What do you think?
Rate this book
Vault of Heaven #2
Trial of Intentions
The gods who created this world have abandoned it. In their mercy, however, they chained the rogue god―and the monstrous creatures he created to plague mortalkind―in the vast and inhospitable wasteland of the Bourne. The magical Veil that contains them has protected humankind for millennia and the monsters are little more than tales told to frighten children. But the Veil has become weak and creatures of Nightmare have come through. To fight them, the races of men must form a great alliance to try and stop the creatures. But there is dissent. One king won't answer the call, his pride blinding him even to the poison in his own court. Another would see Convocation fail for his own political advantage. And still others believe Convocation is not enough. Some turn to the talents of the Sheason, who can shape the very essence of the world to their will. But their order is divided, on the brink of collapse. Tahn Junell remembers friends who despaired in a place left barren by war. One of the few who have actually faced the unspeakable horde in battle, Tahn sees something else at work and wonders about the nature of the creatures on the other side of the Veil. He chooses to go to a place of his youth, a place of science, daring to think he can find a way to prevent slaughter, prevent war. And his choices may reshape a world . . . . The second title in the Vault of Heaven series, Peter Orullian's Trial of Intentions is a mesmerizing fantasy epic that turns the conventions of the genre on its head
672 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2015
About the author
Peter Orullian
46 books279 followersPeter Orullian has worked in marketing at Xbox for nearly a decade, most recently leading the Music and Entertainment marketing strategy for Xbox LIVE, and has toured as a featured vocalist internationally at major music festivals. He has published several short stories. The Unremembered is his first novel. He lives in Seattle. "
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 6, 2015
Trial of Intentions by Peter Orullien
As I always do, I need to reveal that Peter and I are friends as well as fellow writers. Does that tinge this review? I hope not, but I will admit that I am a human being.
Trial of Intentions is actually a ‘second book’ building on events revealed in the Unremembered. It is possible to read Trial of Intentions as a stand alone, so don’t hesitate to jump in on this tale.
As always, I refuse to do spoilers. Rather, I like to list the ingredients of a book, and the reader can decide if it’s likely the book will match their tastes.
This story is full of a wide diversity of characters. Some wield powers and others seem to be twigs swept along in a rushing current of change and danger. There are deep friendships and family betrayals. The points of view shift quite adroitly and the action in the various locations takes place simultaneously. Unsurprisingly (since Peter wrote it), music and song play key roles in the magic and the lives of the characters. The intentions of the characters are as powerful as their actions (Hence the title, Trial of Intentions.) This is not a simple, linear tale. The story lines fit together like the pieces of a wood puzzle, twisting and interlocking with one another.
For a richer experience, read both books!
As I always do, I need to reveal that Peter and I are friends as well as fellow writers. Does that tinge this review? I hope not, but I will admit that I am a human being.
Trial of Intentions is actually a ‘second book’ building on events revealed in the Unremembered. It is possible to read Trial of Intentions as a stand alone, so don’t hesitate to jump in on this tale.
As always, I refuse to do spoilers. Rather, I like to list the ingredients of a book, and the reader can decide if it’s likely the book will match their tastes.
This story is full of a wide diversity of characters. Some wield powers and others seem to be twigs swept along in a rushing current of change and danger. There are deep friendships and family betrayals. The points of view shift quite adroitly and the action in the various locations takes place simultaneously. Unsurprisingly (since Peter wrote it), music and song play key roles in the magic and the lives of the characters. The intentions of the characters are as powerful as their actions (Hence the title, Trial of Intentions.) This is not a simple, linear tale. The story lines fit together like the pieces of a wood puzzle, twisting and interlocking with one another.
For a richer experience, read both books!
Read
February 6, 2017I've lost my way with this one. Put it down to read some books I had to review and can't seem to get back into the story. Definitely will be coming back to it in the future.
September 21, 2015
3.5/5
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I had spent a good time with the first volume even if some aspects were a little abstract. The end of the novel, however, had allowed our hero, Tahn, to recover the memories of his youth that he had forgotten until then. I was therefore curious about the way that our man was going to do something about all the consequences.
All our characters from the first volume are back here and each will follow their own road to try to understand their purpose in this new world. Remembering certain events, Tahn will start to follow the footsteps of his past and his love of science to try to understand that there are solutions to save his world. As for Wendra, she is trying to cope with her loss and her talent for songs as it’s an important power for her. I speak mainly of these two characters because it is true that it is always those with whom I spent the best moments and I was impatient to find them again every time. But of course it’s not just them because we have a lot of other characters who play with politics and the power they can recover facing the Convocation established to try to save the country.
The novel is pretty huge when you see it, but the story is read quickly enough. The story evolves a lot, and it’s true that I was curious to see how everyone was going to act about this new threat. I may have had a little trouble to follow everything but I am curious to know what will happen afterwards. There are still many possibilities.
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I had spent a good time with the first volume even if some aspects were a little abstract. The end of the novel, however, had allowed our hero, Tahn, to recover the memories of his youth that he had forgotten until then. I was therefore curious about the way that our man was going to do something about all the consequences.
All our characters from the first volume are back here and each will follow their own road to try to understand their purpose in this new world. Remembering certain events, Tahn will start to follow the footsteps of his past and his love of science to try to understand that there are solutions to save his world. As for Wendra, she is trying to cope with her loss and her talent for songs as it’s an important power for her. I speak mainly of these two characters because it is true that it is always those with whom I spent the best moments and I was impatient to find them again every time. But of course it’s not just them because we have a lot of other characters who play with politics and the power they can recover facing the Convocation established to try to save the country.
The novel is pretty huge when you see it, but the story is read quickly enough. The story evolves a lot, and it’s true that I was curious to see how everyone was going to act about this new threat. I may have had a little trouble to follow everything but I am curious to know what will happen afterwards. There are still many possibilities.
August 31, 2016
I was debating between four and five stars on this one. I actually didn't enjoy it quite as much as The Unremembered, which I gave five stars. But I think this one is a better book from a more objective standpoint. Orullian has grown as a writer, and he took the story in a lot of unexpected directions in this one.
The Unremembered was a more straightforward quest fantasy (along the lines of The Eye of the World). This one really played down those elements and focused more narrowly on a few locations.
Thankfully, I found all of the stories interesting to follow, and I really like the magic system. I've never seen such a thorough music-based magic system. I also enjoyed the sections in Aubade Grove, which focused on more academic concerns. That was rather unusual for this type of fantasy. As someone with a strong interest in physics, I found those sections surprisingly interesting.
I even enjoyed the political maneuvering in Recityv even though those generally aren't my favorite kinds of plots. It has been a long time since I've hated a character as much as I hate Roth. The fact that Orullian created a complex character in Roth makes me hate him all the more because I can understand why he does the things he does (even if I don't agree with him).
About the only complaint I have is that there were a few slow sections that kept this from being a higher five-star rating.
Rating: 9/10
The Unremembered was a more straightforward quest fantasy (along the lines of The Eye of the World). This one really played down those elements and focused more narrowly on a few locations.
Thankfully, I found all of the stories interesting to follow, and I really like the magic system. I've never seen such a thorough music-based magic system. I also enjoyed the sections in Aubade Grove, which focused on more academic concerns. That was rather unusual for this type of fantasy. As someone with a strong interest in physics, I found those sections surprisingly interesting.
I even enjoyed the political maneuvering in Recityv even though those generally aren't my favorite kinds of plots. It has been a long time since I've hated a character as much as I hate Roth. The fact that Orullian created a complex character in Roth makes me hate him all the more because I can understand why he does the things he does (even if I don't agree with him).
About the only complaint I have is that there were a few slow sections that kept this from being a higher five-star rating.
Rating: 9/10
April 10, 2016
This is a very rare fantasy novel, one that is extremely well-written, takes a gamble on complex plot and characterization, and gets it right. Gotta admire an author (Orullian) who not only can string together some poetic turns-of-phrase, but who is also willing to flesh out some deep-rooted intricacies of character in a fantasy setting. He writes characters you rout for, characters who are dealing with some complex issues. All this while while maintaining an interesting story and pace. Though this is book #2 (and better than the first which i think i gave 4 stars) it is a good starting point to the series. Though I am sure the the author would love it if you bough and read both!!!
