Signor Finzione Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 I'll have to look this one up ! Apparently it gives a bit of backstory about Durzo Blint (one of the main characters from the NA trilogy). I imagine you could probably read it as a standalone, so maybe reading that first will give you an idea of whether you'd like the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Apparently it gives a bit of backstory about Durzo Blint (one of the main characters from the NA trilogy). I imagine you could probably read it as a standalone, so maybe reading that first will give you an idea of whether you'd like the others. x Sounds good ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) Review: 'The King's Blood' by Daniel Abraham War casts a shadow over the land dragons once ruled. Only the courage of a young woman with the mind of a gambler and loyalty to no one stands between hope and universal darkness. An age of madness and death approaches, with only a few doomed heroes to stand in its way. The high and powerful will fall, the despised and broken shall rise up and everything will be remade. And a jaded mercenary and renegade priest begin a terrible journey with an impossible goal: destroy a goddess before she eats the world. The King’s Blood is the second book in Abraham’s Dagger and Coin series, and it follows on nicely from the events of The Dragon’s Path. Our favourite characters – Marcus Wester, Cithrin, Dawson, Clara, Geder – return to carry on the story, which takes a somewhat darker turn here than in the first book. I have to say, I’m really enjoying what I’ve read of this series so far. I’ll start by saying that the blurb is a little misleading: the ‘young woman’ it mentions (Cithrin the banker) is still an important character in The King’s Blood, but, aside from in one particular instance, she isn’t a hugely pivotal part of the story. Instead, the central plot follows a city’s gradual descent into civil war, which we see from two main PoVs, each on a different side of the conflict. These two characters (who will remain unnamed for spoiler purposes) are really well-written: in The Dragon’s Path they were both likeable for different reasons, whereas now we’re presented with a different side to them. Both have their reasons for doing what they do, but it’s difficult to decide which is right and which is wrong. A much darker tone is layered over the story by the ambiguity of the characters and the fallout from their decisions, and I think it sets up the rest of the series brilliantly. One of my favourite POV characters is Clara Kalliam, who receives a lot more page time here than in the first book. Clara is the middle-aged wife of Dawson Kalliam and mother to four children, and her main purpose is maintaining the house and participating in social events with other wives of the rich and powerful. This doesn’t sound like the makings of an interesting character, but in reality it’s a breath of fresh air from the morally ambiguous mercenaries and barbarians and thieves and soldiers that populate (and dominate) so much of modern fantasy. She has a unique perspective on events; she’s a very brave and sympathetic character, and the way she deals with her trials and tribulations while still remaining gracious is lovely to read about. She’s the only character I can say I’m 100% rooting for, especially as she appears to have put a bit of steel in her spine by the end of this book: I’m particularly looking forward to seeing what she does next. The other main plotline, of course, is that of Marcus (the ‘jaded mercenary) and Kit (the ‘renegade priest’), who have just embarked on a quest to find a magic sword and kill an evil goddess. Agreed, this sounds like the clichéd plot of an old role-playing game: but somehow, we don’t mind, probably because we want to see these two cool characters paired up on a wild adventure. The fact that Abraham acknowledges the cliché with a few dry remarks from Marcus just makes us wonder how he’s going to mess around with our expectations, and personally I can’t wait to see if/how he does it. My rating: 4/5 Edited January 12, 2014 by Signor Finzione Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Woohoo for more fantasy! I'm glad you enjoyed this book. I didn't read all of your review because of the spoilers. As always though I think your review was well constructed . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 Thanks Gaia! Yes, I'm officially a fantasy addict. I think I'm getting better at not posting spoilers (at least those that aren't mentioned already in the book's blurb), but it's difficult when it's the second one in a series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 Updated reading plan: Daniel Abraham – The Dragon’s Path Daniel Abraham - The King's Blood James Barclay – Cry of the Newborn James Barclay – Dawnthief Peter V Brett – The Desert Spear Peter V Brett – The Daylight War Terry Brooks – First King of Shannara Miles Cameron – The Red Knight Bernard Cornwell – The Winter King Stephen Deas – The Adamantine Palace Stephen Donaldson – Lord Foul’s Bane David Eddings – Pawn of Prophecy Jennifer Fallon – Lion of Senet Richard Ford - Herald of the Storm Teresa Frohock - Miserere Guy Gavriel Kay – The Lions of Al-Rassan David Gemmell – Sword in the Storm John Gwynne - Valour Douglas Hulick – Among Thieves Ian Irvine – A Shadow on the Glass Paul Kearney – Hawkwood and the Kings Mark Lawrence – Prince of Fools Anne Lyle – The Merchant of Dreams Anne Lyle - The Prince of Lies Elizabeth Moon – The Deed of Paksenarrion Mark Charan Newton – Drakenfeld Terry Pratchett – Guards! Guards! Terry Pratchett; Neil Gaiman – Good Omens Anthony Ryan – Blood Song Brandon Sanderson – The Final Empire Michael J Sullivan – Theft of Swords Adrian Tchaikovsky – Empire in Black and Gold Brent Weeks – The Broken Eye Chris Wooding – Retribution Falls I don't think that's bad progress to say we're only two