Category Archives: Fantasy

Adventure, Fantasy, Reviews

Relentless Blades by Russell Carroll

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Relentless Blades – Volume 1 of The Prophecies of Zarune by Russell Carroll (and a word from the author)

A review by INFAMOUS🦀

 

If there was one thing author R. Carroll wanted to accomplish with Relentless Blades that would be to present a story that even though might not be everyone’s ‘favorite cup of tea’, that it would at least come across as an undeniably well-written, professional, and competent work of fantasy literature. 

Russell wrote Relentless Blades because of his love of ‘everything fantasy’ and Dungeons & Dragons in particular. It’s no exaggeration to say that the book was twenty-years in the making and a ‘love letter to his teenage-self’. In Russell’s own words:

 

“Remember, you’re never too old to pursue your dream!”

 

As for an author who inspired Russell? R. A. Salvatore and his Legends of Drizzt series is at the top of his list, and it clearly shows all throughout this first and exciting debut publication.

IN A NUTSHELL/CHARACTERS: 

What is this book really about? And why should we be excited to read it?

 Russell shares that:

“I determined to tell a fairly linear, character-driven story, that hints at a bigger picture and world, but without focusing on trying to explore the intricacies of multiple kingdoms.

As a debut author I was aware not to bite off too much.”

This is in fact part of the charm of RB. It’s easy to follow and because it is so well written we can quickly start to identify various relatable characters who don’t come across as dull or forgettable in the least. For example Grimlock, a skron halfbreed (skrons are kinda like blue-skinned orcs with orange hair), immediately becomes one of our favorite characters because although he is this apparently selfish hunter-for-hire, mountain of a humanoid, he has a conscience, and deep inside he values life and is resentful when a life is lost on his watch.

We have brothers Mathias and Val Braunstone, who on the surface couldn’t be any more different, the former being an esteemed Valadian Knight-Lieutenant while the latter choosing to put his abilities at the service of local crime lord Henshawe.

These are not your typical one-dimensional characters and the reader will feel easily drawn to the story thanks mostly to them.

 

PLOT:

When some ancient artifacts are found while mining near the Fractured Crags, a dispute for possessions of such items ensues between the Valedians, who claim such artifacts belong to them as they were found within their territory, and the Vragoths, who claim that the artifacts found are clearly of Vragothian origins.

We will quickly learn that the Mazzinoth’s Eggs are more than meets the eye, and they can become potentially a most devastating weapon in the wrong hands. If the Vragoths acquire the recently discovered scepter, they will unlock the way to awaken the dragons within the eggs.

A seemingly unorthodox group of heroes led by Grim and Vig are the only chance to stop the unleashing of dragons by the Vragoths. Find the enchanted scepter and stop the ritual before it’s too late. This is their mission.

A FRESH OUTLOOK:

Beyond the very well-written action scenes and suspenseful fights, where this book really stands out is in tackling noble virtues like altruism, courage, and kindness but in ways that feel very organic within the story and not forced into the narrative.

When Vig, who has dealt with dyslexia all his life, finds the compassion and the support of Everleign all he can say is:

“My whole life, I’ve felt ashamed of my problem, but you didn’t make me feel bad about it.”

To which Everleigh replies:

“Why would I do that? Acknowledging your limitations and seeking help to overcome them shows bravery. I’d never mock someone for that.”

And THAT is where this story really shines and becomes more than just another forgettable fantasy/action trope. In showing strength but also vulnerability in his characters, Russell manages to hit a home run with this debut publication.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

I always felt that fantasy literature had gotten more nihilistic in the last decade. The YA books are literally polluting the market and the ‘Game of Thrones’ types of books are a bit too much for my taste with their grey areas of morality.

Relentless Blades reminds me of the Dragonlance books and Salvatore’s D&D books we used to read decades ago. This is a story ‘with soul’: friendship, courage, honesty and perseverance in the face of adversities is what makes this relevant and it leaves an impression on the readers. 

Russell communicates with vivid images that life is precious and fighting for others is a just and righteous cause.

The prose is snappy and concise without giving in to the insufferable modern-day euphemisms that pollute our everyday social media. A smart choice that always pays off in the long run. 

It is exciting to see how this new fantasy realm will further unfold and I sure look forward to it! 

🦀

Fantasy, Reviews, Speculative

The Fall of Selvandrea by T. J. McKay

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The Fall of Selvandrea – Volume 1 of the Draemeir Chronicle by T. J. McKay

A review by INFAMOUS🦀

 

I’ve been acquainted with McKay’s writing for a couple of years now ever since I read his first official edition of Book 1 of the Draemeir Chronicle, Rise of Dresca, and I always thought there was something special and quite unique about his style and the type of fantasy he was exploring. The Fall of Selvandrea represents the culmination of everything previously seen in Books 1 and 2 (Seas of the Zovah) in what I can only describe as a spectacular edition.

 

GENRE:

Although this is clearly a fantasy novel, it’s very difficult to pinpoint exactly WHAT type of fantasy category it falls into. McKay likes to call it ‘flintlock fantasy’ although there are some elements of science-fiction involved we will discuss later on in this review. The only other fictional works that might fall in this same category are A Sea of Broken Glass and to a lesser degree Gunmetal Gods. Some other smaller titles like in The Sendyne Flintlock Fantasy Chronicles by Seth Hobbsand could also fit the bill.

