Monday, 1 April 2019
Sunday, 1 April 2018
Falcata Times is moving, yep, we're rebranding and bringing new features to the blog but please update your links to our new site:
Totally Pawsome
We hope you like our new look and it goes live on the 2nd April 2018.
Tuesday, 2 January 2018
YOUNG ADULT URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: The Folk of the Air 1: The Cruel Prince - Holly Black
Publisher: Hot Key Books
SYNOPSIS:
Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
One terrible morning, Jude and her sisters see their parents murdered in front of them. The terrifying assassin abducts all three girls to the world of Faerie, where Jude is installed in the royal court but mocked and tormented by the Faerie royalty for being mortal. As Jude grows older, she realises that she will need to take part in the dangerous deceptions of the fey to ever truly belong.
But the stairway to power is fraught with shadows and betrayal. And looming over all is the infuriating, arrogant and charismatic Prince Cardan . . .
Dramatic and thrilling fantasy blends seamlessly with enthralling storytelling to create a fully realised and seductive world, brimful of magic and romance.
REVIEW:
As a long time reader of Holly's books, when I discover that there's a new one on the horizon, the calander is marked, the days are crossed off and the long wait is on its countdown.
Why is this the case? Well for me, Holly is an author who always delivers on the top notch fiction not only for the young adult audience but also produces a book for all ages. Her characters are flawed, have goals and also have to learn to adjust to changes as they happen alongside living with the consequences of those choices.
It gives them a reality, a roundedness that appeals and of course allows you to form a relationship with them and whilst some of them are from the "otherworld" its these foibles that really help bring the world to life. Here within this book we're treated to a tale of action, of political double dealing and of course danger around every turn from both friends and foes. I loved it.
Back this up with Holly's wonderful storytelling style, top notch prose alongside an overall arc that promises a hell of a lot as well as delivers in this first part all round makes this a tale that was sadly finished too quickly due to my voracious reading. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Saturday, 2 December 2017
URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: The Regional Office is Under Attack - Manuel Gonzales
Publisher: Del Rey UK
SYNOPSIS:
The Regional Office and its band of super-powered female assassins protects the world from annihilation. But a prophecy suggests that someone from inside might bring about its downfall. And now the Regional Office is under attack…
Rose is a young assassin leading the assault, eager to stretch into her powers and prove herself on her first mission. Defending the Regional Office is Sarah - who may or may not have a mechanical arm - fiercely devoted to the organisation that took her in as a troubled young woman.
On the day that the Office is attacked, Rose’s and Sarah’s stories will overlap, their lives will collide, and the world as we know it just might come to an end…
REVIEW:
I'm a huge fan of authors like Tom Holt who manage to wonderfully blend humour alongside cracking Urban Fantasy storytelling, so I had high hopes for this title from Manuel, thinking that I was going to get a tale that would not only be reminicent but bring a new voice to the genre that I could keep an eye out for and love.
What unfurled however was a story that sadly let me down, I felt that whilst a lot of the plot elements were carefully constructed that the language used within was badly put together in places and rather than help move the story forward had you sitting down, scratching your head taking you out of the moment.
Sadly for me, this book left me feeling flat and when I finally finished it, I have to say that I won't be heading back to Manuel's work for some time.
Friday, 1 December 2017
HISTORICAL FANTASY REVIEW: Dark Ages 1: Pendragon - James Wilde
Publisher: Bantam
SYNOPSIS:
Here is the beginning of a legend. Long before Camelot rose, a hundred years before the myth of King Arthur was half-formed, at the start of the Red Century, the world was slipping into a Dark Age…
It is AD 367. In a frozen forest beyond Hadrian’s Wall, six scouts of the Roman army are found murdered. For Lucanus, known as the Wolf and leader of elite unit called the Arcani, this chilling ritual killing is a sign of a greater threat.