weeks into the new year! Although I now have a job and am back to working full-time, so I imagine my reading progress will be on a steady downward slide from now on . . . I also think I'm going to cave fairly soon and buy the next in Daniel Abraham's Dagger and Coin series - which will be yet another victory for the TBR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I'm not a massive fantasy reader but just want to jump in and say The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell is a fantastic book! Helps to be a fan of all things Arthurian, but it really is wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 I'm not a massive fantasy reader but just want to jump in and say The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell is a fantastic book! Helps to be a fan of all things Arthurian, but it really is wonderful. I'm quite interested in the Arthurian legend, but the main reason TWK found its way on my TBR is because of glowing reviews by Steve and Tim (and now you!). I really must get to reading it sooner rather than later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I hope you enjoy it! It really is wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I don't think that's bad progress to say we're only two weeks into the new year! Although I now have a job and am back to working full-time, so I imagine my reading progress will be on a steady downward slide from now on . . .x That's great progress! Good luck with the job . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 A great TBR pile there, TWK is a must of course What job is it you do? if you don't mind me asking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 x That's great progress! Good luck with the job . Thanks very much! What job is it you do? if you don't mind me asking? 'course I don't mind. It's just an office job, handling personal injury claims for a big insurance company (Allianz). Sounds boring, but there's loads to learn and some of the cases are really interesting! My last teaching job was just so stressful I decided to move onto something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 (edited) 'course I don't mind. It's just an office job, handling personal injury claims for a big insurance company (Allianz). Sounds boring, but there's loads to learn and some of the cases are really interesting! My last teaching job was just so stressful I decided to move onto something else. I love the Allianz insurance ad lol. The one where they all say Ahhhh after messing something up. Edited January 14, 2014 by Devi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Had an accident? Stubbed your toe? Stung by a wasp? or just couldn't make the toilet in time? You deserve money! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Cynic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 (edited) Cynic I just find their adverts hilarious. I'm not mocking your job at all Laura, I would say sorry... but sometimes sorry isn't enough... Edited January 14, 2014 by Timstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 You all make me laugh. I hadn't even heard of Allianz until my brother-in-law got me the interview. I was then informed (rather disapprovingly) that they were one of the biggest insurers in the world, and that they insured the James Bond and Harry Potter films, and satellites in space, etc., etc., . . . TBH I'm just glad to finally be back on somebody's payroll, and to have a job I can leave behind at the end of every day. I love the Allianz insurance ad lol. The one where they all say Ahhhh after messing something up. It's awful, isn't it? Had an accident? Stubbed your toe? Stung by a wasp? or just couldn't make the toilet in time? You deserve money! That's solicitors, silly! Insurers hate them almost as much as you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 That's solicitors, silly! Insurers hate them almost as much as you do. d'oh, although insurers are a close second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 d'oh, although insurers are a close second. They can do what they like as long as they pay my wages! Your sarky comment ('stung by a wasp?' etc) did make me laugh though. The sols really are money-grabbing barstools! Did you know that they put claims in for people who haven't even contacted them? With motor claims, you find that certain garages sell people's details to the solicitors, who then don't even let the person know until it's all been put through. They're just desperate for a cut of the claim money. Bloodsuckers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 They can do what they like as long as they pay my wages! Your sarky comment ('stung by a wasp?' etc) did make me laugh though. The sols really are money-grabbing barstools! Did you know that they put claims in for people who haven't even contacted them? With motor claims, you find that certain garages sell people's details to the solicitors, who then don't even let the person know until it's all been put through. They're just desperate for a cut of the claim money. Bloodsuckers! That's ridiculous! but it doesn't surprise me. I hate the idea of a compensation culture, where there is always someone to blame for every accident even though the definition of an accident is that it is no ones fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 I was saying the exact same thing at work today! It's why we have to call it 'collision' rather than 'accident', because 'accident' implies there's no one to blame. Even though in reality they're almost ALWAYS accidental - no one would crash their car on purpose, after all. Although, with the amounts they can get paid for such minor 'collisions', I can see why someone might be tempted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 18, 2014 Author Share Posted January 18, 2014 (edited) Review: 'Miserere' by Teresa Frohock Exiled exorcist Lucian Negru deserted his lover in Hell in exchange