I personally feel like TFOS occupies its own niche, and it represents some of the most original and exquisite fantasy writing of late.

PLOT:

Discussing the plot here can be difficult for one main reason: the author has chosen a narrating style with very little exposition, throwing readers right into the midst of the action. We see WHAT characters do, we see HOW they do it, but very little is unfolded as to WHY they do it. We’re fed little crumbs here and there but no ‘info dump’ at any rate. 

Other reviewers have expressed that this style of delivery can stir up confusion; however I can respect this as being the author’s artistic choice and cannot view it as a negative remark in itself.

We will learn of a technologically advanced world plagued by the draemeir strains (sort of a supernatural plague) which is pure evil and chaos, using humans as hosts. Our protagonist Valdaris Drascar-whom we may call in this review Future Vald-creates a new draemeir strain that he can control unlike the other strains of pure chaos and destruction. In order to save his world from the draemeir, Future Vald sends his consciousness (preserved inside the ruby attached to his sword) into the past via a vortex he is able to generate.

Here is where Past Vald takes up the sword with the ruby, and now we have Future Vald’s consciousness and Past Vald’s consciousness merging as one being (thus a dual personality of sorts).

It is also of relevance to mention that as Future Vald opens the vortex to the past, a group of ‘strangers’ led by Alessa Sinclaes also travels to the past through the same vortex, finding themselves in a world on the brink of war between the kingdoms of the Selvar and the Naemredd. This is also where the sci-fi elements come into play, since these time travelers carry very sophisticated gadgets and weapons (Ambrovian technology).

DARK, DREAMLIKE, FANTASY:

The narrative feels very dark and mysterious, but also beautiful and dreamlike. On several instances it was difficult for me to understand where dream and reality separated. As the author puts it:

 

“It’s not meant to be an easy read (though I try to keep the writing style line-by-line easy/simple).”

 

What I noticed most is that this style doesn’t really look or feel like anything else that is currently out there, and this is saying a lot considering the oversaturated market of fantasy books. It can be disorienting at times, with its multiple POVs and thin exposition, but in a sense that is part of the lure.

If we ask McKay what or who might have influenced his story, he will tell us this:

 

“The Judas Strain by James Rollins and the Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton both influenced the sci-fi elements… plus the movie Transcendence with Johnny Depp. On the fantasy side, Wheel of Time and The Pendragon Cycle (Stephen R. Lawhead). To a much lesser extent, The Count of Monte Cristo had some influence too, and Les Miserables. And I’d also give some credit to Revan from Star Wars (Knights of the Old Republic).”

CONCLUSION:

It is important to point out that McKay is not your average indie writer. He has mastered his writing skills and it transpires all throughout TFOS. He is a writers’ writer folks!  Am I saying that McKay is as original as he is an objectively talented writer? That’d be a big YES.

Sure this is a challenging read with obscure characters, intricate plots, little exposition, and multiple POVs, leaving me with more questions by the end of the book than I had at the beginning, but not everything must be spoon fed in order to be a fantastic experience.

And The Fall of Selvandrea is a fantastic and unique experience indeed!

🦀

Fantasy, Reviews

Dawn of Chaos by Tony Andarian

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DAWN OF CHAOS: Sanctum of the Archmage 

by Tony Andarian 

(and a word from the author)

A review by INFAMOUS🦀

 

~“What is this place?” she breathed in wonder.

Lenard chuckled, but his eyes didn’t waver from what he was doing at the mysterious table.

“Welcome to the Sanctum of the Archmage, my dear,” he said simply.~

 

Dawn of Chaos is the culmination of a long and passionate project by indie author Tony Andarian. This latest edition was the result of several revisions and changes Andarian felt were needed as a result of growing and developing as a writer:

 

“I took the book down at the end of ’18 with the intent to release the rewrite in ’19, but escalating craziness at work forced me to put it off until after I retired at the end of ’21.”

 

And it follows:

 

“I revised the version of Dawn of Chaos that I’d published in 2017 for re-release in 2021 and 2022. But the changes were primarily cosmetic, and had mostly to do with improving my writing style. Story-wise, it was identical except for very minor changes, and the addition of a few scenes.”

 

This is an approach I admire and strongly suggest to all writers out there, but particularly to those writers with limited experience or just now contemplating publishing for the first time. Producing a novel that is professional, competitive, and worth buying is no easy task, and it takes more than just ‘a good story’ to make it all work. So pace yourself, make adjustments when needed, and DO NOT rush the process.

CONTENT:

Dawn of Chaos is a collection of three books:

  • Book 1 – Prologue to Chaos
  • Book 2 – Hell Gate
  • Book 3 – Aftermath

 

The original concept was created for a D&D game, which Andarian eventually felt needed to be transferred into novel format. If this book immediately comes across as very thorough and professional now you know why. This is not something that just spurted overnight and it took many years to refine and perfect.

