also very unique couple, and I don’t often see a pair of lovers married and about to start a family in Book One of a fantasy series. Was this an interesting dynamic to write as their relationship evolved over the course of events in the novels?
CW: Yes, I’ve really enjoyed letting their relationship develop organically across the stories and books. For example, their desire to have children wasn’t obvious at first, but it kind of dawned on them (and me) as things went along. (Small correction: They don’t officially tie the knot until between the two novels, though they certainly seem married a long time before that. Someday it might be fun to write the story of the wedding.) Another surprise was their “refusal” to go on an unrelated adventure until they’d fixed the unresolved stuff from The Scroll of Years. I was originally going to leave things hanging for longer.
When I was first starting the stories, I’d noticed that a lot of romantic sagas end at exactly the point when the relationship’s on a strong footing — all the tension is built into the question of “Will they get together?” But there are interesting stories to tell about established relationships too, and I found that’s where I wanted to go with these two.
M: I was so excited to read how The Silk Map was partly inspired by the Wu Cheng’en classic Journey to the West (as a child, I was fascinated with the tales about the Monkey King!) It’s awesome to meet another fan of Chinese myths and Asian-themed fantasy, how much would you say your interest inspired the setting for these books?
CW: A huge amount! Barry Hughart’s Bridge of Birds (“a novel of an ancient China that never was”) blew my mind in college. I’d been interested in myths and fantasy from all over, including China, before that, but that book encouraged me to take Chinese language and art appreciation classes (hooray for electives.) The language classes didn’t stick; it turns out I’m terrible at learning new languages. But the interest stuck. Marrying into a partly Chinese-American family had a big impact too. It was probably inevitable I’d want to write something Asian-themed eventually, and it was a happy circumstance that I could work that interest into the Gaunt and Bone series.
I should say, to be clear, none of the above makes me an expert on Chinese or Asian culture, folklore, or anything. I have no special insight or claim on the material; I’m just a fan.
M: I love how the books are sprinkled with mini-stories and poems here and there – you don’t just say the characters tell a story or recite a poem … you actually include them in the book! What’s your approach to writing these; where you get the ideas and then how do the tales/poems grow out from them?
CW: Thanks! Three books in particular got me interested in this kind of thing — The Thousand and One Nights, Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities, and Milorad Pavić’s Dictionary of the Khazars. The first has its tales-within-tales. The other two are entirely made up of descriptive entries that also manage to be miniature stories. A lot of Lord Dunsany has the same flavor. Come to think of it, Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun has tales-within-tales too. Catherynne M. Valente’s Orphan’s Tales series does this in spades. And there’s Chaucer!
Anyway, a lot depends on what purpose the inserts are serving in the overall story. In The Scroll of Years some of the background on the country of Qiangguo came through that way, so the narrative wouldn’t get bogged down. In The Silk Map, some of the inserts were meant to convey the vastness of the region, where the same event could be transformed into very different legends. There are also a couple that are meant to fill in some backstory on the character of Haytham, the inventor. They can add a little levity sometimes, too. And they also have the nice effect of conveying a world where oral storytelling is an everyday part of life.
As for how to develop mini-stories like this, well, I’m still trying to get the hang of it. I think, for me, the trick is to find some very specific images that can provoke a sense of wonder in the reader, and then hang the narrative around those. Unlike in a longer piece, you can’t really count on character identification carrying the reader along, or long descriptive passages creating a sense of place. Instead you toss out some imagery that can capture a reader’s attention in just a few words. If readers get into the groove of it, they’ll supply the rest of the setting out of their own imaginations. Of course, if it doesn’t work, it falls very flat!
M: Do you like to travel? Reading The Silk Map reminded me that my parents once did a tour of the Silk Road, and I am still seething with jealousy of them.
CW: Me too! 🙂
I do like to travel, but we’ve got young kids so our trips are usually close to home.
M: If you could visit any of the locations that inspired the places in these novels, real or imaginary, where would you go?
