A Gamble Of Gods, the debut release from Mitriel Faywood, is a high-quality, action-filled mix of fantasy and science fiction. The novel is tight, polA Gamble Of Gods, the debut release from Mitriel Faywood, is a high-quality, action-filled mix of fantasy and science fiction. The novel is tight, polished, full of humour, and features many exciting and memorable set pieces.
Throughout A Gamble Of Gods, we mainly follow the point of view perspectives of three main characters, each of which are from different timelines in history (and planets too). Kristian is essentially the main character and he is a sort of advanced technology lecturer at an educational establishment in the year 5102. Conor, another key player (pun totally intended), is a womanising, infamous adventurer from the Kingdom of Coroden, and we meet him in the year 1575. The final member of this ensemble is Selena, a seemingly average young lady who struggles with her mental health and finding her place in the world (which in this instance is Earth, 2037).
Creating a cohesive story that combines a classic fantasy world/setting, an extremely high-tech far future, and a familiar almost present reality should not work, it shouldn't gel and it should be too disjointed and awkward. Faywood's a proficient writer who took a gamble with this concept and it works in an admirable fashion in A Gamble Of Gods.
As the story progresses, the main characters' paths cross, initially, in bizarre and exhilarating fashion. The three characters have a unique connection. An empathetic, deep bond that transcends boundaries and possibilities, leading them to really care for, and want to support each other. This bond, I believe, explains two criticisms I could have had with A Gamble Of Gods if I hadn't analysed it this way. Firstly, the three point of view perspectives are each in the first-person, and althought this works well and they are distinct for the majority of the novel, a similar charisma, wit, banter and mannerisms can sometimes be seen across all three. That being said, this could be down to their bonds and their shared feelings and experiences. To me, at least, sometimes the characters' voices blended slightly. Another potential issue is that when these characters do travel to alien and absolutely different realities to which they are used to, they aren't as shocked and amazed as I would be personally, and, again, the reasoning I put behind this is their unity and shared understandings through their special relationship making the transitions more bearable.
I had a really enjoyable reading experience with A Gamble Of Gods and I was excited every time I picked it up to see where this story would go next. There are elements of romance, advanced technology, high fantasy warfare, royal curses, and, most importantly, a talking animal sidekick! The novel features some intense showdowns, political maneuverings, and it contains a few dungeon-crawling segments that reminded me of some LitRPG favourites of mine.
A Gamble Of Gods is the first entry in Faywood's The Order Of The Dragon series and even though this novel is self-contained, the fact there are many more adventures to be had in the author's well-crafted worlds is a very exciting prospect. Faywood shines throughout A Gamble Of Gods, there's a great amount of talent that is fully on show here and I'm intrigued to see where she goes next with this addictive science fiction fantasy adventure.
I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Mitriel Faywood.
Merged review:
A Gamble Of Gods, the debut release from Mitriel Faywood, is a high-quality, action-filled mix of fantasy and science fiction. The novel is tight, polished, full of humour, and features many exciting and memorable set pieces.
Throughout A Gamble Of Gods, we mainly follow the point of view perspectives of three main characters, each of which are from different timelines in history (and planets too). Kristian is essentially the main character and he is a sort of advanced technology lecturer at an educational establishment in the year 5102. Conor, another key player (pun totally intended), is a womanising, infamous adventurer from the Kingdom of Coroden, and we meet him in the year 1575. The final member of this ensemble is Selena, a seemingly average young lady who struggles with her mental health and finding her place in the world (which in this instance is Earth, 2037).
Creating a cohesive story that combines a classic fantasy world/setting, an extremely high-tech far future, and a familiar almost present reality should not work, it shouldn't gel and it should be too disjointed and awkward. Faywood's a proficient writer who took a gamble with this concept and it works in an admirable fashion in A Gamble Of Gods.