 

PLOT:

The action takes place in the mythical kingdom of Kalara, with the capital being the great city of Carlissa, center of a prosperous civilization. The royal family consisting of the king (man), queen (elf), two sons, and a daughter reigns with fairness and honor and people enjoy a time of peace and prosperity… Until a hellgate opens up one day over the center of the city through which an army of demon monsters steps through to kill and conquer all. 

In fact, as we learn:

 

“Many thousands of years ago, a great war between the Gods and the Demons came to the world. The Demons had opened a door from the realms of Hell itself, and their armies threatened to overrun the earth.”

 

Now, thanks to a ‘rogue wizard’ named Zomoran, the demon hordes have found a way through that gate again, and the kingdom is  certainly not prepared for this massive and surprising attack after enjoying a long era of peace.

 

CHARACTERS:

The story is rich in characters which are divided into groups, each one going through their own perils and challenges but all ultimately serving the same cause: delivering a particular magic ring to the Archmage Lenard which will give the kingdom a hope of victory.

 

PACE:

There’s never a dull moment or wasted page in this book. The action is relentless but also well written; the sense of immediate danger, ever present at every corner. But what I found worth mentioning-and what makes this a legit 5-star book-is that amidst all the action the author never misses an opportunity to keep readers in the loop when it comes to the lore of this world and the reason behind everything that takes place. The attention to details, whether that be the city’s layout, the geography of the region, or the social structure of this civilization, is all impeccable and works perfectly well with the breath-taking action scenes.

 

MORAL/PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS:

The seemingly straightforward storyline holds compelling moral questions which some readers might miss while being caught up in all the action and epic battles. The author mentions one of his major influences as being Ayn Rand:

 

“I first read Ayn Rand decades ago, and have been heavily influenced by her ideas for most of my adult life. The way they show up in the Sanctum Saga has a lot to do with how they’ve influenced my thoughts about the nature of civilization, what makes it possible, and what causes it to collapse. 

The major influence of Rand’s ideas on Dawn of Chaos shows up in the recurrent theme of independence vs. obedience to authority. Zomoran’s ideology, as revealed in the first chapter, is that he believes in elite rule over freedom and individual choice. Independence and the right to individual choice were among Rand’s cardinal virtues, and that’s represented in the battle against Professor Zomoran and his demons.”

 

CONCLUSIONS:

The author informs readers this saga is not over yet with this book, and announces that Wrath of the Peregrine King will be in fact the next installment where this epic D&D story will continue. 

This is how you create a well laid out epic adventure with relatable characters and interesting villains. I can’t praise this book enough or recommend it enough if you like the genre. The stellar editing makes this exactly what we need in the indie sphere right now. When an author aims for excellence and nails it, we as readers can’t ask for more, and Dawn of Chaos is an excellent book indeed!

🦀

Fantasy, Historical, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

Ghost King by David Gemmell

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON:

GHOST KING by David Gemmell

A review by INFAMOUS🦀

 

David Gemmell might not be one of the most popular sword and sorcery writers perhaps, but his work truly has been a gift to those of us who admire captivating characters, well thought-out plot lines, and the ‘magic’ of fairy stories of old,  combining  history and fantasy uniquely.

Ghost King in many aspects could be loosely compared to the legend of King Arthur, but only on the surface. Once we take a deep dive into the core of it we realize that this is an original and exquisite tale that should be shared and praised throughout the ages.

PLOT:

The kingdom of the Romano-Britons finds itself without a king when Brigante King Eldared murders King Aurelius in a hunting ambush. However, Prince Thuro, son of Aurelius, manages to escape and with the aid of very powerful and unexpected allies regroups to regain his father’s kingdom and take back the throne.

As you can see, the general plot line is pretty straightforward but where Gemmell excels is in making this story unique by presenting characters that are not flat or one-dimensional and sub-plots that we might not expect, yet  ‘make sense’.

 

TEEN CHARACTERS: 

Prince Thuro and Laitha are first introduced as teenagers. Commonly teen characters, as written in modern times, come off as insufferable due to either being portrayed as exceedingly talented and self-confident for their age or as nitwits with low self-esteem. Not here!

For example, when Thuro is asked who he really is, his answer is:

 

“I am a young man, barely of age, who needs wise counsel from trusted friends”

 

How could we not get to side with a character like Thuro? He is ignorant/innocent, inexperienced, and he knows it. While he does not quit on his task to regain the throne from the usurper he realizes he can’t do it alone and he is conscious of his age and limitations.

 

SECONDARY CHARACTERS: 

Other characters that we will find intriguing and well defined throughout the story are:

  • The three retainers Victorious, Gwalchmai, and Caradoc, who manage to survive the ambush on their king and ride back to their homeland to regroup and raise an army.
  • The Enchanter Maedhlyn, who allegedly inspired the building of Troy and took Alexander “to the brink of domination”. A ‘Merlin’ character who seems to have had influence over several historical figures according to the lore of Ghost King:
  • Demigod Culain, who turns out to be Thuro’s grandfather and makes the critical decision to give up his immortality out of sheer love
  • King Eldared who engages the Soul Stealers, terrible wraiths of doom with invincibility and great speed to usurp the throne
  • Prasamaccus the crippled brigante who saves Victorinus from the threat of the Atrols (giant creatures sent by Eldared)
  • Goroien the Witch, who constantly requires the sacrifice of pregnant women in order to maintain her eternal youth

 

And of course we gotta have a legendary sword… The Sword of Cunobelin, lost when the king was murdered. Thuro must rescue it in order to reclaim the throne.