CW: It’s not exactly the most original idea, but I’d really like to visit the Great Wall. And of course Beijing and the Forbidden City. The terra cotta army, for sure. The city of Xi’an. Guilin. The Dunhuang area. Hong Kong, although I’ve been there before. The Gobi. Lhasa. The Mongolian steppe.
M: I also see from your author profile that you recently wrote a Pathfinder roleplaying game tie-in novel called The Dagger of Trust. I actually just started playing the RPG with a group of friends and I love it! Might I ask, do you play too? Or in general what are some of your other hobbies holding your interest these days?
CW: I don’t get a lot of RPGing in these days, but it’s one of my favorite hobbies and I’ve done a lot in the past. I’ve run Pathfinder for family and friends, and I like it a lot, along with the whole lineage of D&D-type games. I’ve liked most versions; I’m a pretty easy audience for this kind of thing. Other games I’ve enjoyed are GURPS, Call of Cthulhu, Feng Shui (the Hong Kong action movie RPG), and Star Trek (the out-of-print Last Unicorn Games version.)
In theory one of my other favorite hobbies is hiking, but that’s also hard to find time for. Reading, though, I can still wedge in there.
M: What does the future hold for Gaunt and Bone? Do you have any more books or short stories planned for these two partners in love and in crime?
CW: There will definitely be a Gaunt and Bone Book 3, The Chart of Tomorrows, in which the big plot threads from the previous two books get resolved. And I’ll probably write some more Gaunt and Bone short stories, since I have a couple partially written. (They’re set earlier in the timeline.) Beyond that I’m not 100% sure, but I’ve had so many Gaunt and Bone ideas, there’s a good chance I’ll return to them.
M: And how about for you? What does the future hold for Chris Willrich? Are there any other projects on your plate you’re excited about that you can share, currently or in the near future, either writing or non-writing related?
CW: Aside from The Chart of Tomorrows there’s nothing in the works right now. That’s plenty! I’m a stay-at-home dad and fairly involved in our kids’ schools, so I’ve got my hands full. 🙂
M: On behalf of the BiblioSanctum team I would like to say once more how thrilled we are that you could join us today. And that’s the end of the interview, thank you so much for your time!
CW: Thanks for the opportunity!
YA Weekend: Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
Posted on May 11, 2014 Leave a Comment
Eon: Dragon Eye Reborn by Alison Goodman
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Eon
Publisher: Viking Children’s Books (December 26, 2008)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
The world knows our main protagonist as Eon, a twelve-year-old boy training hard to be the next Dragoneye apprentice. To be chosen by one of the twelve revered energy dragons of good fortune is a great honor; each year many boys vie for the position to serve as the conduit between the dragons and the mortal world. But there is more to Eon than meets the eye. In truth, Eon is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl masquerading as a boy because females are prohibited from using dragon magic. If anyone discovered her secret, she would be killed on the spot.
Stories involving girls disguised as boys are certainly nothing new, so what made this one special? Well, I suppose I’ve always enjoyed fantasy inspired by Asian cultures. In the world of Eon: Dragoneye Reborn, the influence of Chinese and Japanese mythological traditions makes itself apparent from the start. There are twelve energy dragons, for example, each associated with an animal of the Chinese zodiac – rat, ox, tiger, etc.
In Chinese philosophy too, the concept of yin and yang is an important one. Used to describe complementary forces rather than opposing ones, it has also been applied to the many natural dualities found in our everyday life — light and dark, fire and water, the sun and the moon, life and death, and so on and so forth. Another one to remember is male and female. What struck me with regards to Eon/Eona’s story is the author’s approach to the concept of masculine and feminine energies, and what that ultimately meant for the character and the dragon that chose her. I was surprised that for a young adult novel, especially one which supposedly is just about a girl pretending to be a boy, the themes in it are surprisingly layered.
But okay, enough waxing philosophical from me. You probably want to know about the juicier bits, like with the magic and the dragons, the action and the epic sword fights. The setting Alison Goodman has created is absolutely gorgeous, with a heavy Far Eastern flavor but also bolstered with her own creative touches, the world’s magical history and dragon lore being one of the many highlights. Many YA novel plots also boast political intrigue, but this is probably one of the few I’ve come across that had delivered on that promise, and better yet, the consequences actually mattered and had a profound impact.
