Category Archives: Fantasy

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

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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 MacCausantín 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!

Fantasy, Marketing, Sci-Fi, Speculative

Based Books Be Best! Buy Boatloads, Brah!

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I know, I know: “are the best.” Don’t undervalue my alliterative Ebonics, ese.

The Based Book Sale is back–this time in conjunction with Based Con. I’ve never been to Based Con. I can only guess that it’s like Comicon or Dragon Con (never been to those, either) only without the woketards.

Anyway, the Based Book Sale is where you can find hundreds of books by dozens of non-woke authors, discounted to 99 cents…or FREE. One of those free books will be American Stasi–you should definitely grab your own copy.

This might be the last time I include all my full-length novels in the sale, so get ’em for cheap while you can.

Those full-length novels include Paradox Book Six: Confronting Fate, which caps off my coming of age time travel conspiracy thriller wrapped around football and high adventure. The BBS will have an Amazon link, but it’s also available at the other online book stores, too.

Almost all the paperbacks in the series are published, too. I’m planning an E-Book boxed set, and possibly a hardback edition.

Action, Fantasy, Reviews

The Thief of Eyes by Robert Victor Mills

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Part 6 of a 6-Part Review Series by

“Rhoye grabbed the hideous thing by the scalp, pressing it to the tabletop, whereupon Astropho, grimacing as he did so, dug his fingertips into its eyesocket to pry out its eyeball.”

 

This installment marks the last tale in The Girl with the Fire in Her Hair by Robert Mills. It’s been a great ride and once again Mills, if anything, delighted us with a blend of exquisite prose and classic adventures all throughout the book.

 

PLOT: 

Rhoye and Astropho take it upon themselves to go visit the small town of Augwick, where most of the men have gone missing under strange circumstances. We will learn of how Haralfe, former apprentice of the Loyal Guild of Merchant Magi at the city of Galdurburgh, has become a powerful golenmaster with a corrupt soul and how our heroes, with the help of the local townsfolk, will have to defeat him in order to bring back normalcy to Augwick.

This story will not only exalt the courage and prowess of Rhoye and best friend, but also that of the local residents, ordinary folks placed in extraordinary circumstances.

 

PLAYING IT TOO SAFE?

This is a very fun and entertaining story, BUT I felt that coming from Mr. Mills, it played out too much on the safe side, feeling a bit too ‘formulaic’ at times in its plot development. I know what the author is capable of writing, so perhaps I’m holding him up to higher standards than the average fantasy writer, but this was a point that must be mentioned.

The most positive comment I can give is in regards to how we see all throughout the story an active involvement of ordinary people in extinguishing the evil of the land. Usually in these tropes the hero does all the work, in fact he often warns ordinary folk to get out of the way and stay home. But here there would be no good ending if it wasn’t for a joint effort from all parties involved. Even the small deeds performed by ordinary men and women CAN make a difference!

 

CONCLUSION:

As we wrap up this 6-part series the question instinctively rises: is The Girl with the Fire in Her Hair a better overall collection than Man of Swords?

My answer is NO. And this is not a knock on this latest collection or the author at all. But if we want to be objective, Man of Swords set the bar very high and by comparison, The Girl feels more average, and though remaining a fun read on its own, it is not the best we’ve seen.

The stories unfold within a safer ‘formulaic’ fantasy format more commonly seen in current fiction writing. What distinguishes it is certainly the exquisite prose, and the fact that Mills knows how to put together good action scenes.

Having said all that, I still must recommend this collection to all of you who still care about compelling characters and fantasy realms where it is still possible to escape for a few hours!

🦀

Fantasy, Historical, Reviews

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

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A review by 

I was at first on the fence about whether to upload this review or not. But hindsight I felt like this could serve as a lesson on:

  1. What to do
  2. What not to do 

…as a fiction writer. 

 

Let me first go on record stating that Christopher Buehlman is an objectively GOOD writer. He knows how to build a world with interesting characters and plot lines, at least judging by Between Two Fires, the only book of his I’ve ever read so far.

The issues I found in this book, however, are significant and my suspicion is that these are more a result of the worldview lens Buehlman applies to see the world through, and Christianity in particular.

 

PLOT:

The story catapults us into XIV plague-ridden France where the lives of three seemingly different characters converge under some very special circumstances:

  • Thomas: a former knight with a grudge
  • Delphine: a young orphan girl with strange supernatural gifts
  • Matthieu: a priest with personal secrets

When Thomas saves Delphine’s life, he doesn’t realize that he has also committed his sword to not only protect the young girl but to also aid her in a mysterious mission allegedly imparted by the angels of Heaven themselves. In their journey, Pierre Matthieu, a priest addicted to wine and with same-sex attraction tags along, having nothing else left in his hometown now devastated by the plague.

Their journey will create a strong bond. Working together just out of mere survival, these three main characters start to care for one another genuinely.

