This Week's Review Of. . .
Be Afraid . . . Be Very Afraid!

Howling Dark

In this, the second book of the Sun Eater Sequence, Hadrian Marlowe’s life begins to spiral out of control. Seeing what happened to him in Empire of Silence, that’s saying something.

Here’s the blurb for Howling Dark:

*******

Hadrian Marlowe is lost.
 
For half a century, he has searched the farther suns for the lost planet of Vorgossos, hoping to discover a way to contact the elusive alien Cielcin. He has pursued false leads for years among the barbarian Normans as captain of a band of mercenaries, but Hadrian remains determined to make peace and bring an end to nearly four hundred years of war.
 
Desperate to find answers, Hadrian must venture beyond the security of the Sollan Empire and among the Extrasolarians who dwell between the stars. There, he will face not only the aliens he has come to offer peace, but contend with creatures that once were human, with traitors in his midst, and with a meeting that will bring him face to face with no less than the oldest enemy of mankind.
 
If he succeeds, he will usher in a peace unlike any in recorded history. If he fails, the galaxy will burn.

*******

Hadrian Marlowe wakes from cryo-sleep to find himself light-years further away from the Empire’s clutches, and one step closer to discovering the location of elusive Vorgossos. And therein lies the rub. On every occasion he thinks he’s gained vital information, he discovers those clues to be nothing but smokescreens and illusions that do nothing but lead him along divergent paths.

However, those trials and tribulations serve another, just as important purpose. They notify ‘strange & terrifying powers’ of Hadrian’s existence. Drawn into a web of dread and shocking potential, Hadrian Marlowe is beset by doubts and indecision. Yet he is matured by his experiences. So much so, that when hard decisions have to be made, he isn’t slow in stepping up.

The thing is, stepping up puts him directly in harm’s way. And in this adventure, Hadrian Marlowe is ever beset by the potential for great harm. From the Empire, who view him as an embarrassment to be silenced; from the Cielcin, who, despite his earnest desire for peace, look on all humans as chaff to be reaped; from long-dead legends who have no right to be alive; from diabolical nightmares who have never known the fragility of flesh and blood; and even from his closest friends.

Yes, death is Hadrian Marlowe’s closest friend. And it’s astonishing how things work out for him when that specter comes-a-calling, for ‘something’ has Hadrian in its cosmos-spanning eye, and he has a task to accomplish before it’s/they’re done with him.

As I mentioned in my review of Empire of Silence, this awesomely epic space opera portrays the scope of Frank Herbert’s, Dune; The scale of Arthur C. Clarkes, 2001: A Space Odyssey; and the poignant message conveyed in Barry B. Longyear’s, Enemy Mine.

It’s magnificent stuff, is better than the first book, and will keep you engrossed from beginning to end.

Bravo, Christopher Ruocchio. Bravo indeed!

Amazon Review

Lockdown Distractions

Still Completely Sane

 This coming week's diversions are:

Something Old

Something New

Should be fun!

 Where No Man

(Including Simon and Garfunkel)

Has Gone Before

Empire of Silence

This is the first book I’ve read by Christopher Ruocchio. And if the Empire of Silence is anything to go by, it certainly won’t be the last. Take a peek at the introduction to this story:

*******
It was not his war.

The galaxy remembers him as a hero: the man who burned every last alien Cielcin from the sky. They remember him as a monster: the devil who destroyed a sun, casually annihilating four billion human lives—even the Emperor himself—against Imperial orders.

But Hadrian was not a hero. He was not a monster. He was not even a soldier.

On the wrong planet, at the right time, for the best reasons, Hadrian Marlowe starts down a path that can only end in fire. He flees his father and a future as a torturer only to be left stranded on a strange, backwater world.

Forced to fight as a gladiator and navigate the intrigues of a foreign planetary court, Hadrian must fight a war he did not start, for an Empire he does not love, against an enemy he will never understand.