Also, the fact there wasn’t an overt romantic side plot was to me a feature, not a bug. Granted, there is some setup for a possible love interest and romance in the sequel, but this first book is mostly concerned with the main character’s personal journey to find herself and connect with her energy dragon, as well as to come to terms with her own disability (her hip is malformed due to a childhood injury). To be honest, I couldn’t be happier with this. I like romance, but I wouldn’t want to see it come at the expense of character development – or worse, in the form of insta-love or some other form of an awkward, stilted relationship. This way, I thought we got a much better idea of who Eon/Eona is as a person.
I wouldn’t say this book was perfect; the storytelling could have used some tightening up, especially in the middle where the plot wandered and did some meandering. But overall this was probably one of the more entertaining and unique YA novels I’ve read so far this year, featuring characters that have a surprising amount of depth, and that includes the villains too. Plot-wise, the structure and some of the concepts aren’t entirely original, but I don’t know if you should let that stop you. If the Asian inspired world appeals to you, or if you’re looking for a book that portrays dragons in interesting ways, then I would recommend this.
Mogsy’s Book Haul
Posted on May 10, 2014 Leave a Comment
This fortnight’s haul features a pretty eclectic mix, starting with the physical pile:
House of the Rising Sun – I remember the ARC of this book catching my eye a few times, but it just always seemed to pass me by. I’m actually kinda glad this one showed up unsolicited from Orbit because I’ll definitely check it out now.
Dark Eden – really looking forward to this! Won my copy from a giveaway and I’ve been seeing some excellent reviews of it around. The cover also has this really cool holograph chrome-y effect, it’s pretty spiffy.
Earth Girl – requested after receiving the sequel Earth Star a couple weeks ago, because I’ve heard amazing things about these two books and figured I should start from the beginning. The YA fiction I’ve read from Pyr have all been fantastic and unique, setting itself apart from the mainstream — which is exactly what I need right now. I’m reading this at the moment and counting on it to get me out of my YA slump.
The Silk Map – be sure to check out my review of this book that went up earlier this week, and enter the giveaway! My thanks to Pyr again.
The Voices – received for review from Pan Macmillan. It sounds like it involves a haunted house, with strange knocking sounds and voices coming out of a baby monitor etc. Just all around creepiness. I’ll be reading this one the next time I’m in the mood for a horror novel.
The Tough Guide of Fantasyland – you’ve probably noticed the new Tough Traveling feature around here on Thursdays, and this is the book that inspired it. Nathan’s right — somebody at the publisher is probably scratching their head at the uptick of sales on this book as of late, because I know for a fact I’m not the only one who has picked it up since these posts!
The digital pile…
Aftermath – in my last book haul I mentioned I picked up the audiobook of The Remaining. I ended up listening to it all in a single day last week while carrying out an epic day of spring cleaning. Afterwards I went and grabbed the sequel because I had such a good time with the first book and all of these books are only like $2-4 each!
Neverland’s Library – I don’t often do anthologies, but have you seen the author list? Mark Lawrence, R.S. Belcher, Marie Brennan, Teresa Frohock, Brian Staveley, Miles Cameron, J.M. Martin, Mercedes M. Yardley, Jeff Salyards and a whole lot more but I’m going to run out of room if I list them all. This book began as a crowd funded project but is now being released by the awesome Ragnarok Publications. It’s a HUGE collection and just for $5 too, I had to grab this.
No Return – this has been on my wishlist for a while! Bought it earlier this week when it was a Kindle daily deal and went for the audiobook with the Whispersync bundle discount too. Can’t wait to read/listen.
The Shadow Master – clearly, my self-imposed ban from Netgalley has not been going so well. Blame Angry Robot for publishing such amazing looking books. I really tried, but in the end I just couldn’t resist requesting this one.
Book Review: The Barrow by Mark Smylie
Posted on May 9, 2014 2 Comments
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Related to: Artesia
Publisher: Pyr
Publication Date: March 2014
Author Info: www.swordandbarrow.com
Wendy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars — a dark and unique gem within the fantasy genre.