But to the Wolf the far north is a foreign land, a place where daemons and witches and the old gods live on. Only when the child of a friend is snatched will he venture alone into this treacherous world - a territory ruled over by a barbarian horde - in order to bring the boy back home. What he finds there beyond the wall will echo down the years.
A secret game with hidden factions is unfolding in the shadows: cabals from the edge of Empire to the eternal city of Rome itself, from the great pagan monument of Stonehenge to the warrior kingdoms of Gaul will go to any length to find and possess what is believed to be a source of great power, signified by the mark of the Dragon.
A soldier and a thief, a cut-throat, courtesan and a druid, even the Emperor Valentinian himself - each of these has a part to play in the beginnings of this legend…the rise of the House of Pendragon.
REVIEW:
I've loved this authors work for a number of years, firstly because he brings cracking characters to life and secondly because of his top notch action sequences that are written in such a way that you feel like you're watching a movie.
As with the others, this new series also brings delightful prose as well as a cracking arc that fulfills exactly what action reading junkies are looking for. All round a magical beginning to a brand new series and one that will make an ideal christmas present for many readers.
CRIME THRILLER REVIEW: Playing With Death - Simon Scarrow and Lee Francis
Publisher: Headline
SYNOPSIS:
'This fast, furious, twisty thriller kept me on the edge of my seat' Chris Ryan
'If Stephen King had collaborated with Michael Crichton on a thriller, it might have been as good as this' Peterborough Evening Telegraph
FBI Special Agent Rose Blake has faced evil and survived.
Haunted by a failed undercover mission, Rose can't shake the memory of her close encounter with a ruthless serial killer - one who could strike again without warning.
Then comes the call to investigate a suspected arson attack that's left a man dead. Rose fears the worst: that a cold-blooded killer has carried out the perfect murder. A killer with a terrifying imagination and the intelligence to stay one step ahead at every stage. She knows only one thing about him: that he will kill again.
Rules will have to be broken. And the clock is ticking...
REVIEW:
I have to say that I was looking forward to this title from Simon Scarrow and Lee Francis as I've loved spending individual time with each author. However I have to sadly say that for me, this title really didn't work. The principle character was not one I could associate with, I felt that she was flat and all round as many readers of my reviews will know, that's a massive deal breaker for me.
Add to this an overall arc that was fairly flat, bringing nothing new to the Thriller genre and feeling like it was overly simplistic as well as being to predictable finally left me wondering why I even took the time to finish it.
Thursday, 30 November 2017
PARANORMAL THRILLER: Twelve Days - Steven Barnes
Publisher: Tor
SYNOPSIS:
A paranormal thriller from master storyteller Steven Barnes: A broken family struggles to hold itself together against a plot to unleash global genocide in Twelve Days
Around the world, leaders and notorious criminals alike are mysteriously dying. A terrorist group promises a series of deaths within two months. And against the backdrop of the apocalypse, the lives of a small shattered family and a broken soldier are transformed in the bustling city of Atlanta.
Olympia Dorsey is a journalist and mother, with a cynical teenage daughter and an autistic son named Hannibal, all trying to heal from a personal tragedy. Across the street, Ex-Special Forces soldier Terry Nicolas and his wartime unit have reunited Stateside to carry out a risky heist that will not only right a terrible injustice, but also set them up for life--at the cost of their honor. Terry and the family's visit to an unusual martial arts exhibition brings them into contact with Madame Gupta, a teacher of singular skill who offers not just a way for Terry to tap into mastery beyond his dreams, but also for Hannibal to transcend the limits of his condition. But to see these promises realized, Terry will need to betray those with whom he fought and bled.
Meanwhile, as the death toll gains momentum and society itself teeters on the edge of collapse, Olympia's fragile clan is placed in jeopardy, and Terry comes to understand the terrible price he must pay to prevent catastrophe.
REVIEW:
As a reader of a lot of thrillers, I love it when author's blend genres and bring new elements into the story. It gives it a whole new set of tropes to play with which often can turn elements upon thier heads within the overall arc.