As the story progresses, the main characters' paths cross, initially, in bizarre and exhilarating fashion. The three characters have a unique connection. An empathetic, deep bond that transcends boundaries and possibilities, leading them to really care for, and want to support each other. This bond, I believe, explains two criticisms I could have had with A Gamble Of Gods if I hadn't analysed it this way. Firstly, the three point of view perspectives are each in the first-person, and althought this works well and they are distinct for the majority of the novel, a similar charisma, wit, banter and mannerisms can sometimes be seen across all three. That being said, this could be down to their bonds and their shared feelings and experiences. To me, at least, sometimes the characters' voices blended slightly. Another potential issue is that when these characters do travel to alien and absolutely different realities to which they are used to, they aren't as shocked and amazed as I would be personally, and, again, the reasoning I put behind this is their unity and shared understandings through their special relationship making the transitions more bearable.
I had a really enjoyable reading experience with A Gamble Of Gods and I was excited every time I picked it up to see where this story would go next. There are elements of romance, advanced technology, high fantasy warfare, royal curses, and, most importantly, a talking animal sidekick! The novel features some intense showdowns, political maneuverings, and it contains a few dungeon-crawling segments that reminded me of some LitRPG favourites of mine.
A Gamble Of Gods is the first entry in Faywood's The Order Of The Dragon series and even though this novel is self-contained, the fact there are many more adventures to be had in the author's well-crafted worlds is a very exciting prospect. Faywood shines throughout A Gamble Of Gods, there's a great amount of talent that is fully on show here and I'm intrigued to see where she goes next with this addictive science fiction fantasy adventure.
I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Mitriel Faywood....more
DNF at about 30%. Extremely interesting and beautifully written. Struggled to get excited to continue at this point, couldn’t help but feel I had got DNF at about 30%. Extremely interesting and beautifully written. Struggled to get excited to continue at this point, couldn’t help but feel I had got the gist of the book and didn’t want to read another similar 300 pages. I’m glad I read it and will probably come back to and finish when I have more time. A highly quotable and deep, yet unusual book, with some very beautiful and profound moments....more
Arthur is the dramatic and emotional third entry in Giles Kristian's thrilling The Arthurian Tales trilogy. After a striking and moving prologue, ArthArthur is the dramatic and emotional third entry in Giles Kristian's thrilling The Arthurian Tales trilogy. After a striking and moving prologue, Arthur introduces readers to Beran. He is a grizzled old warrior who runs with a group of ruthless mercenaries. Beran is gruff, tough, and does not care much about anything. Give him someone to rob or kill for payment and he will follow orders with no questions asked. That is until his mercenary band are ordered by Queen Morgana to murder a boy. During the skirmish, someone from Beran's past recognises him and this familiar figure's dying plea is for Beran to save the child and take him to Camelot. Camelot is still standing strong against the Saxons whereas the rest of the Dark Isles is succumbing to the onslaught. Beran turns against the group of mercenaries, saving the boy, and they begin a dangerous trek to the legendary stronghold. The child could become someone of great importance and may even spark a small amount of hope in the disillusioned Beran. Throughout Arthur, they are pursued by Saxons, Queen Morgana's forces, and a very pissed-off mercenary captain.
Arthur works as a standalone and, in isolation, is an absorbing and gripping historical fiction read. I have read Lancelot and Camelot however my memories of these books are hazy. If I had read them more recently, I feel it would have increased my enjoyment of Arthur by about five percent. Arthur has two point of view perspectives. The first is the 'present-day' Beran storyline which features characters from mythology such as Saracen warrior Palamedes and the lovers Tristan and Isolde. The other viewpoint is of past events through the eyes of a young Arthur. Here, familiar characters such as Merlin, Gawain, and Uther are present as moments from Arthur's formative years are depicted. As the novel progresses, similarities between a young Arthur and the rescued boy and his potential become clear. As I read further, it became engrossing to try and work out who Beran was in his past life before he was a mercenary and lost faith in humanity. He is a skilled fighter for his age, showcases fine horsemanship, and knew, in some capacity, famous warriors such as Galahad and King Constantine.
Through the two timelines in Arthur, we see Kristian's interpretation of the beginning and the end of this legendary age of warlords, battles, and kings. I was completely absorbed in Kristian's working of this period. It is dark and gritty, and Britain is an uncertain place with many rulers, rival gods, and competing factions. Magic is presented well in Arthur too as the presence of the druids and the messages delivered by omens seeming more grounded in reality than some retellings. However, these occurrences are witnessed as otherworldly and mysterious to the inhabitants of Britain present in Arthur. These elements add to the complicated murkiness of the Britain on show. Furthermore, Kristian's crafted world is hostile and unforgiving, and just because a character is either good or weak does not mean they are entitled to a happy ending.