PROSE:

Gemmell is very clear with the prosaic style he decided to adopt in the foreword:

 

“The language used is relatively modern, and undoubtedly there will be some students who find it jarring to read of arrows being ‘fired’, when of course the expression evolved only after the introduction of matchlock muskets.”

 

This is the best move any author can make when choosing a style of language for a similar epic fantasy tale. When unsure, write in the most neutral style you can manage. Don’t try to be Shakespeare and don’t try to use modern XXI slang either. When you use a neutral language you let the reader’s imagination take the driver’s seat, and that’s a good thing.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

If you don’t know David Gemmell, grab a copy of Ghost King and be delighted with high quality epic fantasy that is compelling, imaginative, but also well thought-out and professionally presented. The blend of history with fantasy is exactly what I personally appreciate more than anything, and that’s why we will cover book 2 soon:

The Last Sword of Power

Don’t miss it!

🦀

Fantasy, Reviews

Contracts & Chaos by Joseph L. Wiess

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Contracts & Chaos – Tales from Crann Na Beatha by Joseph L. Wiess

Reviewed by

Contracts & Chaos is probably one of the most bizarre indie sword and sorcery(?) novels I’ve read as of late. This is labeled as Volume 2 of the Tales from Crann Na Beatha but as per the author it represents a totally independent narrative from Volume 1 and can be read on its own.

Why, you then may ask, do I feel like this story contains some bizarre elements? 

Well, the word ‘chaos’ in the title fits well in this instance! First and foremost, women in this world are generally portrayed with a weird touch of harem/Gorean submission narrative. Whether that was intentional of the author or not, we will discuss it in this review and in the comments that you will hopefully drop us.

PLOT:

The story kicks off with a damsel in distress-Heather-literally dropping at the feet of a man she doesn’t even know, begging him to make her his woman (or bond, as per this lore). The man in question is Balgair, a knight-turned-mercenary. Balgair already has two women/bonds waiting for him back at home but he decides that three is better than two so he accepts Heather’s offer. From that point on, Heather’s behavior is about constantly obsessing with pleasing Balgair. And if you think this is an isolated feature of Heather, let me introduce you to Lucy, another girl who is infatuated with Brandyn, the tavern owner, and her obsession with wanting to please this man is no less disturbing than Heather’s!

After rescuing Heather from the evil mage Brigid, the pace seems to slow down a big deal, with Balgair taking Heather to a shop to buy her new clothes and Heather being attacked by the store clerk. 

Aside from the slow pace, dialogue is very wooden and sometimes things just don’t add up. For example, when Heather gets verbally and physically attacked by Katrine the clerk, we read:

 

“The clerk drew her hand back again and sent Heather to the floor with a well-placed slap to the other cheek.”

 

But when Balgair hears the commotion and walks into the shop to rescue Heather, her reply is:

 

“I was looking for a new dress and had found one when I was hit from behind, and that woman was screaming at me.”

 

So was Heather attacked from behind or slapped on the face??

 

Before leaving the store, the goddess Ananke appears to Heather and reveals that she has great potential to become the perfect boireannach, which means a perfect submissive (I kid you not!).

CHARACTERS:

Other secondary (and totally forgettable) characters are Farank and his bond Arien the sorcerer. What’s interesting is that the entire time these two are trying to rescue Balgair and Heather, all Arien seems to do is drool over Balgair:

 

“If you are as strong as your Aura suggests, it’s no wonder your bond fell for you. The voice teased. I’m already bonded, yet I am straining not to run from my master to you. You must be quite a man.”

 

Again, dialogue to me seems quite odd and out of place.

 

Some of the punchlines also completely miss the mark, like when Balgair faces the powerful warrior Yarsmith, and Yarsmith introduces himself:

 

“I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Indigo Yarsmith, and you killed my father.” When Balgair raised his left brow in confusion, Yarsmith laughed. “No, not really, but it sounded good.”

 

But the odd moments don’t end there. While Heather is held captive by evil mage Brigid, she seems frightened, fearing for her life, and doubting that Balgair will make it on time to rescue her. However when he does finally rescue her, all she can say is:

 

“It’s about time you got here. I was so bored”

 

Again, inconsistencies and oddities are aplenty throughout this novel.

 

SEXUALLY EXPLICIT:

Another aspect that I totally did not appreciate is the sexually explicit scene with Balgair and Heather. This is basically X rated, smutty writing at this point and I’m surprised the author didn’t even bother adding a disclaimer or warning sign on Amazon so that those of us who don’t want to read such filth can avoid buying this trash altogether.

 

OTHER ODDITIES:

Another weird and quite annoying technique the author utilizes is showcasing the thoughts in the characters’ minds by separating the text using italic. This is something that could work when it’s isolated to one specific character, but in this book EVERYBODY has their thoughts on display. It could be a minor character who only has a brief appearance in the story and they will have their thoughts on display in italic text. So all of a sudden you have all these sentences in italic from pretty much almost every single character and it  just gets too chaotic.

