Hermit in the Woods: Weifarer's Wanderings

Gateway to the fantasy world of my books as well as a place to share the trials and triumphs of being an Indie Author. I feature reviews of other Indie books that I'm reading and things that inspire me.

Beautiful epic fantasy but with a slow pace

Wysard (The Ryel Saga, Part One) - Carolyn Kephart

This book is Part 1 of the Ryel Saga. The word that caught my attention when reading reviews prior to purchase was 'lyrical.' It was directed specifically toward Ms. Kephart’s descriptions and the feelings they could evoke. I was excited to get started.

What I didn’t expect was that lyrical would mean not only the use of beautiful words, but also complicated phrasing utilizing words not found in the common epic fantasy. You have to pay attention when you read this novel, otherwise the narrative could be considered cumbersome. I quickly decided this was a book suited for long days on the beach when the language could wrap around you like the sea sliding along your calves . . . or afternoons next to the woodstove, bundled into a favorite chair. Neither of which are where I could spend time reading at the moment, but I pressed on. I couldn’t let Bruce down!

The story centers on Ryel and I’ll give Ms. Kephart credit: he is not a farm boy. He is from a nomadic clan living on the Steppes. It follows the realization of his gift of magic, his training in the remote city of Markel, one of four cities devoted to the study of magic. There are many little twists to make this tale unique, such as that magic usually comes to one late in life and not young like Ryel. From his training in Markel, Ryel, now in his 20′s,  is lured out of his sheltered home to first save a loved one and then onward to protect others tormented by his enemy (because all good stories need a good enemy!).

The language, though beautiful, sets the pace for the novel and it is slow. The time in Markel is especially slow as no direct action takes place. Actually for a lot of the novel, Ryel seems bound to move unwillingly from one place to another whereupon you are thrust into a maze of flashbacks wrought in lovely detail. I found myself sighing on more than one occasion wishing I wasn’t in a flashback but actually going through the backstory that was being described.

I’ll mention one other “lovely detail” that eventually set my teeth on edge: 99% of the people in the novel are drop dead gorgeous, no matter the age. So many people are fit, trim, beautiful (often in culturally distinct ways too, which was a nice touch) that man . . . I want to live there (assuming I get the same nice treatment in description!).

There are moments of drama and action though, usually brought about by Ryel making a poor choice. He gets himself into big enough problems that his ENEMY needs to save him because the time to destroy him is quite not right. It is an interesting plot twist (though it happens more than once) and perhaps is to convey that Ryel is the underdog in the fight, more than a little unmatched to his enemy. But at the same time, Ryel is considered one of the greatest wysards in his world. It is a little disconcerting to have Ryel be a Lord Adept but also constantly behind in regards to information compared to his peers and ability to get himself out of just about any problem.

And that becomes the crux to me. Ryel completely is outmatched or does something so stupid that you want to take him by his shoulders and shake him until his teeth rattle (happily, a few characters do slap him around). You see, I want to shake Ryel – not Ms. Kephart. I got totally involved in Ryel’s story and life, feeling the affection he develops to some characters, his innocent startelement when something goes wrong, his anger and hope. I want to see him succeed and worry about the odds he is facing.

Few novels are going to win over a reader from start to finish without some moment of “why the heck?!” Knowing this was Book 1 to a series, the real telling moment is if after reaching the end I want to read Book 2. And the answer is yes. Maybe Ryel will finally find some common sense!

Source: http://fantasycollective.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/book-review-wysard-by-caroyln-kephart

Epic Fantasy for the adult reader

Blood of the King - Bruce Blake

This is an adult epic fantasy that grabs you from the first page and holds your interest beyond the ending (thank goodness there is a sequel!). Mr. Blake creates a world that while holding to traditional fantasy elements (swords, castles, dark forests, and magic) is unique in its problems and the predicaments of the main characters.