Arthur contains many features I adore in well-crafted historical fiction tales. For example, there are gripping battles, vendettas to settle, pasts to escape from, a disgruntled protector figure, brotherhoods, friendships, honour and loyalty, and the high costs of fate, expectancy, and the weight of a nation on a set of shoulders. Kristian does some adept foreshadowing throughout the novel and the payoffs that I foresaw were highly satisfying. That being said, the finest moment was a twist I did not see coming. If I had to be more critical, I wish Arthur was longer, more complicated, and the 'present-day' action set over a longer timeframe. However, the immediateness and the pacing make it tough to put Arthur down.
To conclude, the two storylines are skilfully presented and equally important to the novel's incredible and emotional conclusion. Arthur is a moving, atmospheric, and enthralling experience that culminates The Arthurian Tales in the best possible manner....more
An enjoyable thriller. Quite a slow build up and initially I didn’t care for the FBI chapters. Excellent conclusion though and I will probably pick upAn enjoyable thriller. Quite a slow build up and initially I didn’t care for the FBI chapters. Excellent conclusion though and I will probably pick up the next Jack Reacher book in February. ...more
Empire of the Damned continues the bloody and unforgiving tale of the silversaint Gabriel de Leon. Gabriel remains the prisoner of the vampire Margot,Empire of the Damned continues the bloody and unforgiving tale of the silversaint Gabriel de Leon. Gabriel remains the prisoner of the vampire Margot, the Empress of Wolves and Men, and she wishes for the infamous legend's story to be told to future vampire generations. The historian Jean-François is again the chronicler of these events, even though he and Gabriel did not conclude Empire of the Vampire on the most civil terms. Reluctantly, with many inventive swears and sarcastic wit, Gabriel relays the next stages of his heroic and tragic life. The action picks up with Gabriel, Dior Lachance, and a 'deathless bloodmage' contemplating what to do next regarding the vampire assaults and domination of Elidaen, and how they can go about ending the eternal night of daysdeath.
Gabriel dislikes vampires. Throughout this part of his recounting, he has a vendetta to settle with the most powerful vampire in the empire, Fabien Voss. Although Blood Voss are a constant presence and threat to the Silversaint and those he holds dear, Blood Dyvok are the main adversaries in Empire of the Damned. This house contains brutal, seductive, intelligent vampires, intriguing politics and histories, and are mysteriously much more powerful than they have any right to be. They have recently taken hold of the formidable Dun Maergenn and about forty percent of the novel happens within this city's walls.
Empire of the Damned features an almost perfect mix of familiar characters and new exciting players in Kristoff's well-realised fantasy world. A former Silversaint apprentice of Gabriel's and members of Dun Maergenn's court, both vampire and civilian, make great additions. As mentioned, we are presented insight into yet unfamiliar vampire houses, plus revelations regarding skinchangers, and the holy vampiric faction of the Esani. It makes for gripping and detailed worldbuilding as readers learn further details while Gabriel reflects on his escapades.
While recounting his story, one day to be read to the vampire children of this world, the banter and exchanges between Gabriel and the historian are once again top-notch. The back and forth is a battle-of-wits, a multilayered and energetic verbal joust. As per the previous book, Gabriel drinks a fair amount of wine as he dictates but, in his current predicament, the joys in his life are currently limited.
Alongside the present day happenings of Gabriel and Jean-François, Empire of the Vampire presented two distinct storylines at varying stages of the silversaint's illustrious vampire-destroying career. Empire of the Damned focuses on one flashback period, making up most of the narrative and this was welcome to me, getting my teeth into this drama wholeheartedly. I understand the need for many authors to have the formative years sections, especially in the first novels of a series and this was worked proficiently in the previous entry. Kristoff does alter his presentation with how the narrative is delivered at certain points. This was initially unexpected and extremely fulfilling so I will not go into the details. I enjoyed the change in dynamic so much, I would not want to take that moment of realisation away from other readers.
