Release Date: 23/04/15
Publisher: Century
SYNOPSIS:
As the Emperor continues to close his iron fist over the galaxy, occasionally situations arise that he does not want to trust even to his notorious apprentice and right-hand man, Darth Vader. When the Emperor ventures out personally with Vader to handle a new political treaty, their journey lands them in the middle of insurgent action. Alone on an inhospitable planet, they must rely on each other, the Force, and their awesome martial skills to survive!
REVIEW:
Whilst a lot of people love the good guys, I have to say that I’m a big fan of the villains purely because they’re not constrained and can do exactly what they want. Here in the latest Star War’s title we get a book of Vader and one that really works well for me as a reader as I felt that Paul not only got the principle character down to a tee but brought him across in such a way that it made the book not only gripping but one where we see his full transformation to the darkside completed through the careful manipulation of the Emperor.
It’s deliciously dark and when added to the overall arc is a title that works wonderfully well for me. Back this up with good dialogue as well as a cracking pace and all round I was a more than happy reader.
Release Date: 31/10/13
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
SYNOPSIS:
In the 2nd book of the multi-author Sundering series launched by New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore, the shadow legacy of Erevis Cale lives on even as his old foe Mephistopheles seeks to stamp it out at any cost. Cale's son Vasen--unmoored in time by the god Mask--has thus far been shielded from the archdevil's dark schemes, alone among the servants of the Lord of Light who have raised him since birth.
Living in a remote abbey nestled among the Thunder Peaks of Sembia, Vasen is haunted by dreams of his father, trapped in the frozen hell of Cania. He knows the day will come when he must assume his role in the divine drama unfolding across Faerûn. But Vasen knows not what that role should be . . . or whether he is ready to take it on. He only knows what his father tells him in dreams--that he must not fail.
Enter Drasek Riven, a former compatriot of Erevis Cale, now near divine and haunted by dreams of his own--he too knows the time to act is near. Shar, the great goddess of darkness, looks to cast her shadow on the world forever. Riven has glimpsed the cycle of night she hopes to complete, and he knows she must be stopped.
At the crossroads of divine intrigue and mortal destiny, unlikely heroes unite to thwart the powers of shadow and hell, and the sundering of worlds is set on its course.
REVIEW:
Paul Kemp is an author whose writing I love, I like the way he brings characters to the fore, allows them to feel fully rounded as they set about the quests he presents to them, weaving an almost eldritch spell to throw everything including the kitchen sink at the reader. Its definitely something novel, it has some cracking twists and when added to an overall arc that will fit wonderfully in the Sundering series all round made me glad that I took the time to dive into this.
Add to this some great prose alongside a story that you just can’t put down really left me feeling like I couldn’t wait for the next part. Thank you Paul for a cracking outing.
Release Date: 05/07/12
SYNOPSIS:
Kill a demon. Steal the treasure. Retire to a life of luxury. Sounds easy when you put it like that. Unfortunately for Egil and Nix, when the demon they kill has friends in high places, retirement is not an option. File Under: Fantasy; Derring Don't; Hammer Time; Family Affair; and, Hell Spawn.
REVIEW:
As a huge fan of fantasy I feel that there are times when I want something that bridges the gaps between the modern tales of heroes and the old where they struggle through by luck, smarts and of course combat skills only to face something that they’re totally unprepared for so when I get the chance to explore a book by a well-known author I jump at the chance.
What Paul brings to the table with this new series is a tale of friendship, of action, forward planning and of course intrigue that blends elements of Fritz Lieber, David Eddings alongside the Forgotten Realms authors in one huge epic that was a pure joy to read.
The pace was electric, the twists organic and when you add to the mix an author with enough experience to make sure that everything feels natural as it develops really makes this a joy to read. Finally throw into the mix some solid dialogue and characters that were like Mana from heaven and all in I was a satisfied reader.
Release Date: 06/10/11
SYNOPSIS:
Anyone can escape danger. No one can escape the truth.
When a ship full of Sith warriors arrived in Galactic Alliance space, the fight to destroy it accidentally uncovered a hidden menace: a long-hidden group of clones, secretly created as insidious weapons capable of wielding the Force and heedless of the differences between light side and dark side. Now the clones have escaped—and evidence suggests that they are flawed by genetic disease and violent madness.
Jedi Knight Jaden Korr pursues the clones, hoping to heal them but prepared to destroy them. What he doesn’t know is that Sith agents are hot on his heels, determined not only to recover the clones for their Master but to capture Jaden for their own dark-side purposes. In a life-or-death battle, Jaden will confront a shocking reality that will rock him to his core and bring him face-to-face with the question of what makes a man . . . and a Jedi.
REVIEW:
This title is actually quite short for a Star Wars story and whilst interesting, I felt that the author really didn’t develop the themes within either far enough or with enough plausibility to keep it riveting from start to finish as it felt a little too predictable and linear. That said it was a fun excursion into the Star Wars Universe but against other recent titles it more than fell a little flat for me leaving me to wonder how many more tales will be available without rapidly repeating already well-established conventions within the genre to mirror to the exclusion of freshness. A great shame.