A treasure hunting expedition goes horribly wrong when Stjepan Black-Heart steals from the Nameless cults. Violence and horror befalls the group in one of the most thrilling prologues I’ve ever read. The survivors escape with an even bigger prize than they had ever expected: a map to the Barrow, wherein lies a priceless sword. The journey to the barrow is dangerous and the barrow itself is more so, but Black-Heart and his people are willing—only, the pesky map gets cursed and is lost in the process of trying to decipher it. But when it reappears in the most unexpected of places, things really start to get dark and crazy as the anti-heroes embark on their deadly adventure.
First of all, I love the Black-Heart. Well, I love all the characters, mainly because none of them are particularly likable and none of them are your typical fantasy heroes or even your typical fantasy anti-heroes. Let’s just say that I will be inviting none of them over for dinner. Anyway, Black-Heart I am fond of because at first, he is introduced as the dark, emotionless badass that rarely cracks a smile, but soon enough, you learn that he is actually the well-educated royal cartographer who is known well by those above and below the law. I love that the story remains entirely centred on Black-Heart and this map, even as more and more fascinating tidbits are revealed about him.
Fans of Smylie’s Artesia might be disappointed that she does not make an appearance beyond fleeting images in dreams and memories. This is the Black-Heart’s story and Smylie tells it well, without having to rely on Stejpan’s sister, and expanding on the world he’s already built in the stunning Artesia graphic novels.
As mentioned, The Barrow is an adventure story, complete with a fellowship in search of treasure. But Smylie makes it clear that these people are not in the least bit interested in saving the world or being heroes. They are in this for the treasure and some of them just might stab a man in the back to get it.
The Barrow does suffer from an over indulgence of tell, rather than show and often feels like a historical tour of the Known Worlds as Black-Heart and his crew make their way toward their goal. While I appreciate the wealth of knowledge and have always loved Smylie’s world, having so much within the book itself can be overwhelming. However, being a fan of Artesia, I did enjoy the mentions of deities and magical events that I was already familiar with. Smylie’s mythology is immense, with rich stories that go well beyond myth, since magic is very real and does play a significant role in The Barrow.
Technically speaking, the long sentences and paragraphs are problematic, as well as the point of view changes that occur within each chapter. However, I am very impressed with Smylie’s transition from graphic novels, where images tell most of the story, to novel format where words have to paint those pictures. I think, with lessons learned from this book and background lore already given, Smylie will be able to tighten up the writing to focus more closely on the plot.
As others have already pointed out, this book does contain a lot of sexually explicit content. Personally speaking, I’m a big girl and in my maturity, I’ve grown more comfortable with dealing with sexuality in its many forms. As a society, we have a long way to go when it comes to sexual maturity and moving beyond the oppressive Victorian sensibilities that plague us. Anyway, The Barrow does contain a lot of sex, especially within the first hundred plus pages or so, and some of it is quite perverse. One might argue that it comes off as mere titillation and I would agree that perhaps it goes on too long—but no more so than the violence or any other aspect of the story that Smylie spells out in detail as he weaves us into his world. I consider it important to the lore and, considering Smylie’s vast mythology, am not really surprised by it as such debauchery is not unheard of within the actual mythologies of the real world. Shall we take a walk through one of my favourites, Greco-Roman mythology, and see how often rape (sometimes in animal form) is attributed to Zeus? And consider, in turn, the debauchery common to the Romans in their time.
Now, all that said, I was ultimately disappointed that the female characters were most often and unsurprisingly the victims of these acts and the only woman who comes out of the story reasonably unscathed, sexually, is Erim, who is disguised as a man.
I was quite fond of Erim though. Another intriguing and completely atypical character in a book that is a dark and unique gem within the fantasy genre.
Book Review: Defenders by Will McIntosh
Posted on May 8, 2014 1 Comment
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Orbit (May 13, 2014)
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Last year, I read an incredibly moving book called Love Minus Eighty. As I closed the cover on the last page and settled back with a roiling mind and warmed heart, I knew right there and then that any future novels written by Will McIntosh will be going straight onto my to-read list. Someone who can write such a magnificent story (not to mention give me all these feels) certainly belongs on my list of favorite authors. And so that is how I came to review Defenders, and I don’t have to tell you how excited I was.