That said, it can also really bind authors as well, and sadly for me this is what happened with this tale from Steven Barnes. Firstly whilst I did like some of the characters within I have to say that for me, the supernatural element wasn't required it could easy have just been a real world thriller without having to bring any of the Urban elements within.
Back this up with hard action sequences and sexual elements that were overly descriptive all round left me feeling uncomfortable that sadly pulled me out of the story. Whilst many will enjoy this story, for me it was more of a middle of the road title that sadly didn't have enough going for it to stand out. A great shame.
FANTASY REVIEW: Age of Sigmar: Hallowed Knights: Plague Garden - Josh Reynolds
Publisher: Black Library
SYNOPSIS:
As the War for the Realm of Life continues, Lord-Castellant Lorrus Grymn leads the battered remnants of the Steel Souls warrior chamber against the sargasso-citadels of the Verdant Bay. The Hallowed Knights claim victory, but at a terrible cost – Grymn is lost to Realm of Chaos. Now Gardus, newly-reforged and fresh from the destruction of the Scabrous Sprawl, must lead his warriors into the foetid heart of Nurgle's realm in search of the Lord-Castellant, where they must once more brave the horrors of the Realm of Decay...
REVIEW:
Whilst many love to spend time within the Horus Heresy subsection of the Warhammer 40K, so I love to go back to the Age of Sigmar in the epic stories coming out from the Black Library as part of their Warhammer Fantasy series.
Here in this title, we get to spend time in a full length novel featuring the Hallowed Knights, an order that is helping to forge the realm of mankind within the chaotic time as they face off against other races. Travelling to the face off against the plague lord Nurgle, takes our heroes into a situation that will have dire consequences in the choices that they make with each character bringing their own strengths alongside weaknesses to this quest.
As usual it is engaging, has great combat and when added to a full range of emotional turmoil really helps flesh the world out by allowing readers to form connections making deaths not only a number but a personal loss. Cracking.
Wednesday, 29 November 2017
FANTASY SHORT STORY COMPENDIUM: The Two of Swords Vol 2: KJ Parker
Publisher: Orbit
SYNOPSIS:
World Fantasy Award-winning fantasy author K. J. Parker delivers his most ambitious work yet - the story of a war on a grand scale, told through the eyes of soldiers, politicians, victims and heroes.
A soldier with a gift for archery. A woman who kills without care. Two brothers, both unbeatable generals, now fighting for opposing armies. No one in the vast and once glorious United Empire remains untouched by the rift between East and West, and the war has been fought for as long as anyone can remember. Some still survive who know how it was started, but no one knows how it will end. Except, perhaps, the Two of Swords.
REVIEW:
KJ Parker is an author that delivers a hell of a lot for me as a fantasy reader. You get the dark gritty reality that has become on trend where all choices have consequences that start the ripple effect into this well rounded world.
Add to this characters that you love to spend time around. Principle players who has a realistic feel with their emotions alongside personality coming to the fore whilst vying against their foibles and for me this second volume is a real treat. Magic.
SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Horus Heresy: The Crimson King - Graham McNeill
Publisher: Black Library
SYNOPSIS:
After the razing of Prospero, Magnus the Red spirited the Thousand Sons away to the Planet of the Sorcerers, deep within the Eye of Terra. Removed from the concerns of the galaxy at large and regarding the Warmaster’s unfolding Heresy with cold detachment, Magnus has dedicated his hollow existence to the preservation of all the knowledge once held in the great libraries of Tizca, should mankind ever seek such enlightenment again. But his sons can see the change in their primarch – he is a broken soul, whose mind and memories are slipping away into the tumult of the warp. Only by returning to the scenes of his greatest triumphs and tragedies can they hope to restore him, and allow the Crimson King to be crowned anew by the Ruinous Powers.