 

The author also often forgets to open/close quotes which is also another painful feature of this book and suggesting poor editing work as well.

 

CONCLUSIONS: 

I found no redeemable qualities in this novel and the real question is:

Who was this novel written for? I cannot possibly imagine any normal reader feeling excited to read this type of content.

Contracts & Chaos is probably one of the most painful novels I’ve read as of late: poor editing/proof-reading, weak prose, wooden dialogue, and why is it that ALL characters sound like absolute nincompoops? Particularly the exchanges between Balgair and Heather sound like two 12-year-old children speaking. 

The only thing Contracts & Chaos achieved was making me feel slightly dumber by the time I reached the last page!

🦀

Fantasy, Reviews

Tears of an Indifferent God by Isom Ashe

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Agoric Myths Book One by Isom Ashe

Reviewed by

Welcome to Tears of an Indifferent God, a not-so-Greek mythological world where heroes are not what they seem and where pretty much every man and woman is bisexual! This book is comparable to a visit to the dentist: it hurts, it sucks, and we can’t wait to be done and over with!

But let’s take it all one breath at a time…

It’s not clear why the author decided to take all the most popular elements of Greek mythology and simply give them all different names. I understand taking inspiration from ancient mythology but to simply take well defined legends and just assign them new names seems lazy at best. So instead of Mount Olympus we now have Mount Arimus; instead of Aphrodite Goddess of Love we have Terha Goddess of Ecstasy, Zeus is now replaced by Gracix…You get the idea.

Hindsight, I speculate to believe that these lazy alterations were made intentionally by the author as to get away with the horrendous liberties he decided to take in order to ‘modernize’ some of the most ancient and most beloved legends.

 

CREATIVE LIBERTIES?

Despite the fact that we’re supposed to witness a mythological civilization, with fantastic characters and ethereal gods, it all feels very XXI century. The dialogue, the thinking process of the characters, even that weird Disney/MCU superhero vibe, at times!

You have Gordon, the legendary hero and the people’s champ, who is part of the Helios League of Heroes. You have Solacles, our MC, who keeps blaming Gordon for the death of his parents when he was still a child. You have Agda, Sola’s girlfriend (or not, since she sleeps with everything with a pulse?) who just wants to party and have fun, since the prospect of marriage is viewed as a daunting burden. You have capricious gods with hearing impairments like Terha, who can’t hear what a mortal is saying if other mortals are talking over him (not kidding!) and who feels the urge to expose herself whenever she witnesses mortals engage in debauchery!

 

PLOT: 

The plot stems from a series of the most illogical decisions made by these characters. It seems as if anything goes as long as it helps move the plot a certain direction. Nothing feels organic: Sola, our MC, gets promoted to commander in chief for simply stabbing a minotaur in the back and with zero military experience. Gordon, the greatest warrior of all times, who has a resume of slaying giants and demigods, ends up falling to a few stab wounds inflicted  by bird men wearing feather suits! All these weird decisions just so that the plot can move where the author wants it to move, no matter how nonsensical it all feels.

NO REDEEMING QUALITIES: 

What all these characters share is that none seems to possess any redeeming qualities. As we read about their ‘adventures’ it’s hard to feel emotionally invested in any of them. Sola, the MC, is described as someone who, when feeling down, ”often hid himself in the arms of a man or woman and drank away his sorrows”. 

Agda, Sola’s female supporting character, will sleep with anybody and everybody without a blink of an eye, yet she stands by Sola’s side ‘faithfully’…

Gordon, the warrior/hero is the typical dumb jock who can only think with his muscles and lives to slay monsters and bed women (and men).

 

CONCLUSION: 

To me this book felt as though the author was indulging himself in creating a fictional world that represents perhaps his ideal utopia. Homosexuality, heavy drinking, gods who act more like children than even human adults. A world where friendship without sex does not exist, where monogamy is scoffed at, where family is whatever we want it to be…or nothing at all.

This is exactly what is wrong with modern fantasy literature in our times. These authors not only fail to catch the nature of mythology but their use of these legendary icons comes across as shallow and  superficial, with the only purpose to twist them in ways as to confirm and reinforce their modern progressive perceptions.

🦀

Fantasy, Reviews, TRENDS DIE OUT; LEGENDS LIVE ON

The King of Elfland’s Daughter – a Review

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TRENDS DIE OUT/LEGENDS LIVE ON:

The King of Elfland’s Daughter by Lord Dunsany

Reviewed by

Where most modern sword and sorcery tales come to a conclusion, 1925’s The King of Elfland’s Daughter is just rounding up its prologue. Let me explain…

In most traditional stories that find a knight in pursuit of a fair princess in a distant and dangerous magic land, things usually wrap up after the knight goes through a series of trials and tribulations (like breathtaking sword fights with terrible creatures)  rescues  the princess, and manages to escape so that they will get married and go on to live happily thereafter. But in KOED--written by legendary author Lord Dunsany–that constitutes just the initial set up for the main plot of the story!