*******

Yes, Hadrian Marlowe is a man born to power and privilege. Yet, he sees such things as a living hell, and yearns to break free of the shackles chaining him to an unbalanced institution that panders to a privileged elite, while fighting a 300 year old war against the Cielcin. The society he was born into is rigidly indoctrinated by the elitism imposed by the Chantry, and enforced by the Emperor and his legions. Such elitism does nothing but to rob everyday citizens of their humanity and simple decency.

Hadrian realizes this, for he possesses something rarely seen in this far-future empire. A conscience. He knows things need to change and longs to travel the vast expanse of the stars in order to seek answers to questions that should have been asked long, long ago.

So he decides to do something about it . . . or at least, he tries to.

As a result, he is rendered excomminicado, his inheritance as first in line to his family’s wealth and power simply wiped away; he’s sent into exile; sold into slavery; ends up begging on the streets of an impoverished backwater planet; fighting as gladiator fodder in the colosso.

And just when he’s on the verge of throwing in the towel, discovers something that truly captures his heart and soul: clues as to the origins of life in the universe. And far from the rhetoric spouted by the Chantry, it isn’t anything to do with humanity. Oh no. Something more ancient and vaster than mankind can possibly imagine once used the cosmos as its playing ground. And humans?

Well, that remains to be seen.

Be warned. Empire of Silence is a lengthy tome. But it’s well worth the commitment it takes to read it. Ruocchio is an accomplished world builder, and weaves a rich tapestry of far-future, galaxy spanning expansion that maintains a brisk yet steady pace throughout, without losing the personal touch.

The main characters are detailed and credible. You can relate to – or hate – them in equal measure, while the supporting cast, though many and varied, add attention to detail that adds credibility to the star system spanning arena in which the story is set.

While reading, I was distinctly reminded of the scope of Frank Herbert’s, Dune; The scale of Arthur C. Clarkes, 2001: A Space Odyssey; and the poignant message conveyed in Barry B. Longyear’s, Enemy Mine.

It’s great, epically proportioned stuff, and will keep you turning the pages in your haste to find out what happens next. (And in all honesty, it’s a great way to while away the never-ending lockdown hours)

Amazon Review

 Cookie Anyone?

Refresh your memory of my last visit to the After Rot cafe, where we mulled over the meaning of cookies, munched on life, giggled like schoolboys, and pretty much took a long-distance break from the lockdown.

(Pretty much sums life up eh?)

After Rot

 Lockdown Distractions

(My Sanity Teeters on the Edge of an Abyss)

To help focus my fragile mind, I'll be mixing it up with - to myself, at any rate - favorites slanted on the "something old and something new" idiom.

This weeks diversions are brought to you, courtesy of. . .

Something Old

Something New

See you on the other side :)

 See How I Contended With The. . .

The Queen of Storms

I’ve been looking forward to volume two of the Firemane Saga, and have to say, I wasn’t disappointed.

*******

Hatushaly and his young wife Hava have arrived in the prosperous trading town of Beran’s Hill to restore and reopen the fire-damaged Inn of the Three Stars. They are also preparing for the popular midsummer festival, where their friends Declan and Gwen will be wed.

But Hatu and Hava are not the ordinary loving couple they appear to be. They are assassins from the mysterious island of Coaltachin, home to the powerful and lethal Nocusara, the fearsome “Hidden Warriors.” Posing as innkeepers, they are awaiting instructions from their masters in the Kingdom of Night.

Hatu conceals an even more dangerous secret. He is the last remaining member of the legendary Firemanes, the ruling family of Ithrace. Known as the Kingdom of Flames, Ithrace was one of the five greatest realms of Tembria, ruled by Hatu’s father, Stervern Langene, until he and his people were betrayed. His heir, Hatu—then a baby—was hidden among the Nocusara, who raised him to become a deadly spy.

Hatu works hard to hide his true identity from all who would seek to use or to destroy him, as fate has other plans for the noble warrior. Unexpected calamity forces him to make choices he could not have dreamed awaited him.

A series of horrific events shatters the peace of Beran’s Hill, bringing death and devastation and unleashing monstrous forces. Once more, the Greater Realms of Tembria are threatened—and nothing will ever be the same again.