 

I won’t say there weren’t times I didn’t want to shake the lead character, Khirro, and tell him to open his eyes and get a backbone, but he does grow as the story progresses. I have great hopes for the second book! The story has its love and sad moments. Characters are lost along the way that you don’t want to see go, which is one reason I’d call this an adult epic fantasy rather than YA. I would also have loved to see a map, but Mr. Blake does a great job painting the visuals to the world. I was never lost, merely curious to know more about the layout of the world.

 

This is really just a beautifully crafted epic fantasy. Fans of the genre will be very happy - especially that it is a trilogy!

 

(note: I learned the most recent update does include a mapI Yeah!)

Source: http://www.nomapnomad.com/ww/book-review-blood-of-the-king-by-bruce-blake

Engrossing dark epic fantasy novel

Storm Dancer (Dark Epic Fantasy) - Rayne Hall

Book CoverI actually first saw this book in a stack at my mother-in-laws. I loved the cover and read the back blurb, finding myself intrigued. The story line lingered in my mind long enough that when I ran into Ms. Hall on Twitter, finding Storm Dancer tantalizing me once again, I knew I’d read it. 

 

What drew me to this novel was the setting: a fantasy story set in the desert. Plus, I was intrigued by the main character of Dahoud being both the hero and the villain, a man plagued by inner evil that he seeks to control. As a writer, I had to see how Ms. Hall pulled that off. She does it brilliantly.

 

The setting of a harsh desert country beset by drought, during a time equivalent to our bronze age, is rich and well written. Neighboring counties are a threat, even when it is assistance they send rather than war. Merida is such a beneficial ambassador, sent to help a land considered primitive by her refined homeland. The plotting of a corrupt government quickly entangles Merida far from home and without aid. She has only her wits and ability to call rain to keep her somewhat safe. 

 

There are many great characters in the novel and each are unique in their failings and strengths. The interweaving stories along with what would seem to be inconsequential details thread together to impact the ending - a feature I admire in a story and author. The twists in the plot left me surprised. I never really knew where the story would go next, which was lovely. 

 

As others have written, the novel is graphic with both torture and rape. Oddly though, I agree with others in that I think one of the few failings in the novel is that it could have been darker yet. The one time that Dahoud’s djinn wins its battle of lust and conquest, the scene is quickly glossed over. Most of the time, Dahoud wins over his demon with only hints of the time in his life where it had ruled. I would have loved a larger moment or at least a longer after effect of guilt when Dahoud succumbs to his inner evil. 

 

I would have also loved some insight to Merida’s thoughts at the end of the novel, especially when she makes the final choice she does in the story. The ending to me was very believable as she changes during the course of the story, but I would have liked to hear that final epiphany from her.

 

Lastly, I would have loved a map to visualize the world, though directions and landmarks were consistent enough that I felt familiar with the landscape and cities. But a map to look at while reading would have enhanced my experience.

 

I will read this novel again in the future. I am a very fast reader, so the story length was great for me (it took more than a day, yeah!). However, it pulled me in so tightly, I raced through it finding it hard to put down. I want to go back without that need to see what the next page or chapter holds and really enjoy the setting and story! 

 

Blood of the King (Khirro's Journey Book 1)

Blood of the King - Bruce Blake This is an adult epic fantasy that grabs you from the first page and holds your interest beyond the ending (thank goodness there is a sequel!). Mr. Blake creates a world that while holding to traditional fantasy elements (swords, castles, dark forests, and magic) is unique in its problems and the predicaments of the main characters. I won’t say there weren’t times I didn’t want to shake the lead character, Khirro, and tell him to open his eyes and get a backbone, but he does grow as the story progresses. I have great hopes for the second book! The story has its love and sad moments. Characters are lost along the way that you don’t want to see go, which is one reason I’d call this an adult epic fantasy rather than YA. I would also have loved to see a map, but Mr. Blake does a great job painting the visuals to the world. I was never lost, merely curious to know more about the layout of the world. This is really just a beautifully crafted epic fantasy. Fans of the genre will be very happy - especially that it is a trilogy!