Tough Traveling: Dark Lord
Posted on May 8, 2014 3 Comments
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan of Review Barn, who has come up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynn Jones. Nathan has invited anyone who is interested to come play along, so be sure to check out the first link for more information. Compulsive list-maker that I am, I’m very excited to take part!
This week’s tour topic is: Dark Lord
There is always one of these in the background of every Tour, attempting to ruin everything and take over the world He will be so sinister that he will be seen by you only once or twice, probably near the end of the Tour…
Thank you, Nathan, for finally giving us an easy one. Dark Lords (and Ladies) run rampant in fantasy and science fiction, and what I tried to do with my list was think outside the box a little and aimed to mix some of the obvious classic ones in with others who might not be that well-known. As usual, I only list the books I’ve read, but I still had to cut myself off at ten. Here they are, listed in no particular order of importance or evilness…
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling – Lord Voldemort
Still, let’s just get the big You-Know-Who out of the way right off the bat. I have a feeling the boy wizard once known as Tom Marvolo Riddle who eventually became the infamous Lord Voldemort is going to be appearing on many Dark Lord lists today. I am also sure Harry Potter is going to show up a lot more on these Tough Traveling posts.
The Iron Wolves by Andy Remic – Orlana
One of the handful of Dark Ladies I can think of, Orlana the Changer is evil incarnate, a inhuman entity in a sexually attractive woman’s body. Cold and sadistic, she commits all sorts of monstrous deeds on her victims just for the fun of it. She is best known for turning the bodies of men and animals inside out and splicing them together to form new nightmarish creatures, and for sacrificing innocents to birth the Mud Orc army she’ll need to take over the world.
Star Wars novels by various authors – Sith Lords
Always lurking in the background waiting to ruin everything and take over the galaxy? So sinister and evil that he’ll only be glimpsed on screen a handful of times if we’re lucky? Pretty much every Sith Lord and Darth that ever existed fits this archetype. A few Star Wars books that I’ve enjoyed which focus mainly on the “Dark Lord” include the Darth Bane trilogy by Drew Karpyshyn and Darth Plagueis by James Luceno.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien – Sauron
Here we have another heavy hitter in the world of Dark Lords, one who I’m sure needs no introduction. The lord of the rings and creator of the One Ring was also the lieutenant of another notorious Dark Lord, Morgoth, whom I would have included in this list as well if I’d actually managed to get through The Silmarillion in its entirety.
Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff – Shogun Yoritomo Stormdancer is a coming-of-age story about a young girl and her fight against a despotic Shogun. Yoritomo is a monster who uses violence, torture and threats to control the population of Shima. With the Guildsmen standing with him behind his tyrannical rule, he chokes the land with the lotus industry, killing slaves to grow the destructive crop and continue making war on his enemies.
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan – The Dark One
The head bad guy in Wheel of Time, the Dark One has many names including the Father of Lies, Lord of the Grave and Sightblinder, but his true name is Shai’tan, though it is said to be dangerous to use it. The characters in the series know him to be an ancient, power and evil force, the embodiment of destruction and chaos.
Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind – Darken Rahl
Come on, with a name like Darken Rahl, he’s gotta be evil. Indeed he is the primary antagonist for the Sword of Truth series, said to be a vicious man and ruthless wizard. He likes to rule with an iron fist, has an unquenchable thirst for revenge and has no qualms about using torture to get what he wants. Obsessed with world domination, his pastimes include building an army and hunting down confessors.
The Emperor’s Knife by Mazarkis Williams – Pattern Master
The Cerani Empire is held in the grip of terror by an epidemic. The plague, which strikes young and old and rich and poor alike, causes geometric patterns to appear and spread across the skin until the victim dies in agony, or worse, becomes a mindless minion controlled by an unknown and mysterious enemy, the Pattern Master.