for saving his sister Catarina’s soul, but Catarina doesn’t want salvation. She wants Lucian to help her fulfil her dark covenant with the Fallen by using his power to open the Hell Gates. Catarina intends to lead the Fallen’s hordes out of Hell and into the parallel dimension of Woerld, Heaven’s front-line of defense between Earth and Hell. When Lucian refuses to help his sister, she imprisons and cripples him, but Lucian learns that Rachael, the lover he betrayed and abandoned in Hell, is dying from a demonic possession. Determined to rescue Rachael from the demon he unleashed on her soul, Lucian flees his sister, but Catarina’s wrath isn’t so easy to escape. In the end, she will force him once more to choose between losing Rachael or opening the Hell Gates so the Fallen’s hordes may overrun Earth, their last obstacle before reaching Heaven’s Gates. As someone whose reading generally consists only of ‘traditional’ fantasy, I have to say that, for me, Miserere is a strange one. The premise is interesting: instead of just having Heaven, Hell and Earth, there is also a fictional dimension called Woerld, which acts as a sort of barrier between Hell and Earth. In Woerld, all of Earth’s established religions work together in harmony to prevent the rise of the Fallen, and Templar-esque holy warriors known as Katharoi help in the ongoing fight against evil. Woerld exists outside of space and time: Miserere is set on Woerld in the year 5873, yet a portal opens up and Lindsay, a girl from our present day America, is dragged through into Woerld. In Miserere, this is how many of the Katharoi are brought into being: worthy individuals, always children, are chosen to make the one-way trip to world to become Katharoi, leaving their own lives behind forever. It’s revealed that Lindsay is to be the ‘Foundling’ (basically the Padawan) of Lucian, one of the main protagonists, and a large part of Miserere is centred around around their relationship. Rather than write the story from Lindsay’s point of view in the manner of so many other ‘fish out of water’ or ‘farmboy’ tales, Frohock more or less chooses to maintain the adult PoVs throughout; I think this was the right decision, as it still gives opportunity for explaining the world to someone who is unfamiliar, but it’s less patronising since we’re sharing the PoV of the person who knows rather than the person who is ignorant. A lot of the things Lindsay is forced to witness and experience are fairly dark and unpleasant, and as such the chapters from the child’s PoV can be a little jarring and uncomfortable – which I’m guessing is the intended effect. I found the mish-mash of genres to be a bit disorienting at first, especially the way the author casually tosses around references to the world we live in, such as the way mobile phones can be used on Woerld for a short time before being corrupted by demons and used as Hell portals. Miserere combines elements of urban, grimdark and traditional fantasy, as well as SF and horror; the presence of holy warriors and Inquisitors give it the feel of historical fiction, while the time in which it’s set implies that it’s actually a dystopian novel; and the sheer amount of religious imagery (not to mention to plot and the setting) give it a distinctly biblical feel. I’m in no way religious, and so I imagine there’s a huge amount of religious nuance that was completely lost on me. I’m also unsure of how much of the imagery in the story is taken from the bible and how much has sprung from the author’s imagination; whichever it is, the vivid imagery is one of the novel’s strongest points. The Sacra Rosa, a rose bush that circles an entire city and wreaks destruction on the Fallen, Day of the Triffids-style, was one of my favourite images; I also particularly enjoyed the brief flashes we’re given of the Hellscape, and the Simulacrum is also a pretty creepy image. I really like how she draws on religions and legends from all over the world and brings it all together; and I recognised enough of it to give the book a sense of authenticity. I did also really like well how the title, 'Miserere' ('have mercy'), resonated with the events and characters of the book. One thing that did disappoint me was the ending, which was far less climactic than I expected. A large proportion of the books feels like it’s setting up for the ‘good vs evil’ battle implied in the blurb: there are long sections where not much actually happens, and the payoff for going through this wasn’t all that that rewarding. I did get the sense (I hope) that there will be another book about Catarina’s retribution, so perhaps that will have the epic conclusion I was expecting from this one. Regardless of the book’s flat moments and slightly weak ending, the characters were strong enough to keep me interested throughout. Rachael in particular is an awesome character: she is a holy warrior and a Judge who was abandoned in Hell by the man she loved, and returned possessed by a Wyrm. She’s a strong, believable character who has her own important role in the story, rather than just functioning as the ‘main’ character’s love interest. Although the blurb of Miserere makes it sound like a love story in a fantasy setting, it’s far from conventional. I was very unsure when I first began to read it – and it probably didn’t help that I read it in fits and starts over the course of a week – but it grew on me, and now that I’ve reached the end I actually want to read more. Strange but true. My rating: 4/5 (Yes, Steve, another one! ) Edited January 18, 2014 by Signor Finzione Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Great review ! The book sounds interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 My rating: 4/5 (Yes, Steve, another one! ) Didn't see that coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Great review! is there more of the series already published? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.