 

PLOT:

When the parliament of the Kingdom of Erl decides that it’s time for the kingdom to add magic to the land in order to gain more power and respect among the other nations, Prince Alveric is assigned to the task of infiltrating Elfland, kidnapping Princess Lirazel, bringing her back to Erl, and starting a new magic-powered dynasty.

With the aid of witch Ziroonderel, who forges a magic sword for Alveric, mission is accomplished: the princess is brought back to the world of mortals and a new royal dynasty thus begins.

The love of Alveric and Lirazel will bring to life a son, Orion. 

THE FIELDS WE KNOW/ELFLAND:

The author defines a clear-cut divide between the world of mortal men (aka the fields we know) and the world of the elves (Elfland). The atmosphere is different, the flow of time is different, even the objects of worship differ between the two realms.

Soon Princess Lirazel grows weary and heavy-hearted in the world of mortals despite her love for Alveric and son Orion. She feels overwhelmed by this mortal realm and by the concept of Time itself even. Alveric even realizes that:

 

“And the days that remained to her now seemed scarce more to him, dwelling beyond the fret and ruin of Time, than to us might seem a briar rose’s hours when plucked and foolishly hawked in the streets of a city. He knew that there hung over her now the doom of all mortal things.”

 

 Lirazel panics and flees back to Elfland, and by the power of her father the King of Elfland, the entire elvish kingdom disappears from sight, becoming inaccessible to both human or beast from the fields we know.

Alveric in a hopeless quest will spend long years on the road searching for Elfland and his wife, but to no avail. 

All the while son Orion grows into a healthy boy who loves hunting with his pack of well-trained hounds, though no signs of magic are apparent within him, to the disappointment of the citizens of Erl… Until he makes contact with troll Lurulu, who roams on the edge of the two kingdoms and is spotted first by Orion’s hounds. This sends a clear message to the people of Erl that perhaps they do have a magic-imbued heir at court.

NEXT LEVEL FANTASY:

To be quite honest, many are the fantasy titles available today but few are those rich in the main ingredient: FANTASY! 

What I mean is that most contemporary fantasy novels utterly fail in portraying places and characters that truly feel foreign to our world. What Lord Dunsany accomplished in KOED is bringing about something that feels more like an ancient legend or myth not written by mortal hand. 

This is truly ‘next level’ fantasy. Whereas it is Lirazel not understanding the way of humans or Lurulu the troll trying to grasp the meaning of ‘tomorrow’ or the act of ‘sleeping’ (coming from a land where time has no meaning and sleep is a foreign concept), Lord Dunsany uses a compelling prosaic style that will make you wonder in awe again and again: it’s beautiful but foreign; inviting yet mysterious.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

We hear the term ESCAPISM a lot these days in the fantasy genre, but truly we won’t know its full meaning until we read The King of Elfland’s Daughter! To read this is to ‘leave’ Earth and to visit lands that exist between reality and dream. 

Keep in mind that Lord Dunsany published this before Tolkien even wrote Lord of the Rings, and in some aspects I believe he laid the foundation for the fantastic and the ethereal literature of the future. Whereas this is accomplished through the introduction of the elves, the trolls, the unicorns that roam Elfland, the magic sword yielded by Alveric…

LEGENDS start right here! And they start with The King of Elfland’s Daughter!

🦀

Fantasy, Historical, Interview

Interview with the Brothers Krynn

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Interviewed by

🦀: Both of you gentlemen are like writing machines, with a very extensive body of work. So why did you choose Crown of Blood as your first published title?

 

Joseph & Daniel: It seemed a short project and one we both liked, so we just did it. 

🦀: The book revolves around the bloody history of the crown of Caledonia (now Scotland). Why did you decide to focus on that particular region to develop your story on?

 

Joseph: Because we’re part Scottish and since I first began studying Scottish Medieval history & folklore I developed a strong sense of kinship with the Scots, and could not resist developing something of a mythology for them. 

🦀: Even though Crown of Blood is structured into short stories, they’re all part of a larger tale. Did you feel like this wouldn’t have worked as well if it were to be presented as just one long story divided into chapters instead?

 

Joseph & Daniel: No, it would not have worked half as well, due to us having to stick to one overall narrative/set of characters rather than dancing between all the characters that we follow the perspective of in the story. That, and it would have been even more confusing in our view. 

🦀: As a reader progresses into the book, more characters and more names are being introduced, and sometimes many characters have the same names as their predecessors. Did you not consider that at some point things could get a little confusing for readers in general?

 

Joseph: Yeah, and it’s why for the sequel and next edition we’re planning to add a family tree and a map. 

🦀: I was particularly fascinated by the ‘three crones’ that keep appearing here and there throughout the book. Who are they really and what are their origins?

 

Daniel: The three crones are from Shakespeare, they are the three hags that corrupt Macbeth in the play, except we’ve set them up in our world. As to their origin, not sure we’ve fully developed all the ideas for their backstory, but we’re currently working on it. 

 

🦀: Today there seems to be confusion about what the image of the classic knight should look like. If you had to condense the elements that cannot be altered from the model of the classic knight, how would you do that?

