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adperfectamconsilium's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Look Of A King
'I find that sharp blades often lead to sharp words, and this is a day for peace.'
Fantasy is a genre renowned for chunky books and epic long running series so the question is, can an independently published fantasy clocking in at less than 300 pages possibly compete?
Well, if you want an exciting, fast paced adventure in a believable medieval setting with wonderful characters, court intrigue, feudal politics and boundary disputes, battle scenes and clever plot twists, then not only can it compete but it deserves a place in your fantasy collection.
The two main protagonists are Cyrus, a young storyteller from the Lowlands, and Prince Augustus, first in line to the throne.
They are poles apart and yet have some subtle similarities in characteristics and watching these two characters develop throughout the story changed the way I felt about them throughout, which, to me, is a sign of good writing.
The supporting cast is great. I particularly liked Garrett, the King's Shield, and Queen Mathilde, from a neighbouring province, a strong female looked up to by the men around her.
The writing is easy to read, flows well and is intelligent and engaging.
A ripping fantasy yarn. Highly recommended.
📚📚📚📚📚
No Place For Peace
'It was early evening, and the sky was orange with a dash of red, as if hinting at the blood that had been spilled.'
Following on from events in The Look of A King this is the second book in the Pillars of Peace trilogy and it's an absolute joy to read it in this special compiled edition from @thebrokennbinding
It's also a joy to read because this is an amazing fantasy tale.
Set in a medieval land full of adventure, intrigue, danger, feudal politics, battles and warfare, I couldn't wait to get back into this world and follow Cyrus and many other characters on this fast paced read.
You do need to read TLOAK before moving onto No Place for Peace but you will be glad you did.
This time the plot offers even more twists and turns and surprises. Although the plot moves as quickly as its predecessor this book shows the growth of the author.
The characters become more defined. More real. There's one character in particular that I hated in the first book. We're supposed to hate him but he was verging on a pantomime villain, whereas here we get to know his thoughts and feelings. We can hate his choices but understand his motivation. There's even the possibility of redemption and maybe a chance he will earn respect from some readers.
Turning a villain into a three dimensional character in this way is quite a skill and it happens subtly. Nothing is forced and we're left to make our own conclusions and opinions.
There are also some lovely turns of phrase throughout the plot as per the quote above. Descriptive, almost poetic, and yet linking to events in the book.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
📚📚📚📚📚
Where Heroes Were Born
'Battle was where heroes were born. Where mere men were immortalised. Where acts of heroism could elevate a common soldier into the upper echelons of society.'
The third book in the trilogy takes up the story a few years after the events in the previous books. As such I'll stay away from specifics to avoid spoilers.
The main difference with this novel is that it's structured to tell the story from various characters points of view with Cyrus' sister taking on one of the main roles.
It's a step up in terms of the writing in being able to inhabit different people and see events through their eyes.
The scope of the story is also bigger as it once again expands upon the fantasy world we've been introduced to so far with added sea voyages and pirate action.
It's fast paced, exciting story telling with heroes to root for.
It's full of family love, treachery & lies, action & intrigue, loyalty & honour.
It's a fitting conclusion to the trilogy with some emotional surprises along the way.
Highly recommended. This does indeed show what makes a hero whether in life or death.
'I find that sharp blades often lead to sharp words, and this is a day for peace.'
Fantasy is a genre renowned for chunky books and epic long running series so the question is, can an independently published fantasy clocking in at less than 300 pages possibly compete?
Well, if you want an exciting, fast paced adventure in a believable medieval setting with wonderful characters, court intrigue, feudal politics and boundary disputes, battle scenes and clever plot twists, then not only can it compete but it deserves a place in your fantasy collection.
The two main protagonists are Cyrus, a young storyteller from the Lowlands, and Prince Augustus, first in line to the throne.
They are poles apart and yet have some subtle similarities in characteristics and watching these two characters develop throughout the story changed the way I felt about them throughout, which, to me, is a sign of good writing.
The supporting cast is great. I particularly liked Garrett, the King's Shield, and Queen Mathilde, from a neighbouring province, a strong female looked up to by the men around her.
The writing is easy to read, flows well and is intelligent and engaging.
A ripping fantasy yarn. Highly recommended.
📚📚📚📚📚
No Place For Peace
'It was early evening, and the sky was orange with a dash of red, as if hinting at the blood that had been spilled.'
Following on from events in The Look of A King this is the second book in the Pillars of Peace trilogy and it's an absolute joy to read it in this special compiled edition from @thebrokennbinding
It's also a joy to read because this is an amazing fantasy tale.
Set in a medieval land full of adventure, intrigue, danger, feudal politics, battles and warfare, I couldn't wait to get back into this world and follow Cyrus and many other characters on this fast paced read.
You do need to read TLOAK before moving onto No Place for Peace but you will be glad you did.
This time the plot offers even more twists and turns and surprises. Although the plot moves as quickly as its predecessor this book shows the growth of the author.
The characters become more defined. More real. There's one character in particular that I hated in the first book. We're supposed to hate him but he was verging on a pantomime villain, whereas here we get to know his thoughts and feelings. We can hate his choices but understand his motivation. There's even the possibility of redemption and maybe a chance he will earn respect from some readers.
Turning a villain into a three dimensional character in this way is quite a skill and it happens subtly. Nothing is forced and we're left to make our own conclusions and opinions.
There are also some lovely turns of phrase throughout the plot as per the quote above. Descriptive, almost poetic, and yet linking to events in the book.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
📚📚📚📚📚
Where Heroes Were Born
'Battle was where heroes were born. Where mere men were immortalised. Where acts of heroism could elevate a common soldier into the upper echelons of society.'
The third book in the trilogy takes up the story a few years after the events in the previous books. As such I'll stay away from specifics to avoid spoilers.
The main difference with this novel is that it's structured to tell the story from various characters points of view with Cyrus' sister taking on one of the main roles.
It's a step up in terms of the writing in being able to inhabit different people and see events through their eyes.
The scope of the story is also bigger as it once again expands upon the fantasy world we've been introduced to so far with added sea voyages and pirate action.
It's fast paced, exciting story telling with heroes to root for.
It's full of family love, treachery & lies, action & intrigue, loyalty & honour.
It's a fitting conclusion to the trilogy with some emotional surprises along the way.
Highly recommended. This does indeed show what makes a hero whether in life or death.
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