HISTORICAL TIME AND PLACE:

What I really appreciated about BTF is how the description of medieval France is well executed.  The towns, rivers, bridges, houses, palaces, all feel accurate. This comes to no surprise since the author majored in History with a minor in French, and it shows. For a guy from Florida, US, to write about period France in such an accurate manner, I couldn’t ask for more verisimilitude, honestly. Well done.

This is an excerpt from an Amazon review of this book.

NEGATIVE REMARKS:

  1. The author delights in the use of profanity, coarse language, crude jokes, and seems to have some weird obsession with anything related to feces and genitalia.

I understand that some of the characters might not be ‘saints’ (pun intended) but there are ways to communicate certain data to the readers without being so graphic to the point that it seems as though the author actually revels in this excessive graphic language. Reality is that it is NOT essential for plot or character building at all, and it just becomes annoying and ‘cheapens’ the overall quality of the book.

This is an excerpt from an Amazon review of this book.

2. The author, throughout the story, seems to be taking jabs, albeit subtle, at the Christian faith. Whether this is intentional or the result of general biblical ignorance on behalf of Buehlman, that’s debatable. But he manages to reduce the Christian faith to nothing more than a pagan set of beliefs adept for backward people without a thinking brain.

For example, when Delphine tries to get Thomas to swear less:

 

Delphine “Maybe God would be more generous if you swore less.” 

Thomas “God starves babies sometimes, and they don’t swear at all.”

 

Of course the author can say that this is simply part of the character, but similar examples are found over and over throughout the book. Maybe the author thinks those are clever arguments that would make readers realize how silly Christianity is? Only the author really knows.

But as a reviewer I can tell you that those continuous remarks and innuendos are not helping the book overall, especially when these jabs are always one sided (there are no similar examples aimed at-say- atheists or other religious groups in this story.)

This is an excerpt from an Amazon review of this book.

CONCLUSION:

Between Two Fires is an excellent story with rich characters and compelling plot lines. The accuracy of depiction of medieval France being devastated by the plague is superb. The prose flaws nicely and it is all very professionally put together.

Unfortunately within it there is too much of that Game of Thrones depraved, nihilistic vibe that taints an otherwise 5-star quality read. Bloated with profanity and unnecessary coarse language, constantly taking jabs at Christianity, singling out the Christian faith as another form of paganism for dimwitted country folk, this book is an amalgamation of peaks and valleys, going back and forth from excellent to cringeworthy. And that’s a shame.

🦀

Fantasy, Reviews, Western

And Hell Followed with Him by Mage Leader

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And Hell Followed With Him: The Circuit of Reverend Sheffield, Volume 1

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“So this is what it takes for you to finally draw your weapon,” he said. “Two dead men and a wife whose world has just been torn asunder. You wear the badge, Sheriff, but it bears no meaning.”

 

It seems ironic how the last couple of novels I reviewed both felt like I was watching a movie more than anything.

And Hell Followed With Him is one of those stories reminiscent of the classic ‘spaghetti westerns’ some of us in the older crowd grew up with. This book checks all the boxes: gunslingers with happy trigger finger, a small town in the clutches of terrible bandits, a good guy and a villain who are as opposite as they are also very alike in nature, a cowardly city mayor, a woman who is as beautiful as is brave in the face of adversities… You get the picture.

 

PLOT:

Civil war vet-turned-preacher Reverend Sheffield finds himself in the role of protector of a small town when he heads to preach the gospel at Pearson’s Hope, and he must use more than Bible verses to get rid of the gangsters who are oppressing the defenseless townsfolk. Of course he doesn’t like to resort to violence but he will, hoping that God will understand and forgive him. Little does he know that the city mayor himself is in cahoots with the leader of the bandits, who turns out to be another war vet who fought side by side with Sheffield himself.

 

TOO SAFE AN APPROACH?

This story can be entertaining and I certainly admire the fact that the author doesn’t mock Christianity or try to make the reader second guess the values and principles upheld in the Bible. Sheffield has made a vow to preach the gospel and I admire that.

Where I think the author fails however is in adopting an overly safe approach to the western genre. So safe indeed, that at times it becomes even too predictable, in my opinion. 

From the opening scene, to the villain, to the secondary characters, it all comes off as an overly choreographed effort.

SO DIFFERENT YET SO ALIKE:

The relationship between good guy and villain follows a very traditional pattern whereas they are both similar in nature: both served in the war, both have natural born killer instincts, both are made to be leaders. However, the way the war affected their outlook on life is where they differ. Though both came out of the war bitter and disgruntled, one turned to the Gospel of Christ while the other decided to use his skills to take whatever he pleases and, in a way, make himself his own god.

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

There are plenty of ‘moments’ that make this book worth reading. The suspense preceding the coordinated attack of the enemy upon the town, the moment Sheffield lets go of all his fears and doubts and just hands it over to the Lord, willing to die with a smile for what is right, even though they are grossly outnumbered… I was on the edge in a few scenes, I must admit!