REVIEW:
OK, lets get the basic business done first. Are you a fan of the Thousand Sons? Have you read the Thousand Sons as well as Prospero Burns? If the answer is no, stop right here now. Read those books first to get the full flavour as well as a good bit of background to this story.
Right up to date? Ready to roll? Magic. This book by Graham is an epic outing as we learn how the chapter deals with thier seperation from the Throne into the realms of chaos as the primarch seeks to preserve their knowledge should mankind ever need it again. Its a dark tale, it has some magical twists and with the way that its woven makes this a book that I had a hell of a time putting down. Back this up with good action sequences alongside a brotherhood uniting to help return thier Master and all round its a book that I'll be rereading again.
Tuesday, 28 November 2017
FANTASY REVIEW: Jade City - Fonda Lee
Publisher: Orbit
SYNOPSIS:
Jade is the lifeblood of the city of Janloon - a stone that enhances a warrior's natural strength and speed. Jade is mined, traded, stolen and killed for, controlled by the ruthless No Peak and Mountain families.
When a modern drug emerges that allows anyone - even foreigners - to wield jade, simmering tension between the two families erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all in the families, from their grandest patriarch to even the lowliest motorcycle runner on the streets.
Jade City is an epic tale of blood, family, honour, and of those who live and die by ancient laws in a changing world.
REVIEW:
I love books that try to do something different and whilst this is technically a fantasy novel it fits delightfully into the Urban Fantasy genre. Its quirky, it has a wonderfully eastern flavour and to be honest whilst reading I tended to think of a Hong Kong as a background setting for this tale.
Magic delightfully blends with modern weaponry as the principle character fights to find a balance between their internal struggles and the outer expectations of his clan. The characters are delightfully rounded and when you throw into the mix criminal double dealing all round leaves you wanting more as this tale takes a break in a lull ready to kick back with a roundhouse in the next outing. Cracking.
Monday, 27 November 2017
CRIME THRILLER REVIEW: In the Dark - Andreas Pfluger
Publisher: Head of Zeus
SYNOPSIS:
She lost her sight, but she can still see the truth...
Jenny Aaron was once part of an elite police unit tracking Germany's most dangerous criminals. She was the best. Until it all went wrong. A disastrous mission saw her abandon a wounded colleague and then lose her sight forever.
Now, five years later, she has learnt to navigate a darkened world. But she's still haunted by her betrayal. Why did she run?
Then she receives a call from the unit. They need her back. A prison psychologist has been brutally murdered. And the killer will only speak to one person...
REVIEW:
The UK publisher of this title is one that is renowned for bringing foreign talent to the British reader and when they spend out for a translator they really do make sure that the book is polished to not only bring the full flavour of the tale to the fore but also so that the language nuances work well in the translated version so that the text flows without any minterpreted words that can ruin the whole flow of a paragraph.
Within the pages the reader is treated to a principle character that feels rounded, she has her flaws and whilst she's hard on herself, the strength and ability really show that she "see's" more than the average person. The book has great pace, solid dialogue and all round gives the crime reader a real treat wtih some magical twists. all round a great read and now an author thats firmly on my radar.
CRIME THRILLER REVIEW: Bone Fields 2: The Hanged Man - Simon Kernick
Publisher: Century
SYNOPSIS:
From the Sunday Times bestselling author, Simon Kernick, comes the thrilling second instalment in The Bone Field series. Featuring DI Ray Mason and PI Tina Boyd.
A house deep in the countryside where the remains of seven unidentified women have just been discovered.
A cop ready to risk everything in the hunt for their killers.
A man who has seen the murders and is now on the run in fear of his life.
So begins the race to track down this witness before the killers do.
For Ray Mason and PI Tina Boyd, the road ahead is a dangerous one, with bodies and betrayal at every turn…
REVIEW:
The Second book in Simon's Bone Field series and one that continues to build upon not only the success of the first but continues to develop the characters so that they become more real to the reader.