 

Joseph: Honourable, intelligent and bold, and utterly devout. I’d say Aragorn, Roland and also the likes of Conan the Cimmerian are all good examples of classic knights. 

🦀: With modern feminism, we have seen a rise in both literature and entertainment to create female heroines, soldiers, and knights. These women are basically doing what men do in every aspect. Do you think that is how we ought to portray ‘strong women’?

 

Joseph: Nope. We ought to portray women as feminine. We can portray women as fierce warriors but must never forget to write flawed and human women, who struggle just as men do but who have a certain femininity about them. Honestly feminism has ruined female heroes. 

🦀: Speaking of strong women, it is no secret that my all time favorite strong woman is Joan of Arc. But she never even killed one man in battle (though got wounded herself on the battlefield twice) and she is not known for her skills in combat or sword fighting. Yet her strength humbles me and inspires me daily. Why is someone like Joan not praised today (not even by women!) despite the fact that our society is constantly looking for superheroines for inspiration?

 

 

Joseph: Because for one thing Jehanne was a pious woman who looked to God, and society has lost touch with God. What is more is that Jehanne was a gentle woman who loved her nation, and to love one’s nation is also out of style in our modern times. Jehanne thus represents everything that is antithetical to modernity and liberalism; a pious, kindly, feminine and nationalistic woman who sacrificed for others. 

🦀:  When can we expect your next official publication to come out and what is it going to be about?

 

Daniel & Joseph: Not sure…Joe’s hoping to have Darkspire Conspiracy published some time next year. And we’re thinking around January or February to have Crown of Blood Part 2 finished and hopefully published. After that? We’re also hoping to publish around December the first book of Olympnomachi, a massive Silmarillion epic Joe’s been working on for years. 

 

🦀: Thank you Joseph and Daniel, I’m very proud of you and what you are doing is perhaps even more noble than you can see right now. Your writing tells me that NEW LEGENDS are being made!

🦀

Fantasy, Historical, Reviews

Crown of Blood by D.L. & J.C. Chaput

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CROWN OF BLOOD by by Daniel Leo Chaput & Joseph Claude Chaput

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Crown of Blood was the result of the combined minds of brothers Daniel and Joseph Chaput, also known as the Brothers Krynn on Substack. Bros Krynn are perhaps the most prolific and inspiring authors on Substack, just now passing the 1000-sub mark, and deservingly so! Their body of work is as extended as it is inspiring. From their essays to their short stories to their news articles, these two are constantly researching and writing!

Their first published book is a collection of short stories which are all linked by a common thread: the bloody and violent history of the crown of Caledonia (now Scotland). Each short story is written by either Daniel, or Joseph, or both, in a relentless chronological fashion, and each story is accompanied by short poems, also written by the authors.

 

CONTENTS:

 

    • In the Valley of the Dark River: where we learn of the fall of king of the Caleds, Mael-Martin after an impetuous and disastrous military strategic decision.
    • The Final Supper: King Domnall, frustrated at ruling a kingdom in dissent, shows weakness that his family sought to take advantage of, and ultimately ends up being assassinated.
    • The Man who thought himself King: Ringear, brother of the late King Domnall, now High King and monarch of the Eastern region, deals with the phantoms of his deceased relatives, including his own son.
    • Brother against Brother: King Achaius kidnaps Princess Isla, not knowing that a Northman temporarily serving as head of his guards will get in the way.
    • In the Shadow of the Longwoods: Duibh, son of Ringear, now king, has a strange meeting with the three mysterious crones who prophesy his fate.
    • Death in Hallowed Halls: Newly appointed King Domnall son of Ringean is counseled into gaining the support of the clergy to keep in power.
    • The Fall of the Two Kings: Padraig, with the aid of Mormaer Adaidh, infiltrates King Ketill disguised as a monk in order to claim revenge on his brothers.
    • The Blackcrow-Fields: Achaius III son of Ketill-with the aid of Uncle Siomon-orchestrates an attack on newly established high king Padraig, to avenge his father.
    • To Defy a Dragon: Achaius III is set upon attacking Razenth in the North despite the counseling of Cinaed to abstain from taking the offensive.
    • The Black Mormaer: newly appointed high king Baltair, brother of foolish Achaius III, decides to heavily tax his kingdom in order to raise an army, only to be taken prisoner and ultimately die in captivity.
    • A Dagger in the Night: prince and soon to be king Amlaib falls in love with bard Jehanne despite court gossip surrounding the event.
    • The Mid-Autumn Hunt: Amlaib II succeeds his murdered father to the dismay of Cinaid II who was sure he’d be the one to gain the crown.
    • The Triumph of the Thistle: Siomon MacCausantĂ­n returns to claim the crown from murderer-turned-king Cinaed II.

 

BACK TO TRUE MYTHOS:

What sets this book apart from most of what I’ve read lately is its unique blend of the historical with the mythological. And so as we read all about the fascinating history of Medieval Scotland, we will witness the introduction of mythological characters such as the dark elves, the dwarves, and even dragons. But this is done in a way that has not been done before. Today we see an oversaturated market for the  fantasy fiction genre, but very few classic ‘fairy stories’. By fairy stories I’m referring to stories more resembling those of Roland The Knight, King Arthur, or Sigurd, to name a few. 