September 3, 2022
The Unremembered, the first book of Peter Orullian's Vault of Heaven saga, was a largely generic epic fantasy that hit on a lot the major tropes. That made for a comfortably familiar read, but what made it memorable was his writing style, the strength of his characters, and the amount of detail invested in his world-building. It wasn't necessarily a ground-breaking work, but it was a welcome new flavor of fantasy that was darker, deeper, and more mature.
I went into Trial of Intentions hoping for nothing more than an advancement/enhancement of everything that I enjoyed in the first book. I wasn't looking for anything dramatically different, and was actually worried that he might try to drag the story in a new direction, either to satisfy his critics, or to assuage his own displeasure with the original edition of his first book. There had to be some serious temptation there for him, I'm sure, but I'm pleased to say he's remained true to his original vision.
The one thing that did shift a bit with this volume was the structure of his writing - probably the only thing that I found to be a (minor) disappointment. Orullian had said that his Author's Definitive Edition of The Unremembered was shorter and more focused, with fewer POV shifts, but he seems to have taken a step back here. Not only were there a lot more shifts than I remembered, but the chapters are much shorter. Yes, short chapters are a definite pet peeve for me, and that artificial driving of the story from one abbreviated POV to another was a challenge to me in terms of settling into a flow. I took me about twice as long to read this volume as the first, and much of that was my own difficulty with that flow. Outside of that, the story is once again well-written story, with even stronger dialogue than the first, and even more incredible visuals. With Trial of Intentions designed to be a suitable starting point for new readers, a little info dumping and exposition is pretty much mandatory, but Orullian fits it well into the overall story. It's really nothing more than the subtle reminders you expect from the second or third book of any fantasy saga . . . there's just a little bit more of it.
The characters came alive early in the first book, and they continue to thrive here, with even greater depth and diversity. Orullian forces us to question much of what we thought we knew about Tahn, Vendanj, Wendra, Mira, and even Grant. He 'broke' many of them with the climactic events of The Unremembered, and they're not allowed to just settle back into their old ways. They've been changed by their experiences, and they continue to evolve as they come to grips with those changes. Tahn makes a momentous decision early on, choosing not to speak the words as he aims, instead taking the decision to 'save' innocent children entirely upon himself. Wendra chooses as well, deciding to unleash the full fury of her song in a war against the Quiet, not caring that the Far are falling all around her as well. Even Mira makes something of a choice, deciding to embrace her betrayal, even as she seeks redemption for herself as queen. I thought I knew where a lot of these character journeys were headed, but Orullian can never be accused of taking the easy route.
The world-building and the mythology are developed much farther and much deeper here as well. Of special interest for me was the deeper look beyond the Veil, and the deeper understanding of The Quiet. We've already fought the Bar'dyn, and already trembled before the magic of the Velle, but Orullian shows us that there are other people trapped beyond the Veil - including races that may be different, but which are far from monstrous. It's a clever undoing of the stranger/outcast fantasy trope, and it's a refreshing new angle that builds upon what's come before. In terms of mythology, he tosses some early surprises at the reader as well, first revealing some interesting ideas or theories regarding the Covenant Tongue, before driving us into a confrontation between the Sheason and the Velle - one that seems to destroy the legendary book. The world gets both wider and deeper here, and that's precisely what I look for in my ongoing epic fantasy reads.
If you were one of those readers on the fence about The Unremembered, then nothing here is likely going to change my your mind. Having said that, I enjoyed Trial of Intentions, and I will be first in line for a copy of the third book when it's released.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
I went into Trial of Intentions hoping for nothing more than an advancement/enhancement of everything that I enjoyed in the first book. I wasn't looking for anything dramatically different, and was actually worried that he might try to drag the story in a new direction, either to satisfy his critics, or to assuage his own displeasure with the original edition of his first book. There had to be some serious temptation there for him, I'm sure, but I'm pleased to say he's remained true to his original vision.
The one thing that did shift a bit with this volume was the structure of his writing - probably the only thing that I found to be a (minor) disappointment. Orullian had said that his Author's Definitive Edition of The Unremembered was shorter and more focused, with fewer POV shifts, but he seems to have taken a step back here. Not only were there a lot more shifts than I remembered, but the chapters are much shorter. Yes, short chapters are a definite pet peeve for me, and that artificial driving of the story from one abbreviated POV to another was a challenge to me in terms of settling into a flow. I took me about twice as long to read this volume as the first, and much of that was my own difficulty with that flow. Outside of that, the story is once again well-written story, with even stronger dialogue than the first, and even more incredible visuals. With Trial of Intentions designed to be a suitable starting point for new readers, a little info dumping and exposition is pretty much mandatory, but Orullian fits it well into the overall story. It's really nothing more than the subtle reminders you expect from the second or third book of any fantasy saga . . . there's just a little bit more of it.
The characters came alive early in the first book, and they continue to thrive here, with even greater depth and diversity. Orullian forces us to question much of what we thought we knew about Tahn, Vendanj, Wendra, Mira, and even Grant. He 'broke' many of them with the climactic events of The Unremembered, and they're not allowed to just settle back into their old ways. They've been changed by their experiences, and they continue to evolve as they come to grips with those changes. Tahn makes a momentous decision early on, choosing not to speak the words as he aims, instead taking the decision to 'save' innocent children entirely upon himself. Wendra chooses as well, deciding to unleash the full fury of her song in a war against the Quiet, not caring that the Far are falling all around her as well. Even Mira makes something of a choice, deciding to embrace her betrayal, even as she seeks redemption for herself as queen. I thought I knew where a lot of these character journeys were headed, but Orullian can never be accused of taking the easy route.
The world-building and the mythology are developed much farther and much deeper here as well. Of special interest for me was the deeper look beyond the Veil, and the deeper understanding of The Quiet. We've already fought the Bar'dyn, and already trembled before the magic of the Velle, but Orullian shows us that there are other people trapped beyond the Veil - including races that may be different, but which are far from monstrous. It's a clever undoing of the stranger/outcast fantasy trope, and it's a refreshing new angle that builds upon what's come before. In terms of mythology, he tosses some early surprises at the reader as well, first revealing some interesting ideas or theories regarding the Covenant Tongue, before driving us into a confrontation between the Sheason and the Velle - one that seems to destroy the legendary book. The world gets both wider and deeper here, and that's precisely what I look for in my ongoing epic fantasy reads.
If you were one of those readers on the fence about The Unremembered, then nothing here is likely going to change my your mind. Having said that, I enjoyed Trial of Intentions, and I will be first in line for a copy of the third book when it's released.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
January 14, 2016
I really want to like Trial of Intentions, Peter Orullian’s second novel in his VAULT OF HEAVEN series. I’d really like to recommend it. Not so much for its plot or characters or style, which mostly run from not so good to average, though he has his moments. But underneath the separate pieces of the novel, one has a sense, a somewhat tentative, barely tangible sense, that Orullian is trying to do something interesting here. And it’s for that tantalizing glimpse of the big picture, the “intention” as one of his characters might say (intention being an important concept here), that I so wanted to be able to enthusiastically recommend this book. But thanks to the aforementioned weaknesses, its too-great length, and a storyline that absolutely infuriated me through its latter stages (m... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
August 24, 2015
I don't think this broke any particularly new ground -- however, I unfortunately got this not realizing it was part of a series, so I was completely lost at the beginning, which very much did not work for this book. Without knowledge of the world going into it, I felt like I was mostly just seeing the structural tropes. However, some of the scenes are just fantastic images, painting stark scenarios that lingered.
June 8, 2015
3.5 The music theory sections read slowly for me.
August 14, 2015
Trial of Intentions, Peter Orullian's second outing in his purported six-volume “Vault of Heaven” series, comes four whole years after the debut novel, The Unremembered. That may not seem like much time for fantasy fans who often wait upwards of five or more years for a sequel to the big name series, but seeing as how the first novel was met with mixed reviews, that Orullian took so much time between books is surprising. Taking into account the length of time between releases, however, Orullian tried to write Trial as an entry point for the series. As someone who had not read the first book, I decided to test how easy it is to pick up and understand. While each character is introduced with an exciting point of view at the beginning of the novel, I ultimately found much of the emotional impact of the latter half of the story suffered because much of the opposition in the book felt forced and the plot seemed to grind to a halt after the first hundred pages.