Empire of the Damned delivers many moments of high-intensity, including memorable showdowns, exchanges, and unpredictability, with very little going the way expected or in Gabriel's favour. Certain scenes may arguably be over the top yet Empire of the Damned is an undeniably addictive and fun read. Yes, with some characters' incredible powers of recovery, sometimes it seems as if fights do not have concrete consequences (Gabriel has many broken ribs!). Moreover, when reading it is not always obvious when someone's death means a character is actually dead. These minor points do not take away from the stunning spectacle that is Empire of the Damned. It is a dark fantasy read/experience of the highest quality, with an amazing and tragic finale that is worthy of these well-conceived 700 pages. Fellow Grimdark Magazine reviewer Fiona advised me that she was a 'whirlpool of feelings' when she finished this novel, and I concur, believing that is an excellent way to express post-Empire of the Damned emotions. The next entry in this series cannot come soon enough.
I received advanced review copies in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Harper Voyager and St Martin's Press....more
After reading and being blown away by Matt Wesolowski's Demon in 2021, I am slightly embarrassed that it has taken me this long to return to the Six SAfter reading and being blown away by Matt Wesolowski's Demon in 2021, I am slightly embarrassed that it has taken me this long to return to the Six Stories world. To make matters worse, I am reading the books in the opposite order that they were published. Even with that being the case, I have had an absolute blast devouring Deity, racing through it in a couple of days. Fortunately, each of these novels stands alone and follow a steady and ingenious structure. There are six stories. Six interviews with the enigmatic fictional podcaster Scott King.
"Welcome to Six Stories. I’m Scott King. Over these strange six weeks, we’re delving into something that at its heart, I guess, is a cold case. A fire. Four tragic deaths. Allegations. Rumours, whispers. Like always, we’re raking up old graves."
Deity, Six Stories' 5th entry, is about Zach Crystal. A legendary pop star, who skyrocketed to fame, first as a member of a pop duo, and then as a solo star, arguably becoming the most influential celebrity on the planet. He was a troubled yet charismatic soul, wearing veils and deer antlers to obscure his face whilst having an overall elfish quality. He died in a mysterious fire in his giant tree house, which was part of his secluded forest mansion property. He was fascinated with a mythological Scottish monster called a Frithghast which was a portent of doom. He was adored by legions of loyal fans who worshipped him and were extremely protective of his kooky and can-do-no-wrong persona. He was accused by at least five ladies of sexual assault that occurred when they were children, and there was a horrifying video, footage of which shows two young women before they died in the forest, trying to get closer to their hero. Or, perhaps escape from...
"COMMENTS: Mayfly776: Ew creepy ForzaRadish: Zach Crystal fans are fuckin psychos. TLDR: Stanning Zach Crystal = BAD DEATH Butwhytho: Surely someone has to have looked into this? I mean rly?
B0NN13: Has anyone asked Scott King yet lol?"
The majority of Deity is the back-and-forth podcast interviews. Each discussion is a witness or influential person's take on a crime, event, phenomenon, or mystery that surrounds Zach Crystal. As I heard/read more regarding the events, I was trying to unravel the puzzles and predict the outcomes, engrossed, wearing my amateur sleuth's hat again. One of the interviewees is a loyal Zach Crystal fandom influencer and YouTuber, another is a pedophile hunter who thought he had trapped the popstar, and a further point of view is a member of staff who worked at Zach Crystal's forest mansion. All the viewpoints have different agendas and reasons for showcasing their take on these events to Scott King. Each chapter takes about thirty minutes to read, and there are other mediums peppered throughout, in addition to the podcast introductions and conversations, such as the text of the elusive celebrity's extremely rare interview with the BBC, comment sections on fictional news sites, and descriptions of important video footage.
"I wonder, though, if Zach Crystal himself knew about what had happened, or knew of the rumours that abounded later about Jessica Morton eating her friend’s flesh. We also cannot ignore the horrific parallels between this and the old story of the Frithghast."