As with the original its well written, the overall arc a delight to spend time with and when you throw into the mix a great understanding of pace alongside dialogue that fits the characters as envisioned by me as a reader down to a tee. All round makes this tale a joy to devour. A great christmas gift.
Sunday, 26 November 2017
URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Into the Drowning Deep - Mira Grant
Publisher: Orbit
SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Mira Grant, author of the renowned Newsflesh series, returns with a novel that takes us to a new world of ancient mysteries and mythological dangers come to life.
The ocean is home to many myths,
But some are deadly...
Seven years ago the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a tragedy.
Now a new crew has been assembled. But this time they're not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life's work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.
Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves.
But the secrets of the deep come with a price.
REVIEW:
A book of the mysterious that seeks to uncover the events alongside reality of what heppened in the first tale in the series "Rolling in the Deep." Its well written and, as usual with Mira Grant's writing, a tale that glues you from the outset as she continues to help bring to the fore a real flavour of discovery as the story unfurls.
Its well written and whilst i love the pace, for me the real stars here are her characters that feel that they live and breathe in our own world and would be a person that you could easily pass on the street which for me elevates the book straight away as an author who can get you that involved with thier characters has already created a bond that will be hard to break no matter what happens with the further chapters.
Back this up with great prose as well as an overall arc that leaves the novel open to a future outings make this a book that is a real treat and a series I'll be returning to when the mood hits. Magic.
FANTASY REVIEW: Vlad Taltos 15: Vallista - Steven Brust
Publisher: Tor/Forge
SYNOPSIS:
Vlad Taltos is an Easterner - an underprivileged human in an Empire of tall, powerful, long-lived Dragaerans. He made a career for himself in House Jhereg, the Dragaeran clan in charge of the Empire's organized crime. But the day came when the Jhereg wanted Vlad dead, and he's been on the run ever since. He has plenty of friends among the Dragaeran highborn, including an undead wizard and a god or two. But as long as the Jhereg have a price on his head, Vlad's life is...messy. Meanwhile, for years, Vlad's path has been repeatedly crossed by Devera, a small Dragaeran girl of indeterminate powers who turns up at the oddest moments in his life. Now Devera has appeared again - to lead Vlad into a mysterious, seemingly empty manor overlooking the Great Sea. Inside this structure are corridors that double back on themselves, rooms that look out over other worlds, and - just maybe - answers to some of Vlad's long-asked questions about his world and his place in it. If only Devera can be persuaded to stop disappearing in the middle of his conversations with her... Full of swordplay, peril, and swashbuckling flair, Vallista is a treat for longtime fans of this popular fantasy series, a deep dive into the mysteries of Dragaera and all within it.
REVIEW:
OK, I'm going to be honest here, I had a hell of a time getting into this book. However before you turn off my review and refuse to buy the book, let me explain why. This is a book that is the 15th in the series and without having read the previous others, I've lost not only a lot of back story but the ability to see how the character has developed over those events in order to keep a bond formed with him.
Thats not to say that I didn't appreciate the writing style, the characters or the overall plot but it meant that I had quite a bit of trouble getting into the story. For me, it is well written, I liked the way that the author twists events and also manages to give you a story thats hard to put down but overall please start at book one. Something I wish I'd done and will do shortly in order to get the fuller picture.
Saturday, 18 November 2017
SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Ironclads - Adrian Tchaikovsky
Publisher: Solaris Books/Rebellion Publishing
SYNOPSIS:
Special limited edition science fiction hardcover novella by the Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author. Only 1000 copies. Scions have no limits. Scions do not die. And Scions do not disappear. Sergeant Ted Regan has a problem. A son of one of the great corporate families, a Scion, has gone missing at the front. He should have been protected by his Ironclad - the lethal battle suits that make the Scions masters of war - but something has gone catastrophically wrong. Now Regan and his men, ill equipped and demoralised, must go behind enemy lines, find the missing Scion, and uncover how his suit failed. Is there a new Ironclad-killer out there? And how are common soldiers lacking the protection afforded the rich supposed to survive the battlefield of tomorrow?