Trial begins with a bang. An invading army of monsters besiege a surprised city on a stark and inhospitable plain. Tahn Junell, our protagonist(?), is our first point of view and is met with a heart-wrenching choice that immediately told me who this character is. He is quick to action and is willing to face the hard decisions, even if it means that he has to sacrifice some of his morals in the processes. Mira, Wendra, Sutter, and a whole slueth of other characters are introduced through separate point of view chapters that not only advance the battle taking place, but slowly ease new readers into the world that Orullian has crafted. Unfortunately, these chapters did not go far enough. We hear a lot about a dread place called Tillingahst and a fateful decision that Tahn made at what I assume to be the climax of the first book, but Orullian glosses over details in a way that suggests the actions in the previous book are not as important to the plot going forward as you'd think they would be. That would be great for new readers if Trial didn't spend most of its time on a political dispute that is not only infuriatingly stupid, but does nothing to further the plot or help our characters grow.
While most of Unremembered was centered on a journey for our three farm boys and girl as they explored their world and got caught up in Jordan-esque run-ins with not only a mythical evil, but also mystical orders of magic-users and an elf-analogous race, Trial is bogged down with frustrating political conflict and little plot-advancement from any character. The promises made by the exciting battle in the first hundred pages were never made good on and the stakes for the remainder of the book are far less personal and much more political. Tahn's storyline sets aside his new-found magical powers and, instead, focuses on a scientific inquiry into the nature of the world's magic. Done correctly, this could have been a very interesting wonderful opportunity for Orullian to flex his world-building muscles. However, after three consecutive view points of Tahn repeating his vague argument to a group of supporting characters who never seem to understand as easily as the reader does, this storyline becomes frustrating as no actual progress is made towards his scientific inquiry. The only time we're actually shown an example of what Tahn has been describing is his last POV chapter where he defends his findings in front of a panel from one of his university's colleges. The problem here is that he convinces the skeptical judges far too easily and, not having been a part of his research leading up to it, the reader feels like Tahn didn't earn this victory.
The biggest storyline (in terms of word count), however, focuses on a political conflict in the capital. Returning with news of the imminent invasion from beyond the Northern Mountains, our main characters are opposed by one of the most annoying and frustrating villains in history. Leader of the League of Civility, the antagonist has only one role in this story: to provide opposition for our protagonists. Over and over, our protagonists clash with him and neither side changes their methods. The protagonists keep urging people to believe what they say and the antagonist just asks for proof, which they are unable to produce. By the second time our characters have one of these poorly executed “try-fail cycles,” I was left tearing my hair out screaming “Why don't they just kill him?!” It wasn't until the end of this story line that I realized who these characters were: they're pulled straight from the Book of Mormon (the book, not the musical). Orullian's religion shows through here as he rips an argument straight from the didactic Book of Mormon and tries to pass it off as compelling fantasy conflict. Spoilers: he failed. The argument isn't as one-sided as the one in the Book of Mormon, but it's as if every meeting of our protagonists with the villain is this same argument played on repeat. Neither back up their claims with evidence and neither change their avenue of attack. This story line made me annoyed with the protagonists almost as much as the villain. Their incompetence in handling him stopped them from being compelling and sympathetic. And they never changed in their incompetence. In the end, the villain escapes to cause more trouble in a future book (one that I will not be reading) and I found that I didn't even care what happened to the good guys. They just plain hadn't earned it.
There are three or four more story lines weaved in among these two main ones, but none of them were ever very original or compelling. The magical Order of Sheason is undergoing a split in ideology. A pair of our protagonists uncover a conspiracy in a militaristic nation way too easily. A man beyond the Northern Mountains tries to fight the Big Bad Guys and fails, obviously.
My favorite scene from the novel came, however, from the last of our subplots. One of our three main farm kids began training to learn more about her magical music abilities. Most of her chapters dealt with the nature of her magic and if she was willing to sacrifice herself to learn how to use her magic to help others. Meh. The exciting part was when she stole away one night to search the docks for an old enemy. When she came upon a group of human traffickers, going all vigilante on them, she sang them all to death. It was one of the best parts of the book because one of our protagonists was finally able to do something because she wanted to, not because it moved the plot along. In a book full of characters, this was the only memorable character moment and my highlight for the entire 704 pages.
Ultimately, I cannot recommend Trial of Intentions to anyone who isn't already invested in the series. Having not read the first book didn't inhibit my understanding of most of the events, but because I didn't already care for the characters and Orullian never gave me a reason to, most of the book was spent on unoriginal plot lines that couldn't be made up for with compelling characters. The main conflict was wooden and only there to provide opposition for our characters, but because I never felt like they grew through the conflict, it was a waste. That was my final feeling on the book: it was a waste. Orullian had an opportunity to address a lot of the criticisms leveled at him and the first book, but he never did. He avoided some of them by switching up the formula: keeping each character in their own location and giving them time to work on something personal. However, Trial like Unremembered before it is 200-300 pages too long and devoid of any real plot progression. Rather than being the perfect jumping off point for the series, like Orullian had hoped, Trial is completely skippable.
1 star out of 5
Trial begins with a bang. An invading army of monsters besiege a surprised city on a stark and inhospitable plain. Tahn Junell, our protagonist(?), is our first point of view and is met with a heart-wrenching choice that immediately told me who this character is. He is quick to action and is willing to face the hard decisions, even if it means that he has to sacrifice some of his morals in the processes. Mira, Wendra, Sutter, and a whole slueth of other characters are introduced through separate point of view chapters that not only advance the battle taking place, but slowly ease new readers into the world that Orullian has crafted. Unfortunately, these chapters did not go far enough. We hear a lot about a dread place called Tillingahst and a fateful decision that Tahn made at what I assume to be the climax of the first book, but Orullian glosses over details in a way that suggests the actions in the previous book are not as important to the plot going forward as you'd think they would be. That would be great for new readers if Trial didn't spend most of its time on a political dispute that is not only infuriatingly stupid, but does nothing to further the plot or help our characters grow.
While most of Unremembered was centered on a journey for our three farm boys and girl as they explored their world and got caught up in Jordan-esque run-ins with not only a mythical evil, but also mystical orders of magic-users and an elf-analogous race, Trial is bogged down with frustrating political conflict and little plot-advancement from any character. The promises made by the exciting battle in the first hundred pages were never made good on and the stakes for the remainder of the book are far less personal and much more political. Tahn's storyline sets aside his new-found magical powers and, instead, focuses on a scientific inquiry into the nature of the world's magic. Done correctly, this could have been a very interesting wonderful opportunity for Orullian to flex his world-building muscles. However, after three consecutive view points of Tahn repeating his vague argument to a group of supporting characters who never seem to understand as easily as the reader does, this storyline becomes frustrating as no actual progress is made towards his scientific inquiry. The only time we're actually shown an example of what Tahn has been describing is his last POV chapter where he defends his findings in front of a panel from one of his university's colleges. The problem here is that he convinces the skeptical judges far too easily and, not having been a part of his research leading up to it, the reader feels like Tahn didn't earn this victory.
The biggest storyline (in terms of word count), however, focuses on a political conflict in the capital. Returning with news of the imminent invasion from beyond the Northern Mountains, our main characters are opposed by one of the most annoying and frustrating villains in history. Leader of the League of Civility, the antagonist has only one role in this story: to provide opposition for our protagonists. Over and over, our protagonists clash with him and neither side changes their methods. The protagonists keep urging people to believe what they say and the antagonist just asks for proof, which they are unable to produce. By the second time our characters have one of these poorly executed “try-fail cycles,” I was left tearing my hair out screaming “Why don't they just kill him?!” It wasn't until the end of this story line that I realized who these characters were: they're pulled straight from the Book of Mormon (the book, not the musical). Orullian's religion shows through here as he rips an argument straight from the didactic Book of Mormon and tries to pass it off as compelling fantasy conflict. Spoilers: he failed. The argument isn't as one-sided as the one in the Book of Mormon, but it's as if every meeting of our protagonists with the villain is this same argument played on repeat. Neither back up their claims with evidence and neither change their avenue of attack. This story line made me annoyed with the protagonists almost as much as the villain. Their incompetence in handling him stopped them from being compelling and sympathetic. And they never changed in their incompetence. In the end, the villain escapes to cause more trouble in a future book (one that I will not be reading) and I found that I didn't even care what happened to the good guys. They just plain hadn't earned it.