The subject matter of Deity is often uncomfortable to read. A mix of spooky and chilling for the horror, mystery, and supernatural elements, as well as disgusting and powerfully dark and dread-inducing in the presentation of the potential for depravity. Deity is thrilling, thought-provoking, and stomach-turning and had me gripped until the end, hoping King was able to find concrete answers about whether or not Zach Crystal was a deity, monster, troubled star, or misunderstood enigma. Events especially heat up by the time the last two stories are divulged. The final exchange, in particular, was phenomenal and revealed just how talented a writer Wesolowski is and how every moment that came prior was designed to add an emotional punch to the novel's superb finale. This is a tale that will linger with me for a while, as only the finest horror stories can....more
In Watcher of the Dead, we join clansman Raif Sevrance as he contemplates what to do next now that he possesses the legendary sword Loss. With Raif's In Watcher of the Dead, we join clansman Raif Sevrance as he contemplates what to do next now that he possesses the legendary sword Loss. With Raif's talents at being able to heart kill and the weapon's God-influenced nature, he can stand as a challenge against the upper-tier monstrosities of the unmade and the Endlords. Raif has endured brutal hardships, has broken oaths, and has seen many people close to him perish. The fact that he has the destined sword does not mean that he goes without burdens, battles, and torture in Watcher of the Dead. If anything, his luck seems to have gotten worse, and although Raif is my favourite character, it is not an easy read to follow his tortuous journey.
I’ve seen what close combat with live steel can do to an army. It’s seldom pretty. The guts. The shit. The blood. Never seen anything like the Red Ice, though. Thirty thousand bodies reduced to parts. Parts. And maybe, just maybe, this sword and the man who wielded it turned certain annihilation into a draw.”
Watcher of the Dead commences fantastically with every single point of view perspective being impactful from the start, utterly gripping, and adding to this already deep fantasy world. Standout viewpoints, again, include the Blackhail chief's wife Raina as she continues with her dedication to return her clan to its former glory, even if that means taking it over from within. As with A Sword from Red Ice, Bram Cormac's adventures are great to witness following the choice he made at the end of the previous book, which linked him up with the Phage ranger, Hew Mallin. The Reach Ash Marsh's storyline felt as if it was filler in the last book, with her travelling from point A to B, yet I have no such complaints here. It was thoroughly enjoyable to share more page time with Ash concerning her integration with the Sull, especially after feeling like she had been relegated to a side character since A Fortress of Grey Ice.
"In many ways his life had been arranged like the checkerboard pattern of the courtyard: black and white, black and white. Stealth, weapons-training, secrets and surveillance were part of the black, part of the life that he’d once believed was his calling. His missions and travels were all in the black. The white . . . The white was gone. Over. Even a child knew that if you burned something to a cinder the only thing left was black."
There is a new point of view perspective that is one of the main threads in Watcher of the Dead, following a character initially acknowledged as Watcher. It transpires that they are a main character who readers are familiar with, presenting the details as they pursue a task that they believe will damn them. This viewpoint is introduced early, is one of the most intense and shows new angles of this fantasy world, its history and mysteries.
With sublime characters such as those mentioned previously, Watcher of the Dead is an absolute gem of a dark fantasy read. At this stage of the Sword of Shadows series, I am invested in a manner that may even surpass how engaged I was with some of my favourite series such as The Realm of the Elderlings and Malazan. The world is brimming to the edge with intrigue, civil wars, dread regarding the threat of the unmade, and puzzles and possibilities. Throughout, my mind is trying to answer questions that are beyond what is revealed on the page. For example, where is Angus Lok's daughter? What has become of Drey Sevrance who has not been seen for almost two books? It is worth noting too that Watcher of the Dead features a fantasy trope that is brilliantly executed. That of "warging" or bonding with an animal companion. This direction was something I did not envisage yet was expertly handled.
Watcher of the Dead takes all of the great qualities and potential that the Sword of Shadows has showcased thus far and hones it masterfully. The novel is thoroughly fantastic with concluding set-pieces being some of the finest in fantasy that I can remember reading. The only viewpoint that drops the stellar standard slightly is that of Ellie Sevrance however even her perspective offers well-presented information about clans, curses, lore, and what could happen next when the Endlords break through the barrier. This is the last of the released novels that J.V. Jones has penned, yet, looking at her Patreon and other articles, I am hoping the wait is almost over for the next entry in this stunning fantasy series....more
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