REVIEW:
I've loved spending time with Adrian since he burst onto the scene with Empire in Black and Gold (Book One of "Shadows of the Apt" series.) Since then I've loved each adventure that he's brought to my imagination, allowing me a whole range of creative literal films that are not only wonderfully unique but diverse into the bargain.
Here in this outing, Adrian treats the reader to a modern war where raising oceans have devastated the world and corporate companies profit from warfare where flesh and blood is cheap as well as plentiful, unless of course its one of their sons, in which case, like the knights of old, they're encased in the best robotic armour alongside ordinance that money can buy.
Here, a grunt unit is sent into the warzone to retrieve a lost son of the magnates only to have the situation go not only to hell but become way more complex as matters unfurl. It's addictive writing, the characters within were fun to be around and for me I just loved spending time in this new world.
I hope that more books will follow and as a reader I'd love to see a book with the "pack" as the key characters. Magic.
HISTORICAL CRIME REVIEW: Pale Horse Riding - Chris Petit
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
SYNOPSIS:
The war between Amika and Belleger has raged for generations. Its roots lie in the distant past, beyond memory. Sorcerers from both sides rain destruction down on the battlefield, wielding the six deadly Decimates of fire, earth, wind, water, lightning, and pestilence.
Prince Bifalt hopes that Belleger's new weapons technology, the rifle, will provide a decisive advantage. But when Belleger's sorcerers are mysteriously deprived of their magical abilities, leaving them unable to defend against Amika, he must set aside his own deep hatred of sorcery and work to solve this new enigma.
Grasping at any chance to save his beloved homeland, Prince Bifalt of Belleger sets out on a hazardous journey across the unmapped wastelands to the east. With Elgart, his last comrade, Bifalt pursues the long-hidden trail of the one object that might be able to turn the tide of the endless war - a book entitled The Seventh Decimate.
The events that unfold force Prince Bifalt to weigh his stubbornness, his patriotism, and his hatred for sorcerers against his sense of loyalty and of what he knows to be right. And as he learns, Amika and Belleger may simply be pawns within an even larger struggle...
REVIEW:
Historical Crime is a genre that I've been getting into quite a bit and whilst most of the time I spend it deep in the past, this time its more recent history, into the depths of living memories most horrific place, 1943's Auschvitz.
The book is well written, the characters rounded and to be honest whilst I deplore the time and politics, the book is well done. The prose is sharp, the dialogue acceptable and whilst I expect more derogatory comments within, it does feel appropriate to the time. Back this up with high octane danger around every corner and all round it was a heart in the mouth read as you're never sure which way things are going to go.
Friday, 17 November 2017
FANTASY REVIEW: The Great God's War 1: Seventh Decimate - Stephen Donaldson
Publisher: Gollancz
SYNOPSIS:
The war between Amika and Belleger has raged for generations. Its roots lie in the distant past, beyond memory. Sorcerers from both sides rain destruction down on the battlefield, wielding the six deadly Decimates of fire, earth, wind, water, lightning, and pestilence.
Prince Bifalt hopes that Belleger's new weapons technology, the rifle, will provide a decisive advantage. But when Belleger's sorcerers are mysteriously deprived of their magical abilities, leaving them unable to defend against Amika, he must set aside his own deep hatred of sorcery and work to solve this new enigma.
Grasping at any chance to save his beloved homeland, Prince Bifalt of Belleger sets out on a hazardous journey across the unmapped wastelands to the east. With Elgart, his last comrade, Bifalt pursues the long-hidden trail of the one object that might be able to turn the tide of the endless war - a book entitled The Seventh Decimate.
The events that unfold force Prince Bifalt to weigh his stubbornness, his patriotism, and his hatred for sorcerers against his sense of loyalty and of what he knows to be right. And as he learns, Amika and Belleger may simply be pawns within an even larger struggle...