 

CONCLUSION:

Though Hell Followed Him at times plays it too safe, it offers a revival of all those elements that make for a solid Western drama. Another good story I’d rather read than watch any of the recent summer flicks Hollywood keeps regurgitating to audiences everywhere!

🦀 

Action, Fantasy, Reviews

Hero’s Metal: How Black the Sky

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by TJ Marquis

Reviewed by

“Taking life is hard. Neither of us had ever killed so much all at once, and I could only imagine how he was feeling.”

 

To summarize this first book of the Hero’s Metal series with one word, I’d have to use the word FUN. And this book is first and foremost just that: a fun ride with cool fantasy/action and just enough comedy thrown into the mix! 

The author credits his inspiration to progressive heavy metal, dungeonsynth music, nature itself, very good people, and Jesus. The result is a very distinct narrative with its own unique undertones.

 

CHARACTERS:

Our MC is Pierce, a young man whose battle skills are only surpassed by his sheer (and at times reckless) courage. Pierce joins the most legendary group of justice-seeking warriors, the Gorgonbane, composed of Axebourne and wife Scythia, Agrathor, and supra-gen Ess (she’s kinda like a mage, we could say). Later on the group will be joined by  Forgemaster 77 (aka Sev) who betrays his lord and main villain of the Underworld to join Pierce and his friends.

 

THE WORLD:

This world we are catapulted into is divided into Overland and Underland, with the latter ruled by Overlord Kash. Kash is amassing an army to take over Overland for reasons we will find out by the end of the book.

Underland is populated by big scary creatures like the Gen and the Monstrosity. In addition you also have supra-Gen and supra-Monstrosity with even greater lethal powers.

BATTLE SCENES:

The siege of the city of Grondell was very well executed particularly in the aftermath of this epic clash between the Gorganbane and city militia against the hordes of Underland. The taste of defeat, the dismay that follows, the disappointment of failing at defending the city, at being the heroes they ought to be, all transpire through the words of Marquis very effectively.

 

A TWIST:

What I really enjoyed mostly about Book 1 is how the author lures the reader into a specific path and outcome but then with a big reveal he unmasks some truths that one might not expect. This element of surprise is what really made this story worthwhile, particularly since without that, some characters might have seemed weak or incoherent at best.

 

CONCLUSIONS:

How black the Sky is a solid beginning to introducing readers to this fantasy world which can be at times suspenseful but at other times funny enough as to not take itself too seriously either.

Based on the unexpected plot twist I have mentioned above, my curiosity ignited, I will have to pick up book 2 and see where this might be leading next!

 🦀

Fantasy, Reviews

Spiral of My Destiny by Michael Schultheis

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THE SPIRAL OF MY DESTINY: Book 2 of the Rosteval Saga

By Michael R. Schultheiss

Reviewed by

As always, if you haven’t read our review of Book 1 and, furthermore, picked up a copy of the book, I strongly encourage you to do so! This is not your average epic fantasy series!

Book 1 introduced us to a mythical world where warriors live in the pursuit of fighting and conquering. The weak will be weeded out from the strong. Glory is reserved for those who dare stand up in defiance of adversities. 

But power comes with a responsibility to be fair and just as well, for power without honor means nothing.

PLOT:

And so once again we join Kastorak Rosteval and his slave-girl-turned-wife, Ghaitta, as they expand their new kingdom and authority throughout the lands of the South. 

Aided by the Bright Zayastura, divine beings led by Bright Apshendarin, Rosteval’s reputation grows throughout every corner of every land. Speaking of the Bright Zayastura, these are immortals. When they get killed bodily, they simply turn into a Core, which looks like a sphere of marble until they are given back human form. They are almost ‘angelic beings’ for all intents and purposes. I hope we will get more in-depth lore about them soon!

A NEW THREAT:

But a new threat is rising in the form of a Rishvanti by the name of Soltapyral. The Rishvanti are mortal beings who achieved immortality. In book 1 we met Rishvanti Haldua, whom Rosteval eventually defeated. But now our hero must ask for Haldua’s aid in order to best this new foe.

Soltapyral counts with his own Bright Zayastura and you can imagine a clash for the ages will be inevitable!

WEAPONS:

What I find intriguing about this world is that every warrior relies on two types of weapons: physical weapons (spears, swords, bow/arrows, shields) and supernatural weapons called rishva-shades or ‘emanations’.

When a battle takes place, both armies must use both types of weapons intelligently and effectively. This creates a visual feast for the mind, as epic scenes of both mortals and immortals clash in explosions of lights and roaring sounds.

CLOSING REMARKS:

Book 2 is the result of passion, dedication, but above all respect for our ancestors and mythos. Michael is a good friend, husband, and father and last but not least, a great writer who is dedicating himself to creating NEW LEGENDS!

Pick up a copy of the Rosteval Saga today and give us your feedback!