Saturday 13 September 2014

FANTASY REVIEW: The Splintered Gods - Stephen Deas


Release Date: 19/06/14
Publisher:  Gollancz

SYNOPSIS:

Praised by the likes of Joe Abercrombie and Brent Weeks, Stephen Deas has made dragons his own. Captured by an unknown enemy and forced to wage war on his rivals, the Dragon Queen has found herself hated and feared by all the people of this new land. There is little they can do to hurt her while she has her dragon, but she cannot escape while the magic necklace she is forced to wear remains active - or it will throttle her. And the enemies of her new master are gathering for revenge...Lost in a body that isn't his own, Berren - the Bloody Judge - continues his search for the man who stole his life. Accompanied by a single Adamantine soldier, they scrabble to survive in a world shaken by the Dragon Queen's attack and suspicious of all those who are strangers. But there is another power inside Berren, one which escapes when he is in danger and has the habit of disintegrating those around him. And that power has its own agenda...One that will lead it to the Dragon Queen, and battle. The critics, fellow authors and readers alike are agreed - if you love dragons and epic fantasy, Stephen Deas is the writer for you. The man who brought dragons back to their full glory, might and terror.


REVIEW:

I’ve read Stephen since he burst onto the scene with the Adamantine Palace in 2009. I love his writing, the hard gritty combat, the difficult choices made by individuals (be they beast or man) and overall, I love the way that the double dealing of those in power as they seek to fulfil their own agenda’s rather with the problems of the people a secondary problem to deal with.

The writing is always to the point, it gets to the meat of the matter and with some of the subtle hints and wordplay within generates a story that is pretty unique out there. A great read and definitely a series as well as author who is surfing the new British wave of Fantasy.

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