PLOT:

The stories you will read all revolve around a seemingly cursed crown of Caledonia. You will read of the three mysterious crones (witches?) who prophesied the death in blood for each subsequent monarch to hold the crown and how the curse will affect not only the high king but those around him, in some very unpredictable ways, and from one generation to the next.

 

HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT:

Initially these stories were supposed to be part of the appendix of a novel Joseph Chaput was working on when his brother Dan became so fascinated with the characters that it transformed into its own project (similar to what has been done with some of Tolkien’s material).

A WORD OF CAUTION:

I must point out that due to the very nature of the work in dealing with genealogy and each story presenting descendants after descendants, readers must be cautious not to get thrown off by all the names and locations they will encounter. Particularly when many of the characters are named after their predecessors, it can be hard to keep track of who is who, jumping from one story to the next. I found myself having to go back and forth to make sure I could identify each next character accurately. Those of you who are into history and the study of genealogies should be fine or even appreciate it.

 

LEGENDS IN THE MAKING:

On a personal note, I must say that the Bros. Krynn and I truly speak the same language (not French, even though that’s their first language!). I mean the language of TRUE LEGENDS! 

We live in a world where progressive modernism is trying to grab those legends, myths, and fairy tales of old, and twist them to suit their deranged fancies. Bros. Krynn are a bastion of truth, honor and respect for what came before us, and they are able to capture the essence of myth and legend within an accurate, undefiled, historical setting.

BUY THIS/SPREAD THE WORD:

This book is not getting the attention it truly deserves on the market right now and I encourage you to pick up a copy and leave a review. At the time I picked up mine there was only ONE review on Amazon! Help us change that!

There is NO OTHER author/s out there who is doing what the Bros. Krynn are doing, in terms of writing true mythos in its purest form. 

Though Crown is their first official publication, Bros Krynn plan on releasing part two early next year and a full-length novel called Brotherhood of the Gemstone, a “Scottish Lord of the Rings of sorts” (Joseph Chaput).

New LEGENDS are in fact being made!

🦀

Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Reviews, Sci-Fi

Velin: The Rifle’s Song by Black Knight

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Velin – The Lothorian: The Rifle’s Song by Black Knight

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When I first picked up and started reading The Rifle’s Song, which consists of Book 1 of Velin The Lothorian, I couldn’t help but get Star Wars vibes with a ‘Conan the Barbarian” type of main character. This is probably due to the blend of sci-fi and classic fantasy/action that we get to read starting on page 1 and all throughout this book. The author  unsurprisingly credits R. E. Howard’s Conan The Barbarian for his inspiration of this character.

But the comparison to Howard’s classic hero ends right there at the surface.

 

CONAN/VELIN:

The son of farmers in a distant world, Velin grew up learning hard work and how to farm land from his father. After his mother’s death due to illness, at the age of 8 a gang of slavers attacks his village, killing his father in the process and taking young Velin as a slave for hard labor.

And just like Conan, the following years of hard labor and harsh conditions will forge him and prepare him to become the unique warrior he’s destined to become.

After years of captivity Velin earns his freedom by sheer will, acute killer instincts, and physical prowess. When he is taken up by a group of Terran samurais called the ‘Terr’aan Knightly Order’- dedicating their lives to fighting slavery and injustices across the universe-Velin masters the fine arts of combat, thus becoming the perfect killing machine to fight evil and protect the weak.

 

NOBLE INTENTIONS/WEAK EXECUTION: 

Let me emphasize the indisputable fact that the author known as Black Knight is truly an outstanding human being with a noble heart. He understands the concepts of good and evil, of chivalry, of the pure and selfless hero. However where I feel he falls short is in putting it all together, for different reason:

  1. Character Development: all the characters we encounter in this story feel like they need more fleshing out. We know the basic facts about them but they are all very one-dimensional and they function only on one gear.

For example:

“He sought to draw strength not from his bleeding, scorched body, but the hallowed Terr’aan railgun instead.”

I thought it was awkward to have the main character draw strength not from his mother or father, or even his mentors, but from an object, his railgun (??)

2. Prose: I know English is the author’s third language but when we decide to put our book on the market for a price, we should ensure that the editing/proof reading is up to standards. The writer has this tendency to always put the subject last in a sentence which creates awkward structure overall.

          Example:

“Gargling, the dying, terrified beyond measure road bandit, raised his hand.”

 Also there are some word choices that the author overuses like olden instead of ancient, or nigh instead of near, or ‘twas instead of was. 

I understand that indie authors for the most part work a day job and professional editing costs money, but if we feel readers should PAY to read our books, competent editing and presentation are essential.

CONCLUSIONS: 

This is a book very well suited for younger readers who enjoy comic books and are perhaps only now finding out about the beauty of long-format fiction. Children of 10 years and older would absolutely love it. This would make a great gift to those youngsters that we want to introduce to classic pulp. 

I know Black Knight has a big following online who seem to genuinely love his work, so don’t let this review dissuade you from at least sampling his pulp novel.

🦀

Editor’s note: Make sure to stop by the Based Book Sale and find yourself some great reads!