REVIEW:
I love a cracking fantasy book and whilst I've discovered new authors, there's always something delightful about returning to authors that you've grown up with for that extra special pleasure. Here in this new outing from Stephen Donaldson, the reader is treated to a book that not only brings full rounded characters to the fore but also ones that are made more human by the fact that they have foibles as well as boons. They're flawed like the rest of us and whilst they try to do the best that they can, the way that story revolves demonstrates that choices have consequences and that everyone will have to live with them.
The book in addition to this has great pace, some wonderful twists and when added to a refined writing style that delivers on what made the previous books that he's written so great, all round gives you something not only cracking to settle down with but makes this the start of a series that you can't wait to get the next part to in order to see how things will develop and change. A magical outing and for me, a book that really deserves to be added to any fantasy fan's Christmas list.
SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Warhammer 40K: The Eye of Medusa - David Guymer
Publisher: Black Library
SYNOPSIS:
Ever since the dark days of the Great Heresy, the Iron Hands have a long and tortured history. Their years of suffering and war has left them hardened and believing in a brutal tenet: the flesh is weak. Heavily cybernetic, their flesh extensively altered, these warriors of the Imperium are more machine than man, cold in aspect as well as demeanour. Their methods of recruitment are harsh, their rituals arcane, their pride unshakable. So when a world under the protection of the Chapter falls foul of insurrection, the Iron Hands answer with fire and cold retribution. It matters not that Thennos is considered sovereign territory by the Adeptus Mechanicus - the Iron Hands' campaign is one of extermination. But there is something dark lurking within Thennos, a horror that defies the purity of cold logic and the machine, and threatens something more, something ruinous...
REVIEW:
A tale of the Iron Hands, which takes the reader into their chapter as they seek to exterminate sedition from within a world that the Adeptus Mechanicus consider theirs. Its wonderfully dark and rich as our heroes seek to purefy the world and discover what lays behind it.
Back this up with top notch action, cybernised principle characters alongside a plot with plenty of twists and turns and all round its a book that will not only entertain but also have the reader questioning how much of man must remain to be human. Cracking.
Thursday, 16 November 2017
FANTASY REVIEW: Path to Ascendancy 2: Deadhouse Landing - Ian C Esslemont
Publisher: Bantam Press
SYNOPSIS:
After the disappointments of Li Heng, Dancer and Kellanved wash up on a small insignificant island named Malaz. Immediately, of course, Kellanved plans to take it over. To do so they join forces with a small band of Napans who have fled a civil war on their own home island. The plan, however, soon goes awry as Kellanved develops a strange and dangerous fascination for a mysterious ancient structure found on the island.
The chaos in the region extends to the metaphysical planes also as a young priest of D'rek starts to question the rot at the heart of the worship of the god of decay. And back in Li Heng, Dassem, now the proclaimed Sword of Hood, finds himself being blamed for a plague which leads him to a crisis of faith - and searching for answers.
During all this, war with the neighbouring island of Nap threatens, recruited allies wonder at Kellanved’s sanity, and powerful entities take more of an interest in the little mage from Dal Hon. Dancer faces a hard choice: should he give up on his partnership? Especially when the fellow’s obsession with shadows and ancient artefacts brings the both of them alarmingly close to death and destruction.
After all, who in his right mind would actually wish to enter an Elder mystery known to everyone as the 'Deadhouse'?
REVIEW:
I love returning to the world of the Malazan and whilst its Steven Erikson that is mainly known for his Decad into the world, his co-creator, Ian also manages to bring the same complexities into his work that delivers pre-Book of the Fallen histories to life.
The characters are top notch, the world wonderfully diverse and complex and all round the reader is delivered a book that is not only richly complex but one of action as well as intrigue that should be used as a blueprint to writing fantasy.
Add to this a tale that really doesn't let up, delivers some wonderful twists and all round give the reader a story that will not only engross them but have them salavating for more. Cracking.
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