Children of Fire by Drew Karpyshyn – Daemron
Long ago, a great warrior called Daemron was was chosen by the gods to lead the war against the Chaos spawn. Daemron, however, grew corrupted and the savior of the world instead became its destroyer. He was thwarted in the end, banished and sealed behind barrier called the Legacy. Now the Legacy weakens, and Daemron grows strong enough again to cast his essence into the world.
Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson – The Lord Ruler
Known as the divine and invincible “Sliver of Infinity”, the Lord Ruler’s reign is filled with red skies and falling ash, and enslaved Skaa are forced to live in misery and fear. At the beginning, no one knows who he is or where he came from, just that the world has sucked ever since he installed himself as a deity and assumed absolute power over the Final Empire.
Man, a lot of these were hard to write without revealing massive spoilers. I’m looking forward to seeing others’ Dark Lord lists.
Graphic Novel Review: Black Widow: The Name of the Rose by Marjorie M. Liu and Daniel Acuña
Posted on May 7, 2014 1 Comment
Black Widow: The Name of the Rose by Marjorie M. Liu and Daniel Acuña
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Publication Date: January 2011
Wendy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
If there’s one thing the recent Captain America movie taught me, it’s that I am in need of a Black Widow movie. In the mean time, I will seek to satisfy this need with Black Widow comics. Unfortunately, The Name of the Rose let me down with a rather weak plot involving a mysterious enemy who learns one of Natasha’s biggest secrets: the fact that she is recording secrets on everyone, including her friends in the Avengers. The mystery enemy captures and dissects Natasha to acquire this information, leaving her severely wounded, with her only clue being a black rose.
I’m not really familiar with Black Widow, a.k.a. Natasha Romanov, in the comics, so I’m not sure if the enemy she’s dealing with is a major part of her history. When the person is finally revealed, there is implication of a strong connection, but the connection itself is not displayed in a terribly convincing manner. There also seem to be several steps missing as Natasha goes on the hunt, luring out informants, visiting old contacts, and finding her prey. And finally, there is a big reveal about Natasha herself that is supposed to provide emotional punch, but instead just comes off as a whimper.
And while I am sure the Black Widow is in far better shape than I am, I had a hard time suspending my disbelief in regard to the serious wound she suffers at the hands of her enemy. I accept that she’s one tough cookie with mental resilience that can push her through physical pain and push her body well beyond its limits. But significant blood loss, is significant blood loss, yo.
The one really great thing about this, aside from the art, are Natasha’s friends. Wolverine, Captain America, Tony Stark, Hawkeye and one other, all play a part in her adventure, though they all ultimately know that Natasha is a woman who must deal with this situation on her own. Through them, aspects of Natasha are revealed, most notably her loyalty to the people she names a friend. She is a woman whose life is all about seduction and lies, which all of these men know intrinsically, yet, despite the revelation that she’s been collecting secrets even about them, they are willing to stand by her, or at the very least, give her the benefit of the doubt.
Waiting on Wednesday 05/07/14
Posted on May 7, 2014 Leave a Comment
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
The ailing King of the Vordan lies on his deathbed. When he dies, his daughter, Raesinia Orboan, will become the first Queen Regnant in centuries—and a ripe target for the ambitious men who seek to control her. The most dangerous of these is Duke Orlanko, Minister of Information and master of the secret police. Having meticulously silenced his adversaries through intimidation, imprisonment, and execution, Orlanko is the most feared man in the kingdom.
And he knows an arcane secret that puts Raesinia completely at his mercy.
Exposure would mean ruin, but Raesinia is determined to find a way to break herself—and her country—out of Orlanko’s iron grip. She finds unlikely allies in the returning war hero Janus bet Vhalnich, fresh from a brilliant campaign in the colony of Khandar, and his loyal deputies, Captain Marcus d’Ivoire and Lieutenant Winter Ihernglass.
As Marcus and Winter struggle to find their places in the home they never thought they would see again, they help Janus and Raesinia set in motion events that could free Vordan from Orlanko’s influence—at the price of throwing the nation into chaos. But with the people suffering under the Duke’s tyranny, they intend to protect the kingdom with every power they can command, earthly or otherwise.”
The BiblioSanctum 