*******

The story itself adopts a clever balance. It reveals more about Hatu, Hava and Declan; their evolving personalities; their relationship with each other and those around them; the true motivating factors in their lives – which seem to be changing the longer time goes on. And it also expands on the hints we received in the first book of a much larger picture: Was Lodavico acting out of pure narcissism when he betrayed the Firemane’s and tried to end their line, or were other players involved? Who is the real driving force behind the Church of the One? Exactly where do the foreign invaders come from and what is their actual agenda?

And how on earth are the ancient guardians of the Firemane’s, the Flame Guard, going to counter this growing threat. I mean . . . can they?

Yes, there’s a lot going on in the world of Garn – and beyond – it seems. But once again, Raymond E. Feist demonstrates why he’s an international bestseller of epic fantasy. The Queen of Storms is a masterclass in taking your time to fully introduce your characters, and how to gradually introduce the threads that will bind your story arc together in a way that keeps everything tight. The pace is steady throughout; our protagonists and antagonists as complex and engaging as ever; and the attention to detail is superb.

And the tease?

That’s as subtle as always. Feist creates an atmosphere of intrigue and growing tension that builds and builds . . . and keeps building, so that you’re always eager to keep the pages turning. I want more!

A most excellent sequel and a taste of even better things to come.

Amazon Review

 Hot off the Press

My First Review of 2021

The Burning God

As I come to the end of this ambitious trilogy, I think it only fitting to share a little reminder of what has gone before. Here’s the blurb from the inside cover:

*******

After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead.

Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much – the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges – and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation. 

Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners.

As her power and influence grows, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s voice, urging her to burn the world and everything in it?

*******

That sets the scene nicely for the review, as I’m determined NOT to slip up with any spoilers.

Rin’s journey has been long and arduous. She started out as a despised orphan; became one of Sinegard’s military elite; was bowled over by the discovery of her shamanic gifts; horrified by the desolation she could unleash; devastated by her descent into opium addiction; cast out as outlaw and renegade . . . until the tide appeared to turn and she was lured into the service of a powerful warlord who uses her talents to his own advantage, only to throw her to the wolves as an expendable tool that has no place in the world he envisioned.

Yes, Rin’s life has been a headlong plunge down the rapides, where every rise and fall, every submerged rock and hidden whirlpool, every twist and turn has molded her into the person she is now: a woman capable of rising in power and influence, but one who fights a constant battle to retain her humanity. She’s experienced the power of the Phoenix, and it is an addiction far deeper, far more insidious than anything a poppy can produce. A stark and ever-present problem, seeing as how she is so driven by vengeance. Thankfully, that yearning to burn everything under creation is tempered by a small group of friends.

But for how long?

Kuang deftly incorporates this dilemma into the very real pace of a countrywide war, fought over difficult terrain. (And in this, she deserves a lot of credit).

War isn’t all blood n’ guts and nonstop action and glory. It’s often long, boringly irritating and arduous. Kuang deftly weaves this strange ebb and flow into the story arc to present us with an incredibly accurate depiction of Rin’s war of attrition. There’s the slow build up during long, grueling marches. A gathering of momentum. Repeated anticlimaxes. Short, sharp bursts of activity when an actual battle erupts. The adrenaline dump of the aftermath. The gradual realization of how little victory can accomplish, especially when you’re trying to juggle an ever-expanding web of logistical nightmares with the needs of a displaced or conquered community.

Yes, these riptides and countercurrents are superbly portrayed, as Kuang manages to weave them into actual ancient Chinese history, ethics, war strategy and politics. The end result being a superbly challenging story that brings a truly operatic production to its finale.

As ever, Kuang’s characters are wholly believable and as tragically flawed as the folks you meet in real life. Their strengths and weaknesses are utilized, to deliver a dark, imaginative and brutally uncompromising story of what can happen to the best of us when you try to fight a war on two fronts. (NO SPOILERS).

That’s why the ending is inevitable. THAT’S why the ending is perfect.

Don’t miss The Burning God. It’s symphonic fantasy at its best!

Amazon Review