Wonder are the Americans trying to tell us something?
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Shadowfall - James Clements
ISBN 978-1-84149-302-2.
Well, first book. And looking forward, I can see a whole Fantasy genre theme in my immediate future. Next up will be Markus Heitz Dwarves followed up by book three of Brandon Stephenson's (something like that, don't have it to hand) Well of Ascension series. And that isn't including some retrospective reviews I have planned, particularly on Feist. But don't worry, I also do the other genre (non-Fantasy).
Anyway, Shadowfall. Clements is essentially a pretty good author. You have to get around a certain air of formula about his plots. From page one, it is going to be a trilogy, with very sharp divisions in story, but that is certainly nothing unusual in the world of fantasy. Similarly, his books have the necessary plot "hook", the aspect that makes the world definably different to reality. No longer simply that there is magic in the world, but the magic is drawn down in a unique fashion. In this case the world is divided between godlike figures, partially rooted in their own lands, partially in the underworld, and who release magic (or Grace) into the world via bodily secretions.
As you do. From the run of the mill Blood Sweat and Tears through to Seed and what Clements takes a certain relish in referring to as Black Bile and discussing its soft yet solid nature. Frankly I wouldn't have thought you would want your body getting confused between Bile and Shite, but it all seems to work away pretty regularly. Literally.
Into all of this passing around of bodily fluids comes Dart, named after a fast growing weed, who is training to be a Hand of one of the gods, basically harvesting said substances. Needless to say there is a bit of a hierarchy of which fluid you want to harvest. Dart has an imaginary friend, a small dog like creature called Pupp, which takes to tearing to death anyone who harms Dart. (Ok maybe not imaginary, just invisible). Dart discovers there is corruption in the world of Gods and everything leads on from there.
And of course there is Tylar, a fallen ShadowKnight, who stumbles apon a God being murdered by archiac magical artifacts and is possessed by the God. And then spends the rest of the book being called the Godslayer and having his bones broken to release the God.
In summary, a good book by a good author. Not a classic, but will certainly get the rest of the series to finish it out.
Well, first book. And looking forward, I can see a whole Fantasy genre theme in my immediate future. Next up will be Markus Heitz Dwarves followed up by book three of Brandon Stephenson's (something like that, don't have it to hand) Well of Ascension series. And that isn't including some retrospective reviews I have planned, particularly on Feist. But don't worry, I also do the other genre (non-Fantasy).
Anyway, Shadowfall. Clements is essentially a pretty good author. You have to get around a certain air of formula about his plots. From page one, it is going to be a trilogy, with very sharp divisions in story, but that is certainly nothing unusual in the world of fantasy. Similarly, his books have the necessary plot "hook", the aspect that makes the world definably different to reality. No longer simply that there is magic in the world, but the magic is drawn down in a unique fashion. In this case the world is divided between godlike figures, partially rooted in their own lands, partially in the underworld, and who release magic (or Grace) into the world via bodily secretions.
As you do. From the run of the mill Blood Sweat and Tears through to Seed and what Clements takes a certain relish in referring to as Black Bile and discussing its soft yet solid nature. Frankly I wouldn't have thought you would want your body getting confused between Bile and Shite, but it all seems to work away pretty regularly. Literally.
Into all of this passing around of bodily fluids comes Dart, named after a fast growing weed, who is training to be a Hand of one of the gods, basically harvesting said substances. Needless to say there is a bit of a hierarchy of which fluid you want to harvest. Dart has an imaginary friend, a small dog like creature called Pupp, which takes to tearing to death anyone who harms Dart. (Ok maybe not imaginary, just invisible). Dart discovers there is corruption in the world of Gods and everything leads on from there.
And of course there is Tylar, a fallen ShadowKnight, who stumbles apon a God being murdered by archiac magical artifacts and is possessed by the God. And then spends the rest of the book being called the Godslayer and having his bones broken to release the God.
In summary, a good book by a good author. Not a classic, but will certainly get the rest of the series to finish it out.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Why because?
Well essentially because I felt like it. Like the blogs of many other people before me (and no doubt many after me), this will probably glide to an inglorious halt due to inertia. Hopefully after a period of (probably inglorious) activity. The aim is to review books that I have read, and if I feel like it, to apply the powers of L-space to review ones that I haven't read. And ones I have no intention of reading, though I suspect those reviews will be somewhat negative. And short.
I might also randomly comment on other non-book related matters. I might even mention what the topic is. But please bear in mind that I'm not actually writing for an audience, so it only needs to make sense in my head. And even that is somewhat optional.
Oh, and finally, I'm Irish, so I may swear. Frequently.
I might also randomly comment on other non-book related matters. I might even mention what the topic is. But please bear in mind that I'm not actually writing for an audience, so it only needs to make sense in my head. And even that is somewhat optional.
Oh, and finally, I'm Irish, so I may swear. Frequently.
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