There are three or four more story lines weaved in among these two main ones, but none of them were ever very original or compelling. The magical Order of Sheason is undergoing a split in ideology. A pair of our protagonists uncover a conspiracy in a militaristic nation way too easily. A man beyond the Northern Mountains tries to fight the Big Bad Guys and fails, obviously.
My favorite scene from the novel came, however, from the last of our subplots. One of our three main farm kids began training to learn more about her magical music abilities. Most of her chapters dealt with the nature of her magic and if she was willing to sacrifice herself to learn how to use her magic to help others. Meh. The exciting part was when she stole away one night to search the docks for an old enemy. When she came upon a group of human traffickers, going all vigilante on them, she sang them all to death. It was one of the best parts of the book because one of our protagonists was finally able to do something because she wanted to, not because it moved the plot along. In a book full of characters, this was the only memorable character moment and my highlight for the entire 704 pages.
Ultimately, I cannot recommend Trial of Intentions to anyone who isn't already invested in the series. Having not read the first book didn't inhibit my understanding of most of the events, but because I didn't already care for the characters and Orullian never gave me a reason to, most of the book was spent on unoriginal plot lines that couldn't be made up for with compelling characters. The main conflict was wooden and only there to provide opposition for our characters, but because I never felt like they grew through the conflict, it was a waste. That was my final feeling on the book: it was a waste. Orullian had an opportunity to address a lot of the criticisms leveled at him and the first book, but he never did. He avoided some of them by switching up the formula: keeping each character in their own location and giving them time to work on something personal. However, Trial like Unremembered before it is 200-300 pages too long and devoid of any real plot progression. Rather than being the perfect jumping off point for the series, like Orullian had hoped, Trial is completely skippable.
1 star out of 5
August 15, 2021
This one deals with topics that are very charged for me, so I easily connected with it.
It gets a little more lost in the weeds than the first, but still turns out a lovely story.
Though, the more ideological aspects coming to the fore make me wonder what is coming in future installments, and whether I'll agree with some of the more looming political ideas.
It gets a little more lost in the weeds than the first, but still turns out a lovely story.
Though, the more ideological aspects coming to the fore make me wonder what is coming in future installments, and whether I'll agree with some of the more looming political ideas.
November 12, 2019
Awesome fantasy. Plenty of magic and adventure. Nice to see how some of the characters are growing and changing. I thought this was the series finale. I was wrong! I guess I must wait until the next book.
July 31, 2022
I do love a big fantasy epic, the size of the book just allows the scope to be so much bigger and intricate. There is so much more opportunity for characters to grow and opportunity to introduce even more characters. This was a great read.
April 15, 2018
Some of the POVs dragged, and the story ended with very little resolution. Well-written though
July 30, 2020
Intricate!! I just love it. Waiting for the next one with anticipation!!
May 20, 2022
A wonderful new fantasy of a varied medieval world. I may be wrong, but the ending was so glorious that a sequel will spawn.
Bobbie Kaald
Bobbie Kaald
June 18, 2015
When I read new authors, I’m fairly lenient on their debut novels. Where I like to see improvement is with the second novel. This leads us to TRIAL OF INTENTIONS by Peter Orullian. This is the sequel to THE UNREMEMBERED: Author’s Definitive Edition, and it proves Orullian’s talent as an author and storyteller.
TRIAL OF INTENTIONS picks up shortly after the events of the first book, with all of the characters irrevocably changed in majors ways. Once again, readers are thrown right into the thick of things as a battle ensues and the Quiet are attacking a stronghold for mysterious reasons. These reasons are revealed in quick order, and the main thrust of the novel is set.
In some ways, this is a difficult book to review. Not because it is of poor quality—the reverse is true—but because Orullian wrote it as another entry point into the series. Information is easily available describing the issues Orullian had with his original editor, and so he wrote TRIAL OF INTENTIONS with the theory of it being a relaunch of his career. As a result, there is a good measure of recapping and reintroducing, though much of the information given through epigraphs—or chapter bumps, as I like to call them. Nevertheless, I feel like I need to treat this novel as if it were the first in the series—because it can serve in that capacity.
Whether you have read THE UNREMEMBERED (in either iteration) or not, it isn’t hard to see how much thought Orullian has put into TRIAL OF INTENTIONS. To begin with, let’s talk about the magic system. I’m accustomed to rule-based magic systems, but often the rules are a gimmick. With Orullian, the rules and theory behind his magic are actually incredibly detailed. All of this comes from his expertise with music. Just as music has many forms, so does Orullian’s magic system. Just as music has evolved historically and anthropologically, so has Orullian’s magic system. I can go on and on, but it is far simpler to say that all other fantasy novels I’ve read dealing with music magic now pale in comparison to what Orullian has created.
For all the tropes THE UNREMEMBERED has, TRIAL OF INTENTIONS has a noticeable lack of them. Orullian has stated often that his original intention (no pun) was to start on very familiar ground, then take a hard right turn onto a path that completely subverts the reader expectations. This novel has made that turn, and has just begun down the path Orullian intended. This starts with the characters.
Every character in this novel is dealing with the consequences of the prior novel—which is where you get the most benefit as a reader if you’ve read THE UNREMEMBERED: Author’s Definitive Edition. I think “trauma” is the ideal word here. They’ve all dealt with trauma, physical and emotional. I could point out examples in every character, but I’ll focus on Tahn. What a fantastic plot arc he goes through. It’s so refreshing to see a character attempt to deal with a world ending situation with intelligence rather than war. His struggle is as fierce as the “warriors” of the story (Mira, Grant, etc), but he focuses it on science and understanding. When you’ve read as many fantasy novels as I have, the significance and uniqueness of this character arc is huge.
I don’t want you to think there’s no action in this novel. No war. TRIAL OF INTENTIONS has plenty of war and action. To me, it’s this complete picture Orullian paints that makes the novel good. The balance he strikes.
Orullian has made me a believer. TRIAL OF INTENTIONS is a great epic fantasy that I hope everyone gives the attention it deserves. With the growth I’ve witnessed from books 1 to 2, I’m completely confident in his ability to continue innovating. Likewise I’m excited to revisit this unique world again, and be treated to another epic story.
***
Note: I was an advance reader for this novel due to my review site, Elitist Book Reviews. The funny thing is that I hated the original version of THE UNREMEMBERED, but quite enjoyed the Author's Definitive Edition. That TRIAL OF INTENTIONS could so completely win me over should speak volumes as to the quality of the story, writing, characters and ideas contained within.
TRIAL OF INTENTIONS picks up shortly after the events of the first book, with all of the characters irrevocably changed in majors ways. Once again, readers are thrown right into the thick of things as a battle ensues and the Quiet are attacking a stronghold for mysterious reasons. These reasons are revealed in quick order, and the main thrust of the novel is set.
In some ways, this is a difficult book to review. Not because it is of poor quality—the reverse is true—but because Orullian wrote it as another entry point into the series. Information is easily available describing the issues Orullian had with his original editor, and so he wrote TRIAL OF INTENTIONS with the theory of it being a relaunch of his career. As a result, there is a good measure of recapping and reintroducing, though much of the information given through epigraphs—or chapter bumps, as I like to call them. Nevertheless, I feel like I need to treat this novel as if it were the first in the series—because it can serve in that capacity.
Whether you have read THE UNREMEMBERED (in either iteration) or not, it isn’t hard to see how much thought Orullian has put into TRIAL OF INTENTIONS. To begin with, let’s talk about the magic system. I’m accustomed to rule-based magic systems, but often the rules are a gimmick. With Orullian, the rules and theory behind his magic are actually incredibly detailed. All of this comes from his expertise with music. Just as music has many forms, so does Orullian’s magic system. Just as music has evolved historically and anthropologically, so has Orullian’s magic system. I can go on and on, but it is far simpler to say that all other fantasy novels I’ve read dealing with music magic now pale in comparison to what Orullian has created.
