deehaichess's review against another edition
3.0
I found this book a mixed bag. On one hand the action sequences were fantastic - really fast paced and visceral but easy to follow and picture. The plot was also quite good, and, I thought, pretty original (although I won't spoil any enjoyment you might derive from the twist by recounting anything). I found it a bit difficult to get a grasp on the cultures and creatures the author was describing, but that in no way detracted from the soft political thriller aspect of the story, and the earth-magic versus almost enochian-science magic the two main peoples in the story used was really interesting, enough to make me want to know how it was all going to turn out.
But on the other hand... On the other hand, I felt the modern vernacular all the characters used - words like "dude" and "buddy" and "glowstick" and many many many more - just did not help me at all to immerse myself in the world of the story or the described "otherness" of the societies, which was unfortunate. I also would have liked to see more, I guess, emotional depth in terms of the relationship between the two main characters from the two cultures.
These two guys, these frenemies, were so blokey it practically screamed "no homo", ironic since one of them was bi and both were really genuinely accepting of same sex relationships. I just... I was pretty confused by what seemed like a lot of mixed signals, and as a result I felt like their friendship (which hey it's fine to be just friends right?) lacked something intrinsic until almost the very end, where in the midst of one of the most crackling narrative climaxes I've read in a while, I finally felt like they were exhibiting the kind of depth of feeling towards each other that they should have been from at least the half way mark.
But then again, I generally read for emotional content first and everything else second, which is why I say this was a bit of a mixed bag for me, but I can't say it was a bad read. If what you want is a cracking fantasy adventure with a great couple of characters, and with vivid fight scenes, this is probably going to fit your bill with added features.
But on the other hand... On the other hand, I felt the modern vernacular all the characters used - words like "dude" and "buddy" and "glowstick" and many many many more - just did not help me at all to immerse myself in the world of the story or the described "otherness" of the societies, which was unfortunate. I also would have liked to see more, I guess, emotional depth in terms of the relationship between the two main characters from the two cultures.
These two guys, these frenemies, were so blokey it practically screamed "no homo", ironic since one of them was bi and both were really genuinely accepting of same sex relationships. I just... I was pretty confused by what seemed like a lot of mixed signals, and as a result I felt like their friendship (which hey it's fine to be just friends right?) lacked something intrinsic until almost the very end, where in the midst of one of the most crackling narrative climaxes I've read in a while, I finally felt like they were exhibiting the kind of depth of feeling towards each other that they should have been from at least the half way mark.
But then again, I generally read for emotional content first and everything else second, which is why I say this was a bit of a mixed bag for me, but I can't say it was a bad read. If what you want is a cracking fantasy adventure with a great couple of characters, and with vivid fight scenes, this is probably going to fit your bill with added features.
alexanderp's review
4.0
Read the original review here.
It has been a while since I’ve read a good ‘ol sword and sorcery story and I was pretty excited when Matt Spencer sent this e-ARC along and it was a wild ride! CHANGING OF THE GUARDS is a brutal adventure set in a grimdark fantasy world where the land may eat you, while intrigue may stab you in the back for fun.
Captain Severen Gris gets more than he bargains for when given a mission out on the frontier. He is tasked to put down a local group of bandits, but what he ends up stumbling upon, is corruption that goes to the very height of the Spirelight empire instead. Severen finds himself between a rock and a hard place, but he may just hack and slash his way out regardless.
Spencer takes the classic tropes of fantasy in hand, but inverts and re-imagines them. It is truly striking how different this book feels from other sword and sorcery stories. It blends two fantasy sub-genres together; sword/sorcery and grimdark, while also stylized as a more contemporary fantasy all it’s own. The cursing some readers may find to be jarringly realistic since even some of the euphemisms seemed to be pulled from pop culture. Yet, Spencer not only makes this work, but work well. The politics in the book, especially the racial tensions, between characters are specifically poignant.
Gris as a protagonist isn’t exactly new by any standards, as far as being a troubled, but capable fighter. He seems to be guided by a certain set of morals, while often choosing what is best for him and him alone. He certainly walks the line of being anti-hero or a hero, but never fully goes down either line. The other characters that surround him are wonderful though, and here Spencer’s style shines with fleshing out various secondary stories effortlessly.
This is all said without even getting to the rich world-building that is done to create a setting with depth, while politics, economics, and power dynamics push and pull behind the scenes. Not a corner of the Spirelight Empire has been left out in Spencer’s meticulous scene setting. There are some pretty graphic scenes of violence, while also the insinuation/presence of sexual violence as well, so this isn’t one for the kiddos. Yet, if you enjoy fantasy with a flavor of Game of Thrones grey morality, violence, and sex, then this may be your next read.
It has been a while since I’ve read a good ‘ol sword and sorcery story and I was pretty excited when Matt Spencer sent this e-ARC along and it was a wild ride! CHANGING OF THE GUARDS is a brutal adventure set in a grimdark fantasy world where the land may eat you, while intrigue may stab you in the back for fun.
Captain Severen Gris gets more than he bargains for when given a mission out on the frontier. He is tasked to put down a local group of bandits, but what he ends up stumbling upon, is corruption that goes to the very height of the Spirelight empire instead. Severen finds himself between a rock and a hard place, but he may just hack and slash his way out regardless.
Spencer takes the classic tropes of fantasy in hand, but inverts and re-imagines them. It is truly striking how different this book feels from other sword and sorcery stories. It blends two fantasy sub-genres together; sword/sorcery and grimdark, while also stylized as a more contemporary fantasy all it’s own. The cursing some readers may find to be jarringly realistic since even some of the euphemisms seemed to be pulled from pop culture. Yet, Spencer not only makes this work, but work well. The politics in the book, especially the racial tensions, between characters are specifically poignant.
Gris as a protagonist isn’t exactly new by any standards, as far as being a troubled, but capable fighter. He seems to be guided by a certain set of morals, while often choosing what is best for him and him alone. He certainly walks the line of being anti-hero or a hero, but never fully goes down either line. The other characters that surround him are wonderful though, and here Spencer’s style shines with fleshing out various secondary stories effortlessly.
This is all said without even getting to the rich world-building that is done to create a setting with depth, while politics, economics, and power dynamics push and pull behind the scenes. Not a corner of the Spirelight Empire has been left out in Spencer’s meticulous scene setting. There are some pretty graphic scenes of violence, while also the insinuation/presence of sexual violence as well, so this isn’t one for the kiddos. Yet, if you enjoy fantasy with a flavor of Game of Thrones grey morality, violence, and sex, then this may be your next read.
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