Book Review: Threads of Betrayal by Monica Miller

Threads of Betrayal - Monica Koldyke Miller

From what I read of the description for this novel and its reviews, I was excited to start reading it. What was there not to be hopeful about? An historic romance set in the early days of the Civil War complete with a dashing and successful businessman, a beautiful and wealthy debutant, her parents that dislike the young man, and the promise of a myriad of problems inhibiting to their romance. It sounded like Pride and Prejudice meets Gone with the Wind. I was prepared to be riveted.But I wasn’t. I never deeply connected with any of the characters, not the dashing young man nor the femme fatale. They were the cause of their problems, and not in that oh-so-cruel twist-of-fate way, but more in the “you can’t be serious, no one would do that” mien. The romance wasn’t really there unless you count lust. Some of the stereotypical dialect left me uncomfortable. I was also taken back by some of the expenses/prices tossed about from a hush money payment to the price of a slave woman and child ($1200 where I found with some research that $200 to $500 was average). The book is fairly well edited with only minor errors of dropped quotations and an odd capitol ‘M’ that showed up in the middle of words throughout the novel (making me think I was missing a cypher hidden in the novel). The first few chapters are written in third person limited POV, but this quickly changes to an omniscient third person POV for the rest of the novel, sometimes containing the thoughts of two characters in one paragraph. An early switch from someone pondering the potential for civil war to a different character spreading a blanket under a tree for a picnic jarred me. I never really found my flow in the novel after that. I’m an author as well. I know what a task and amazing feat it is to write a novel. Maybe other people will (and have from the reviews) connect with this story better. For me, it reminds me of some of my early writing: things which I wish had stayed in the slow cooker a little longer until the depth and flavor developed more.

Source: http://www.nomapnomad.com/ww/book-review-threads-of-betrayal-by-monica-miller

Song At Dawn

Song at Dawn - Jean Gill

Let me say up front that this is a good story. It did take me a few chapters to really get into it (apparently I’m not as into historic fantasy as I thought and often found myself skimming through paragraphs on alliances and lineages), but once I did I was swept along with the characters and the story.

I love the setting of Narbonne. The inclusion of a variety of cultures, all persecuted at the time, was fantastic. Ms. Gill interwove respect within the story, even detailing how the Moors were far more advanced in sciences at this time period. I adored Lady Sancha, as well as Estela and Dragonetz, of course!

What kept this novel from really shining is the only reason it is one star short of five. I found the frequent switching of POV within chapters tedious. Though the switch was clear and it was easy enough to see whose head the reader found themselves, the frequent breaks detracted from the flow. There are a few occasions where the POV moves to a character part of the story but had never been in the forefront - and sometimes never is again. This need to jump to numerous characters and then drop them to relay a tiny bit of information could be cleaned up with some work and would really snap the novel together.

And I will say that though I enjoyed the novel, the ending didn’t leave me satisfied. Without giving anything away, the lead up to it was well done and it seemed to be the only option available, but . . . when I sat and thought about it a few aspects of it didn’t make sense. I’d love to sit down for a tete-a-tete with Ms. Gill and ask a ton of questions! And not just about the ending. A few characters aren’t so neatly wrapped up and loose ends are left without the feeling that a sequel was going to solve them, at least to me.

The story is lovely and shows great potential. I think we’ll see some great novels from Ms. Gill in the future. If you are a fan of historical fiction/romance, do give this one a try. There are parts I really loved - enough that it made me want to see a bit more from the story.

Source: http://www.nomapnomad.com/ww/book-review-song-at-dawn-by-jean-gill

Wysard

Wysard - Carolyn Kephart This book is very well written and visually beautiful. Though there are dark sides to the world, the beauty always shines through. For this reason, I actually found it a little cloying at times, but I did become very involved with Ryel's journey and plan to read the next book. You can see my review at The Guild of Dreams website at http://fantasycollective.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/book-review-wysard-by-caroyln-kephart/