For all the tropes THE UNREMEMBERED has, TRIAL OF INTENTIONS has a noticeable lack of them. Orullian has stated often that his original intention (no pun) was to start on very familiar ground, then take a hard right turn onto a path that completely subverts the reader expectations. This novel has made that turn, and has just begun down the path Orullian intended. This starts with the characters.
Every character in this novel is dealing with the consequences of the prior novel—which is where you get the most benefit as a reader if you’ve read THE UNREMEMBERED: Author’s Definitive Edition. I think “trauma” is the ideal word here. They’ve all dealt with trauma, physical and emotional. I could point out examples in every character, but I’ll focus on Tahn. What a fantastic plot arc he goes through. It’s so refreshing to see a character attempt to deal with a world ending situation with intelligence rather than war. His struggle is as fierce as the “warriors” of the story (Mira, Grant, etc), but he focuses it on science and understanding. When you’ve read as many fantasy novels as I have, the significance and uniqueness of this character arc is huge.
I don’t want you to think there’s no action in this novel. No war. TRIAL OF INTENTIONS has plenty of war and action. To me, it’s this complete picture Orullian paints that makes the novel good. The balance he strikes.
Orullian has made me a believer. TRIAL OF INTENTIONS is a great epic fantasy that I hope everyone gives the attention it deserves. With the growth I’ve witnessed from books 1 to 2, I’m completely confident in his ability to continue innovating. Likewise I’m excited to revisit this unique world again, and be treated to another epic story.
***
Note: I was an advance reader for this novel due to my review site, Elitist Book Reviews. The funny thing is that I hated the original version of THE UNREMEMBERED, but quite enjoyed the Author's Definitive Edition. That TRIAL OF INTENTIONS could so completely win me over should speak volumes as to the quality of the story, writing, characters and ideas contained within.
November 16, 2015
I have read and reviewed the Unremembered and sat with great anticipation for the second tome, Trial of Intentions. I was on a family trip that actually allowed me to obtain my hard copy (late the Kindle version) in San Francisco at a book signing where it was great to finally meet up with Peter, whom I consider a friend. I tell this brief story only because I feel it should be put out there that I am a fan of the man, not simply the author. And in this disclosure, I also feel it is important to say that my review is not going to be based on my personal attachment to him but on my own expectations and impressions of this book within my most beloved epic fantasy genre.
Trial of Intentions did not disappoint me in that it cannot be considered a mere "fluff" read. There are some books a reader wants and expects to float through with the sole purpose of being entertained. Nothing wrong with that and some of the best fantasy novels out there fall into this category. I have said before and will say again that one of the things I love best about Peter's style and approach is that one just does not simply fly through one of his books. I'm very much an above average reader and as such I want some authors/books that present what I will term a challenge. I have seen some reviews which state that the book is too long...while I get where they are coming from and respect this opinion, I thoroughly appreciate and enjoy this in Peter's books. There's a major difference between rambling on doing a good job in describing events and including details that bring the reader along in your vision. It's not for everyone, fair enough, but as I said, this is one of the things I love most in Orullian's storytelling style.
I appreciate the breaking up of the group as Peter moves to continue world building in this tome. There is still so much to learn and it should be taken into consideration that world building is crucial in saga fantasy storytelling versus stand alone novels. One shouldn't realistically expect with this kind of saga that every situation should be neatly presented, experienced, and wrapped up like it was a 30 minute sitcom. This is a journey and we are at the beginning of it still. I far prefer to encounter the world and characters as they progress and that adequate time and attention are given to the many different things that are going on. This is a much more realistic world view than one where you meet the characters, they all come together to confront a single problem, and then the world goes back to it's perfectly vanilla, happy sunshiny rosy state. So, in this, I think Orullian does a brilliant job of presenting a more realistic world in which the characters must function. I loved getting to look into the other side of the Veil and am looking forward to where he is going to take this. There is a lot of character development going on in this second book of the series. A lot of touching back on things from Unremembered, but I understand the complex problems Orullian had to bridge due to the editor issues and length of time between the two books. You just can't please all of the people all of the time, and I find that he addressed all of this in the best way he possibly could have hoped to.
I had to stop and marinate on how I felt about this second book, consider a lot of things, and I did not want to just fire off a review that I did not spend considerable time and effort on. This is a world and saga I fully believe in and am looking forward to the rest of the journey. I will say if readers are just looking for fantasy fodder, then you should probably move on because this is not going to appeal to you. No harm nor foul in that. But for readers who are looking for a complex challenge, a new world and host of characters to invest in, and who have the patience to go on the journey, then you will certainly enjoy and appreciate what Peter Orullian brings to the table.
Trial of Intentions did not disappoint me in that it cannot be considered a mere "fluff" read. There are some books a reader wants and expects to float through with the sole purpose of being entertained. Nothing wrong with that and some of the best fantasy novels out there fall into this category. I have said before and will say again that one of the things I love best about Peter's style and approach is that one just does not simply fly through one of his books. I'm very much an above average reader and as such I want some authors/books that present what I will term a challenge. I have seen some reviews which state that the book is too long...while I get where they are coming from and respect this opinion, I thoroughly appreciate and enjoy this in Peter's books. There's a major difference between rambling on doing a good job in describing events and including details that bring the reader along in your vision. It's not for everyone, fair enough, but as I said, this is one of the things I love most in Orullian's storytelling style.
I appreciate the breaking up of the group as Peter moves to continue world building in this tome. There is still so much to learn and it should be taken into consideration that world building is crucial in saga fantasy storytelling versus stand alone novels. One shouldn't realistically expect with this kind of saga that every situation should be neatly presented, experienced, and wrapped up like it was a 30 minute sitcom. This is a journey and we are at the beginning of it still. I far prefer to encounter the world and characters as they progress and that adequate time and attention are given to the many different things that are going on. This is a much more realistic world view than one where you meet the characters, they all come together to confront a single problem, and then the world goes back to it's perfectly vanilla, happy sunshiny rosy state. So, in this, I think Orullian does a brilliant job of presenting a more realistic world in which the characters must function. I loved getting to look into the other side of the Veil and am looking forward to where he is going to take this. There is a lot of character development going on in this second book of the series. A lot of touching back on things from Unremembered, but I understand the complex problems Orullian had to bridge due to the editor issues and length of time between the two books. You just can't please all of the people all of the time, and I find that he addressed all of this in the best way he possibly could have hoped to.
I had to stop and marinate on how I felt about this second book, consider a lot of things, and I did not want to just fire off a review that I did not spend considerable time and effort on. This is a world and saga I fully believe in and am looking forward to the rest of the journey. I will say if readers are just looking for fantasy fodder, then you should probably move on because this is not going to appeal to you. No harm nor foul in that. But for readers who are looking for a complex challenge, a new world and host of characters to invest in, and who have the patience to go on the journey, then you will certainly enjoy and appreciate what Peter Orullian brings to the table.
November 16, 2015
Trial of Intentions brings you into a world on the brink of war and in the midst of mythical and political upheaval. The author takes the time to build - in creative detail - the environment and the societies that bind this civilization together as it unravels. He makes no attempt to avoid the expected themes or tropes of the fantasy genre but rather threads them together to create a world that builds on of the darker aspects of fantasy. It poses the over-arching question: Could you live with the consequences of where you permitted destiny to take you?
The story's told through multiple points of view (third person, subjective, limited - for the English majors amongst us) moving the characters, and the story, forward through the telling of events often occurring in tandem to one another. Although, it can take a minute to catch the rhythm of the POV shifts (they're neither abrupt nor pull you out of the storytelling just plentiful) once you realize that each discovery or action told through each character builds on the whole without tainting it with the opinion of perspective that can often happen with one over-reaching narrator. Knowing the impact of what (seem like) personal decisions - from their point of view- on themselves or others is vital to understanding the direction of the story.
The beauty of the Orullian's storytelling is, you think you know where everything's going but you are wrong - repeatedly. Orullian explores the idea of prophecy from a new angle raising the question of: what if when serving your sacred duty you focus on one aspect of your task over the other as more important only to realize not only were you wrong to do so but you can never undue that mistake.
I found the dialogue between characters pointed and felt it fully enriches your involvement in these moments of discovery and confrontation. The characters, Tahn, Vendanj, Wendra, Mira, and Grant (there are others as the story advances) each have a role - often of cataclysmic change or realization - that greatly impacts the direction of their world: acts made in anger, demands made of others, withholding transformative information from someone, a choice not made, a burden unloaded to the detriment of another. Their feelings matter, their motivations are important, and the consequences can’t ever be discounted.
You have a "hero" who doesn't just chaff against the directives of those seeking to mold and shape him but outright rejects their direction more than once. A mentor who's motives you not only quickly question but you outright disagree with on more than one pivotal occasion. Unlike many epic fantasies that include a "return of the outcast" them, in Trial, you're introduced to a whole host of characters on the other side of "the Veil" many of whom raise the question of who/what/why exactly are you fighting against.
I have to say I like journeyman/quest tales; meeting a character and knowing that you'll be traveling along with them learning about their life path or embracing a destiny previously unknown. I think these stories make for some of the best world-building, myth exploring, and character creation. You become invested in the characters and willing to follow their journey (even when you're yelling at the book - yes I still do that - because someone just did something you find consummately stupid). This is not short story (page count 720) but is one told with intention. There are no wasted words or "throw away scenes." This book requires a slight (I read a lot so this may be a bit relative) time commitment. That being said, I'm usually willing to give a writer time to, as they say, get to the point. I like the unraveling of a mystery, the telling of a tale through an epic exploration. Orullian more than makes the journey worth the reading.
The story's told through multiple points of view (third person, subjective, limited - for the English majors amongst us) moving the characters, and the story, forward through the telling of events often occurring in tandem to one another. Although, it can take a minute to catch the rhythm of the POV shifts (they're neither abrupt nor pull you out of the storytelling just plentiful) once you realize that each discovery or action told through each character builds on the whole without tainting it with the opinion of perspective that can often happen with one over-reaching narrator. Knowing the impact of what (seem like) personal decisions - from their point of view- on themselves or others is vital to understanding the direction of the story.
The beauty of the Orullian's storytelling is, you think you know where everything's going but you are wrong - repeatedly. Orullian explores the idea of prophecy from a new angle raising the question of: what if when serving your sacred duty you focus on one aspect of your task over the other as more important only to realize not only were you wrong to do so but you can never undue that mistake.
I found the dialogue between characters pointed and felt it fully enriches your involvement in these moments of discovery and confrontation. The characters, Tahn, Vendanj, Wendra, Mira, and Grant (there are others as the story advances) each have a role - often of cataclysmic change or realization - that greatly impacts the direction of their world: acts made in anger, demands made of others, withholding transformative information from someone, a choice not made, a burden unloaded to the detriment of another. Their feelings matter, their motivations are important, and the consequences can’t ever be discounted.
You have a "hero" who doesn't just chaff against the directives of those seeking to mold and shape him but outright rejects their direction more than once. A mentor who's motives you not only quickly question but you outright disagree with on more than one pivotal occasion. Unlike many epic fantasies that include a "return of the outcast" them, in Trial, you're introduced to a whole host of characters on the other side of "the Veil" many of whom raise the question of who/what/why exactly are you fighting against.
I have to say I like journeyman/quest tales; meeting a character and knowing that you'll be traveling along with them learning about their life path or embracing a destiny previously unknown. I think these stories make for some of the best world-building, myth exploring, and character creation. You become invested in the characters and willing to follow their journey (even when you're yelling at the book - yes I still do that - because someone just did something you find consummately stupid). This is not short story (page count 720) but is one told with intention. There are no wasted words or "throw away scenes." This book requires a slight (I read a lot so this may be a bit relative) time commitment. That being said, I'm usually willing to give a writer time to, as they say, get to the point. I like the unraveling of a mystery, the telling of a tale through an epic exploration. Orullian more than makes the journey worth the reading.
April 4, 2016
Yes, this is the second instalment in the Vault of Heaven Trilogy, and yes I have read the first book although I did not review it on here. Unfortunately though, for this book, it is not a standalone read and therefore the first must be read to make any sense of this one.
The main protagonists are many in both books, and their stories continue in this one; we see them grow from the children we first met in The Unremembered to adults that are still connected to their inner children at times. I usually go into great detail about my likes and dislikes of characters in the books I read, but with this cast of characters I felt the mixed emotions one has when confronted with Family and all the imperfections they bring with them. At times I just wanted to shake some sense into them and ask ‘why? Just why?’ and at others I was in my full cheerleading garb, pom-poms and all doing high kicks to spur them on. One thing I did find disappointing was the forced humour in the dialogue, this had come so easily in the first book as it does between friends, but in this one it seemed as if they were just trying to keep the humour going at all costs. I am hoping that this stilted humour is more a result of the events the characters have been through up to the end of this novel, and not an indication that the Author has lost his humourous pen. Rather than just continue expanding on characters from the first novel, the Author brings new ones into the storyline, and some that were introduced in Book One become integral to the storyline in this novel.
Unlike Book One, Trial of Intentions is up and moving from the very first chapter; the reader has moments where the pace slows down enough for them to calm their racing pulses before picking up and propelling them through to the very end of the book. Something I was pleased to find in this second instalment that was present in the first was a musical quality that accompanies the writing of this Author; in gentle areas easy listening folk music is brought to mind in the way the language is placed on the page and I found myself reading everything rather than skipping the ‘song’ sections as I do in Lord of The Rings or The Hobbit; even when the action really picked up it was as if somewhere just out of view there was a rock guitarist playing some riff to accompany the action. Whereas Clockwork Angels by Kevin J Anderson was music (an album of the same name by Rush) to words, this is a book that could be translated from words to music.
All of the major plotlines end on a cliff-hanger that leaves the reader waiting with baited breath for the final book in this trilogy, hopefully it won’t be as long as the wait has being for The Doors of Stone, book three of The Kingkiller Chronicle. Despite the cliff-hanger endings, unlike so many books that finish in this manner, this one does not leave the reader feeling that the book is unfinished and that the Author decided they’d had enough and sent it off to the publisher as is.
I highly recommend both this book, and the first in the trilogy, for those who love to read this genre. It was expansive, it was epic and it was rich with hidden things that come out when the novel was reread (I have to say I am on my fourth reading of this book). Like an onion with its layers, this second instalment added a depth and richness to the world in which it takes place, and I hope that the Author continues in this way in Book Three. I will definitely be waiting to read the next novel by this Author.
The main protagonists are many in both books, and their stories continue in this one; we see them grow from the children we first met in The Unremembered to adults that are still connected to their inner children at times. I usually go into great detail about my likes and dislikes of characters in the books I read, but with this cast of characters I felt the mixed emotions one has when confronted with Family and all the imperfections they bring with them. At times I just wanted to shake some sense into them and ask ‘why? Just why?’ and at others I was in my full cheerleading garb, pom-poms and all doing high kicks to spur them on. One thing I did find disappointing was the forced humour in the dialogue, this had come so easily in the first book as it does between friends, but in this one it seemed as if they were just trying to keep the humour going at all costs. I am hoping that this stilted humour is more a result of the events the characters have been through up to the end of this novel, and not an indication that the Author has lost his humourous pen. Rather than just continue expanding on characters from the first novel, the Author brings new ones into the storyline, and some that were introduced in Book One become integral to the storyline in this novel.
Unlike Book One, Trial of Intentions is up and moving from the very first chapter; the reader has moments where the pace slows down enough for them to calm their racing pulses before picking up and propelling them through to the very end of the book. Something I was pleased to find in this second instalment that was present in the first was a musical quality that accompanies the writing of this Author; in gentle areas easy listening folk music is brought to mind in the way the language is placed on the page and I found myself reading everything rather than skipping the ‘song’ sections as I do in Lord of The Rings or The Hobbit; even when the action really picked up it was as if somewhere just out of view there was a rock guitarist playing some riff to accompany the action. Whereas Clockwork Angels by Kevin J Anderson was music (an album of the same name by Rush) to words, this is a book that could be translated from words to music.
All of the major plotlines end on a cliff-hanger that leaves the reader waiting with baited breath for the final book in this trilogy, hopefully it won’t be as long as the wait has being for The Doors of Stone, book three of The Kingkiller Chronicle. Despite the cliff-hanger endings, unlike so many books that finish in this manner, this one does not leave the reader feeling that the book is unfinished and that the Author decided they’d had enough and sent it off to the publisher as is.
I highly recommend both this book, and the first in the trilogy, for those who love to read this genre. It was expansive, it was epic and it was rich with hidden things that come out when the novel was reread (I have to say I am on my fourth reading of this book). Like an onion with its layers, this second instalment added a depth and richness to the world in which it takes place, and I hope that the Author continues in this way in Book Three. I will definitely be waiting to read the next novel by this Author.
November 18, 2015
So I'm going to start this review with a brief note on Peter's first book, the Unremembered. I first picked up the Unremembered after meeting Peter a few years ago (so take this review with a grain of salt, because I admit to being biased by his hair - seriously, I'm jealous.) While I enjoyed that book, I understand that some may not find it to their liking as it does follow classic epic fantasy structure fairly strictly until the end, in an effort to give the reader a place of comfort to begin. This is a strategy that other writers have tried in the past and found success with - Robert Jordan made a similar choice with The Eye of the World in the late '80's - beginning at a place of familiarity before taking the reader into new ground. In fact, the Unremembered strongly reminded me of that first volume in the Wheel of Time. Such a strategy can be good for some readers, bad for others, but I felt that Peter's handling of character, voice, and the richness of his detailed world pulled me through.
Trial of Intentions, however, is where Peter begins to diverge and journey into new territory. And with it comes good news for readers who want to skip the small-town-boy-leaves-home-on-epic-quest storyline, because Trial of Intentions can stand all on it's own. (Though I do recommend giving the Author's Definitive Edition of the first book a read, as it moves much faster and begins after the characters have already left home on their quest.) Peter crafted this installment to be a second entry-point into the huge, millennia-spanning world of the Vault of Heaven, and while it clearly separates itself from the classic structure of the first volume, it still follows the same characters, world, and tone of the first novel.
The world of the Vault of Heaven alone is worth picking this book up for. It is a visceral, detailed, richly imagined world where things may not always be as they seem and characters aren't always who you think they are - indeed, aren't even who they think themselves to be. Peter doesn't shy away from the tough questions or difficult ideas, instead forcing us to gaze upon uncomfortable truths and come to terms with them. The answers aren't always pleasant, or even well defined, but the questions are always worth asking. The magic system - steeped heavily in music and musical principles - is one of the strongest elements of Peter's world. I don't know much about music, having never studied it growing up, but Peter's writing makes me want to correct that shortcoming. It's never too late to learn something new, right?
Trial of Intentions, however, is where Peter begins to diverge and journey into new territory. And with it comes good news for readers who want to skip the small-town-boy-leaves-home-on-epic-quest storyline, because Trial of Intentions can stand all on it's own. (Though I do recommend giving the Author's Definitive Edition of the first book a read, as it moves much faster and begins after the characters have already left home on their quest.) Peter crafted this installment to be a second entry-point into the huge, millennia-spanning world of the Vault of Heaven, and while it clearly separates itself from the classic structure of the first volume, it still follows the same characters, world, and tone of the first novel.
The world of the Vault of Heaven alone is worth picking this book up for. It is a visceral, detailed, richly imagined world where things may not always be as they seem and characters aren't always who you think they are - indeed, aren't even who they think themselves to be. Peter doesn't shy away from the tough questions or difficult ideas, instead forcing us to gaze upon uncomfortable truths and come to terms with them. The answers aren't always pleasant, or even well defined, but the questions are always worth asking. The magic system - steeped heavily in music and musical principles - is one of the strongest elements of Peter's world. I don't know much about music, having never studied it growing up, but Peter's writing makes me want to correct that shortcoming. It's never too late to learn something new, right?
November 11, 2015
So, first off, Peter is my friend, however, I will not allow that to sway my opinions here on out, I am a terrible liar and will not do so even to spare someones feelings. I hope to avoid spoilers as well since it seems that I am the only person in the entire world that likes and wants them. Keeping that in mind, Peter tortured me by refusing to tell me ANYTHING!!! Not even the smallest tidbits!!!! It was totally unfair in my not so humble opinion. So needless to say, I was practically foaming at the mouth waiting for this next installment.
I read The Unremembered a few years ago and loved it. The characters were realistic and easy to relate to. His world was much like our own. Not everything is wonderful and nice. A very believable place. Peter is a gifted musician, and it turns out, a gifted writer. In his world, music is magic. Science plays a large role as well. I have learned much more about my friend, how he sees and feels about music, and really,the world around us, by reading about the world in his imagination.
In Trial of Intentions, the journey our characters are taking continues. We get to watch as our characters learn more about themselves and confront personal issues, while working together (even if separately) to keep the world from falling into darkness and to hopefully make it a better place to exist. We get to see their thought and feelings and inner struggles. We watch and feel pain while they are manipulated and controlled. We feel pride as they rise up and blossom into the strong adults we want them to become from the children they once were.
While I strongly recommend reading the books in order, you could really start with either one and not be lost. I can not wait to see where this journey will take us next and I hope the wait, while worth it, will not be as long. Thank you Peter for the hours of entertainment.
I read The Unremembered a few years ago and loved it. The characters were realistic and easy to relate to. His world was much like our own. Not everything is wonderful and nice. A very believable place. Peter is a gifted musician, and it turns out, a gifted writer. In his world, music is magic. Science plays a large role as well. I have learned much more about my friend, how he sees and feels about music, and really,the world around us, by reading about the world in his imagination.
In Trial of Intentions, the journey our characters are taking continues. We get to watch as our characters learn more about themselves and confront personal issues, while working together (even if separately) to keep the world from falling into darkness and to hopefully make it a better place to exist. We get to see their thought and feelings and inner struggles. We watch and feel pain while they are manipulated and controlled. We feel pride as they rise up and blossom into the strong adults we want them to become from the children they once were.
While I strongly recommend reading the books in order, you could really start with either one and not be lost. I can not wait to see where this journey will take us next and I hope the wait, while worth it, will not be as long. Thank you Peter for the hours of entertainment.
September 24, 2016
TRIAL OF INTENTIONS opens with one of the most brutal acts of compassion imaginable, and then goes on to introduce the reader to a world washed in grief and held together by music. I say “introduce” because on the recommendation of the author, I started the series with this book (technically book 2). I had vacillated between the author’s original and preferred editions of book 1 long enough that the sequel was out before I made my decision which to read. That having been said, I do think I would have preferred to start with (either version) of the first book, as TRIAL feels too much like the middle of the tale to be a true introduction.
As a musician, author Orullian has woven song throughout the tapestry of his prose, including sly references to terminology only other musicians will fully appreciate. However, the song this story sings hits closer to the heart than his slightly tongue-in-cheek allusions might suggest. For the chorus of this book is grief, and the refrain is hope. The author writes firsthand of the pain of losing loved ones to the stark landscape of despair and suicide. Yet because of the world he constructs, the glimmer of hope flickers faintly through the darkest shadows on the page. Death, we are told, is not the end, and the annihilistic horror that threatens that premise makes the reader cling all the more tightly to the life to come.
I’m not sure that I would classify TRIAL as an enjoyable read, but rather a poignant one. I would recommend it to fans of “grimdark” fiction, because it is certainly that. But while it might appeal more to fans of Martin than of Tolkien, it may actually have more in common with the latter than one might assume. For throughout the power and gloom of a world steeped in loss and grief, the theme of hope lingers and resonates long after the book is closed.
As a musician, author Orullian has woven song throughout the tapestry of his prose, including sly references to terminology only other musicians will fully appreciate. However, the song this story sings hits closer to the heart than his slightly tongue-in-cheek allusions might suggest. For the chorus of this book is grief, and the refrain is hope. The author writes firsthand of the pain of losing loved ones to the stark landscape of despair and suicide. Yet because of the world he constructs, the glimmer of hope flickers faintly through the darkest shadows on the page. Death, we are told, is not the end, and the annihilistic horror that threatens that premise makes the reader cling all the more tightly to the life to come.
I’m not sure that I would classify TRIAL as an enjoyable read, but rather a poignant one. I would recommend it to fans of “grimdark” fiction, because it is certainly that. But while it might appeal more to fans of Martin than of Tolkien, it may actually have more in common with the latter than one might assume. For throughout the power and gloom of a world steeped in loss and grief, the theme of hope lingers and resonates long after the book is closed.
May 3, 2017
If you are a fan of Rothfuss's "Kingkiller Chronicle" or Jordan's "Wheel of Time", you will find yourself immersed in Aeshau Vaal, the world within the pages of Peter Orullian's epic, "The Vault of Heaven", which began with "The Unremembered".
"The Unremembered" was your traditional fantasy story with a twist – while the young protagonist, Tahn, is thrown out into a strange world and embarks on a journey, he has no memory of his first twelve years of life. The monsters and creatures who invade their world are from a place called the Bourne, which is separated from their realm by a veil of music that is slowly weakening.
"Trial of Intentions", the second book in the series, builds upon the ideas of the first volume on a larger scale. We see glimpses from characters within the Bourne and see that not all of the creatures are as hard-hearted as our main characters make them out to be. We get a glimpse into political intrigue and are shown more of the world's magic – the power of music. It's all connected, building up to a powerful ending that is sure to resonate with you.
"Trial of Intentions" was everything "The Unremembered" was and more. With this one, the world Orullian has created feels much more real and rich.
Peter Orullian is not a big name in the fantasy genre (yet), but he is sure to become your next favorite author. His prose is poetic without being superfluous and the ideas presented in his epic series are coherent and original. How many times have you seen a magic system based on music? Never. That's right, never.
I fell quickly in love with the Vault of Heaven series, and I am eagerly awaiting book 3.
"The Unremembered" was your traditional fantasy story with a twist – while the young protagonist, Tahn, is thrown out into a strange world and embarks on a journey, he has no memory of his first twelve years of life. The monsters and creatures who invade their world are from a place called the Bourne, which is separated from their realm by a veil of music that is slowly weakening.
"Trial of Intentions", the second book in the series, builds upon the ideas of the first volume on a larger scale. We see glimpses from characters within the Bourne and see that not all of the creatures are as hard-hearted as our main characters make them out to be. We get a glimpse into political intrigue and are shown more of the world's magic – the power of music. It's all connected, building up to a powerful ending that is sure to resonate with you.
"Trial of Intentions" was everything "The Unremembered" was and more. With this one, the world Orullian has created feels much more real and rich.
Peter Orullian is not a big name in the fantasy genre (yet), but he is sure to become your next favorite author. His prose is poetic without being superfluous and the ideas presented in his epic series are coherent and original. How many times have you seen a magic system based on music? Never. That's right, never.
I fell quickly in love with the Vault of Heaven series, and I am eagerly awaiting book 3.
October 30, 2023
Well.... I picked this up at a dollar store on a whim. Can't pass up a bargain.
Wow. To be honest, I almost don't have words for how exceptional this is. It was a little slow going in the beginning, probably because this is the second book of a series and I was getting my footing. It took a while to read. Fortunately, I'm not "put off" by long books because this was absolutely worth the time invested. A large cast of characters? Yes. Yet each is fully developed, as is their connection to one another... and to the storyline. What a well written storyline - weaving together astronomy, music, math, physics, myth, science, fantasy and more - seamlessly and most of all believably.
An excellent book and I don't say that lightly. Very well done.
This is my second time reading this as I was finally able to acquire the first book in the series. I do understand the characters, and some of the situations, more, having read the first book, but my prior assessment holds. There are many subtle nuances that are easier to spot this time around. This is not a story to be read quickly. It's to be savored. Perhaps the only thing I can add are ... questions, because I hate cliffhangers and this does leave some threads "hanging" at the end. Despite that, it's still satisfying.
Editing to add: I am in absolute AWE at the amount of research that had to have gone into this book (and the previous one) to make every aspect believable.
This is exceptional.
Wow. To be honest, I almost don't have words for how exceptional this is. It was a little slow going in the beginning, probably because this is the second book of a series and I was getting my footing. It took a while to read. Fortunately, I'm not "put off" by long books because this was absolutely worth the time invested. A large cast of characters? Yes. Yet each is fully developed, as is their connection to one another... and to the storyline. What a well written storyline - weaving together astronomy, music, math, physics, myth, science, fantasy and more - seamlessly and most of all believably.
An excellent book and I don't say that lightly. Very well done.
This is my second time reading this as I was finally able to acquire the first book in the series. I do understand the characters, and some of the situations, more, having read the first book, but my prior assessment holds. There are many subtle nuances that are easier to spot this time around. This is not a story to be read quickly. It's to be savored. Perhaps the only thing I can add are ... questions, because I hate cliffhangers and this does leave some threads "hanging" at the end. Despite that, it's still satisfying.
Editing to add: I am in absolute AWE at the amount of research that had to have gone into this book (and the previous one) to make every aspect believable.
This is exceptional.
November 26, 2015
I loved Peter Orullian writing style from his very first book "The Unremembered" and he did not disappoint me in his continuation of his story in "The Trial of Intention". Peter has the ability to keep the story moving along with just the right ratio of dialogue, narrative, and action. Peter has created a cast of powerful characters that are well developed. These characters are "people", and some you will love and some you will love to hate. One of the most memorable characters is Roth Staned; I hated what he was doing so much in the story that I found myself becoming angry and yelling at the other characters to step in and stop him. I would also like to point out that as in real life there is good even in a group of people perpetrating evil and Peter shows us that side as well in this story. I am probably not doing Peter justice in my review but I will say that I read hundreds of books each year and Peter story is compelling and he has become a writer is on my list of must read authors. This is a series that you will most definitely enjoy.
June 25, 2015
It's with a heavy heart that I write this review...
I loved the first book & awaited 4 years for this one! The first book was a quest/adventure, that moved magically to the end of a great tale. The only resemblance to it is the characters names!
This is all out science & politics! I like political intrigue fantasy aka ASOFI by Martin, but when your first book that hooked readers was a quest book and after 4 years you depart from that formula - I'm at a lost - maybe I'm the only person that feels that way? (All the reviews on this site have been glowing.) Maybe I don't get it?
I loved the first book was bored by the second.......
I loved the first book & awaited 4 years for this one! The first book was a quest/adventure, that moved magically to the end of a great tale. The only resemblance to it is the characters names!
This is all out science & politics! I like political intrigue fantasy aka ASOFI by Martin, but when your first book that hooked readers was a quest book and after 4 years you depart from that formula - I'm at a lost - maybe I'm the only person that feels that way? (All the reviews on this site have been glowing.) Maybe I don't get it?
I loved the first book was bored by the second.......
November 15, 2015
I truly enjoyed Trial of Intentions. It was well worth the wait. The Unremembered was a good book but you can tell that Peter really evolved and grew as an author between publications.
The character development in this book is superb and the pacing is masterful. Chapters would leave me groaning at the end as we switch to different POV's because the story would gather momentum and I would become enveloped in the particular storyline and then bam! Switch. It keeps the readers in anticipation while building separate archs that beg for, nay, demand your complete attention.
I want to explore this world that we have only just been introduced to for many years and many novels to come.
The character development in this book is superb and the pacing is masterful. Chapters would leave me groaning at the end as we switch to different POV's because the story would gather momentum and I would become enveloped in the particular storyline and then bam! Switch. It keeps the readers in anticipation while building separate archs that beg for, nay, demand your complete attention.
I want to explore this world that we have only just been introduced to for many years and many novels to come.
November 17, 2015
The first time through The Unremembered, I had a problem with it. But that is just me, sometimes I have a problem with new authors. A friend recommended that I try it again when the Author's Edition was released. I'm glad I did, because that got me excited for Trial of Intentions.
Peter Orullian is finding his voice as a storyteller, so Trial flowed much better for me than the original version of The Unremembered. It gives me very high hopes for the quality and content of book three.
Also, if you haven't given them a try, the audiobooks read by Peter Gamin are a great way to enjoy the books.
Peter Orullian is finding his voice as a storyteller, so Trial flowed much better for me than the original version of The Unremembered. It gives me very high hopes for the quality and content of book three.
Also, if you haven't given them a try, the audiobooks read by Peter Gamin are a great way to enjoy the books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews