jefffrane's review against another edition
4.0
Although I enjoyed The Red Knight enormously for its world-building and storytelling, I sat on The Fell Sword for several years without reading it. Like the first novel in the series, it's a fat tale packed with characters but it's far more of an alternative history than fantasy, although there is plenty of magic. There are a number of powerful wizard-y types and a tremendous amount of martial information--weapons, strategies, armor--because the author is obsessive enough on the subject to spend a good deal of his own time in medieval reenactment. There is far less attention given to The Wild, the creature-filled world outside the settled world of humans than in the first book. I was several hundred pages in before I thought I had a comfortable understanding of which of the massive cast of characters I was following at that moment, because subchapters jump from one duke to the next king to the next castle at a dizzying rate, and every character has a plan or a scheme or is busy interfering with someone else's plan and they are all connected. Somehow. By the end of the book, very little has been resolved.
There were times when I would have been happier to have skipped over much of the detail on what people were wearing or why but it would be too likely to then miss a moment that would actually mean something 20 pages on. Where Cameron skimps on description is with his creatures of The Wild. I know some of them are scary-looking but after more than 1000 pages I have only the vaguest notion what a boggle might be. He borrows heavily from actual place names, changing a vowel or two, and this can add to some confusion about where places are in relation to others particularly in terms of distance.
All of which makes the book sound like mush and yet I was caught up with the characters throughout and look forward to reading the next volume. I'm probably not going to wait years to do so.
There were times when I would have been happier to have skipped over much of the detail on what people were wearing or why but it would be too likely to then miss a moment that would actually mean something 20 pages on. Where Cameron skimps on description is with his creatures of The Wild. I know some of them are scary-looking but after more than 1000 pages I have only the vaguest notion what a boggle might be. He borrows heavily from actual place names, changing a vowel or two, and this can add to some confusion about where places are in relation to others particularly in terms of distance.
All of which makes the book sound like mush and yet I was caught up with the characters throughout and look forward to reading the next volume. I'm probably not going to wait years to do so.
kraffa's review against another edition
1.0
Decided the give this series another chance after rating the first book 2 stars yet kept found myself continuously thinking about it.
Gave the audio book a try because I believed it may be easier to get through. I was wrong. I struggled to keep my attention focused on the story and actually found it harder to keep track of the multiple characters. I wish I enjoyed this series but seems it's not for me.
Gave the audio book a try because I believed it may be easier to get through. I was wrong. I struggled to keep my attention focused on the story and actually found it harder to keep track of the multiple characters. I wish I enjoyed this series but seems it's not for me.
cableguy13's review
3.0
Some brilliant sections, dampened by several uninteresting characters and scenarios.
Miles Cameron knows how to write battle scenes. Any time groups of characters come together in a clash of arms, the writing is great. Everyone's position is kept in the reader's eye, and you can sense the danger and the excitement.
Even away from action, there many interesting things going on. The Red Knight (AKA the duke, the megas ducas, Gabriel, the captain... some characters have too many names to remember) is trying to save an emperor and an empire at the same time, while dealing with various infringes, as well as a powerful Mage in his head.
Unfortunately not every plotline is given the attention it deserves, and some are given much more than they deserve. Jean de Vrealliy (AKA the Galle, the Captal, another characters cousin) and his cohorts are sowing seeds of discontent in and around Harndon, killing people and harassing the queen. 'Seeds' is key here, as we see the beginnings of the dispute, and hear of the problems, however it isn't until very late that we really see the issues directly. Showing us the disputes rather than having us hear about it as a report to another character would make it more engaging. On the other hand, characters like Bill Redmede, the Black Knight and Ota Qwan (AKA Peter) are given large sections of print, but their storylines are irrelevant to the immediate plot, and only at the very end is their connection to the overall plot (of the series, that is) made apparent. Before that, however, they are fairly tedious sections of little interest.
Cameron again brings a lot of authenticity to this book, in a way that mostly helps but slightly hinders. He knows what all the types of armour are called, and has no hesitation in referring to it as such. However an inexperienced reader may not know what he is talking about, and can make things a bit confusing sometimes.
Looking forward to the next book. As the overall story is now coming into focus, it will be easier to read certain characters and see their relevance.
Miles Cameron knows how to write battle scenes. Any time groups of characters come together in a clash of arms, the writing is great. Everyone's position is kept in the reader's eye, and you can sense the danger and the excitement.
Even away from action, there many interesting things going on. The Red Knight (AKA the duke, the megas ducas, Gabriel, the captain... some characters have too many names to remember) is trying to save an emperor and an empire at the same time, while dealing with various infringes, as well as a powerful Mage in his head.
Unfortunately not every plotline is given the attention it deserves, and some are given much more than they deserve. Jean de Vrealliy (AKA the Galle, the Captal, another characters cousin) and his cohorts are sowing seeds of discontent in and around Harndon, killing people and harassing the queen. 'Seeds' is key here, as we see the beginnings of the dispute, and hear of the problems, however it isn't until very late that we really see the issues directly. Showing us the disputes rather than having us hear about it as a report to another character would make it more engaging. On the other hand, characters like Bill Redmede, the Black Knight and Ota Qwan (AKA Peter) are given large sections of print, but their storylines are irrelevant to the immediate plot, and only at the very end is their connection to the overall plot (of the series, that is) made apparent. Before that, however, they are fairly tedious sections of little interest.
Cameron again brings a lot of authenticity to this book, in a way that mostly helps but slightly hinders. He knows what all the types of armour are called, and has no hesitation in referring to it as such. However an inexperienced reader may not know what he is talking about, and can make things a bit confusing sometimes.
Looking forward to the next book. As the overall story is now coming into focus, it will be easier to read certain characters and see their relevance.
oursinculte's review against another edition
4.0
Bon, à un moment il faut faire l’effort, il faut avancer les séries qu’on a déjà commencées, soyons sérieux. Tiens, j’avais lu Le chevalier rouge de Miles Cameron, c’était cool, je vais continuer avec sa suite La lame noire…
Oh bordel j’avais oublié qu’il pondait des bouquins de plus de 900 pages !!!
Bon alors, où on en était déjà ? Ah oui, après la grosse baston de Lissen Carak, le monde sauvage a reculé pour laisser un peu nos petits humains respirer. Mais il faut pas s’inquiéter, les humains savent très bien se bastonner tout seul, pas besoin de bestioles bizarres. Par exemple, à Liviapolis, le duc de Thrake s’amuse à enlever l’empereur avec l’aide de toute une armée rebelle. Et c’est qui qui déboule pour les empêcher de prendre la cité et tenter de sauver l’empereur ? La compagnie de notre Chevalier Rouge bien sûr ! Pas de repos pour les braves (et les bourrins). Mais il va falloir la jouer fine pour maintenir la cité sous contrôle, déjouer les assassinats et démasquer les espions. Contrairement au premier tome, on ne sera pas au combat tout le temps, il faudra gérer la vie de la cité, prévoir les approvisionnements, communiquer, jouer au plus fin avec l’adversaire caché.
On a donc beaucoup moins d’affrontements directs dans ce tome 2 mais on ne s’ennuie pas pour autant. Il s’en passe des choses à Liviapolis ! Gabriel va vraiment avoir de quoi s’occuper, il doit défendre la place militairement mais assurer la paye des soldats en maintenant tant bien que mal les routes commerciales. On a parfois l’impression de lire un reportage sur la gestion d’une cité médiévale au lieu d’un roman de fantasy, mais l’auteur arrive quand même à nous emporter là-dedans. Ouais, il est très fort. Ses connaissances et sa passion pour la chose historique sont toujours les piliers de son écriture, il reconstitue avec minutie le moindre détail, l’ambiance, le protocole. Sans parler des batailles ! Y’en a moins, mais y’en a quand même de sacrément belles, on plonge dans la stratégie à grande échelle, la frénésie au contact, la boucherie des face-à-faces où le chevalier y voit rien et sent juste des gros « chboing » contre son armure. C’est tout bonnement génial.
Par contre, on va retrouver le principal défaut du premier tome selon moi : Un nombre beaucoup trop important de points de vue. Pourtant tout ce qui touche à Liviapolis et la compagnie est un régal à suivre avec tous les protagonistes qui participent à cette grosse foire. Mais Miles Cameron va parsemer tout ça de chapitres qui regardent un peu ailleurs : On va suivre Thorn qui prépare ses petits plans et concentre sa cosmo-énergie dans son coin, Jean De Vrailly qui sème la pagaille en Alba, Bill Redmede qui se promène dans la forêt, Nita Qwan qui se promène dans la forêt aussi, Ghause qui danse à poil dans sa chambre parce que c’est rigolo, etc… On est parfois vraiment paumés dans toutes les sous-intrigues qui ne sont pas directement liées à la trame principale. Mais, pire que dans le tome 1, cet éparpillement n’a même pas la politesse de servir à quelque chose avant la fin du livre. C’est simplement la mise en place du tome suivant qui se promène au milieu et c’est parfois un peu relou sur un roman de cette taille.
Mais faire l’effort de supporter cet éparpillement paye quand même, parce que l’univers du Chevalier rouge est un régal. On s’attache à beaucoup de personnages dans l’entourage de la compagnie, on assiste à des petites scènes de détente entre camarades ou à des moments déchirants. Sur le champ de bataille ou dans les ruelles sombres, on suit vraiment beaucoup de personnages avec intérêt. On observe les tensions dans les rangs, le respect des hommes pour leur capitaine, on souffre avec Mag dans le froid, on exulte quand Tom la terreur déboule de nulle part en gueulant « Lachlaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan !!! » (il a même droit à un duel mémorable). L’auteur tisse une toile énorme et nous jette dedans, on est parfois un peu perdus mais on est souvent très très contents d’être là.
Malgré la tendance de l’auteur à un peu trop s’éparpiller et à laisser des sous-intrigues trainer au milieu pour rien, La lame noire est un roman à la fois épique et extrêmement minutieux dans sa reconstitution de la chose médiévale. C’est un long voyage, une histoire très dense mais une grande aventure pour le lecteur.
https://ours-inculte.fr/la-lame-noire/
Oh bordel j’avais oublié qu’il pondait des bouquins de plus de 900 pages !!!
Bon alors, où on en était déjà ? Ah oui, après la grosse baston de Lissen Carak, le monde sauvage a reculé pour laisser un peu nos petits humains respirer. Mais il faut pas s’inquiéter, les humains savent très bien se bastonner tout seul, pas besoin de bestioles bizarres. Par exemple, à Liviapolis, le duc de Thrake s’amuse à enlever l’empereur avec l’aide de toute une armée rebelle. Et c’est qui qui déboule pour les empêcher de prendre la cité et tenter de sauver l’empereur ? La compagnie de notre Chevalier Rouge bien sûr ! Pas de repos pour les braves (et les bourrins). Mais il va falloir la jouer fine pour maintenir la cité sous contrôle, déjouer les assassinats et démasquer les espions. Contrairement au premier tome, on ne sera pas au combat tout le temps, il faudra gérer la vie de la cité, prévoir les approvisionnements, communiquer, jouer au plus fin avec l’adversaire caché.
On a donc beaucoup moins d’affrontements directs dans ce tome 2 mais on ne s’ennuie pas pour autant. Il s’en passe des choses à Liviapolis ! Gabriel va vraiment avoir de quoi s’occuper, il doit défendre la place militairement mais assurer la paye des soldats en maintenant tant bien que mal les routes commerciales. On a parfois l’impression de lire un reportage sur la gestion d’une cité médiévale au lieu d’un roman de fantasy, mais l’auteur arrive quand même à nous emporter là-dedans. Ouais, il est très fort. Ses connaissances et sa passion pour la chose historique sont toujours les piliers de son écriture, il reconstitue avec minutie le moindre détail, l’ambiance, le protocole. Sans parler des batailles ! Y’en a moins, mais y’en a quand même de sacrément belles, on plonge dans la stratégie à grande échelle, la frénésie au contact, la boucherie des face-à-faces où le chevalier y voit rien et sent juste des gros « chboing » contre son armure. C’est tout bonnement génial.
Par contre, on va retrouver le principal défaut du premier tome selon moi : Un nombre beaucoup trop important de points de vue. Pourtant tout ce qui touche à Liviapolis et la compagnie est un régal à suivre avec tous les protagonistes qui participent à cette grosse foire. Mais Miles Cameron va parsemer tout ça de chapitres qui regardent un peu ailleurs : On va suivre Thorn qui prépare ses petits plans et concentre sa cosmo-énergie dans son coin, Jean De Vrailly qui sème la pagaille en Alba, Bill Redmede qui se promène dans la forêt, Nita Qwan qui se promène dans la forêt aussi, Ghause qui danse à poil dans sa chambre parce que c’est rigolo, etc… On est parfois vraiment paumés dans toutes les sous-intrigues qui ne sont pas directement liées à la trame principale. Mais, pire que dans le tome 1, cet éparpillement n’a même pas la politesse de servir à quelque chose avant la fin du livre. C’est simplement la mise en place du tome suivant qui se promène au milieu et c’est parfois un peu relou sur un roman de cette taille.
Mais faire l’effort de supporter cet éparpillement paye quand même, parce que l’univers du Chevalier rouge est un régal. On s’attache à beaucoup de personnages dans l’entourage de la compagnie, on assiste à des petites scènes de détente entre camarades ou à des moments déchirants. Sur le champ de bataille ou dans les ruelles sombres, on suit vraiment beaucoup de personnages avec intérêt. On observe les tensions dans les rangs, le respect des hommes pour leur capitaine, on souffre avec Mag dans le froid, on exulte quand Tom la terreur déboule de nulle part en gueulant « Lachlaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan !!! » (il a même droit à un duel mémorable). L’auteur tisse une toile énorme et nous jette dedans, on est parfois un peu perdus mais on est souvent très très contents d’être là.
Malgré la tendance de l’auteur à un peu trop s’éparpiller et à laisser des sous-intrigues trainer au milieu pour rien, La lame noire est un roman à la fois épique et extrêmement minutieux dans sa reconstitution de la chose médiévale. C’est un long voyage, une histoire très dense mais une grande aventure pour le lecteur.
https://ours-inculte.fr/la-lame-noire/
twerkingtobeethoven's review against another edition
4.0
Not as great as "The Red Knight", but still great. 4.5 stars.
patremagne's review against another edition
4.0
Sorta tough to keep track of everything in audio format with no dramatis personae, but this series is great.
simonmee's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the pacing and grand scale of this book, and I am happy to give it 4 stars, but as I went through the lack of care in character development played on my mind.
Some of the issues came from certain characters resolving/putting on hold what drove them in The Red Knight, particularly Ranald Lachlan and Gavin Muriens. Hopefully they regain purpose later in the series.
I also suspect part of the problem is due to the multiplicity of threads. The actions of some rely on baffling inaction of others. Having plausible reasons for everyone to be in the right place to move the story is understandably difficult but there were occasions where major characters failed to do much.
The King of Alba, whom a number of plots revolve around, gets angry on occasion. That’s about it.
The Duke of Andronicus, who should be a major adversary, gets worried on occasion. That’s about it.
Ser Random, the wealthy merchant taking on very risky venture, advances deus ex machina money on occasion. That’s about it.
As a subclass of this, the female characters serve mainly as plot devices by being healers, suppliers of magical power, or expositioners of new information. All of these activities have little bearing on their actual character development. The author also chose to have female POV sections, putting the onus on him to make them interesting. Generally they are not:
We are told that Sauce is a former prostitute turned knight. The book appears to consider that enough for her to be a fully fleshed character. I’m not expecting the author to tie every (or even any) new interaction with her past but I felt that all the book gave her was her past.
Two of the potentially most interesting POV female characters due to their position and magical power, the Queen of Alba and Ghause, end up being the most boring. We read about their great powers and their schemes. At the end of the book they have undertaken no acts of note to advance the plot and appear primarily as vessels for exposition. Also, they are attractive, which is hammered home regularly.
Irene seizes the throne following the attempted coup at the beginning of the book. Then, despite her new position of power and differing motivations than Gabriel, she proceeds to do nothing other than lurk as a figure of uncertain allegiances/attraction. The book doesn't even bother providing any resolution in her case.
I still have an interest in the series but I worry that character development may fall by the wayside as the pace quickens.
Some of the issues came from certain characters resolving/putting on hold what drove them in The Red Knight, particularly Ranald Lachlan and Gavin Muriens. Hopefully they regain purpose later in the series.
I also suspect part of the problem is due to the multiplicity of threads. The actions of some rely on baffling inaction of others. Having plausible reasons for everyone to be in the right place to move the story is understandably difficult but there were occasions where major characters failed to do much.
The King of Alba, whom a number of plots revolve around, gets angry on occasion. That’s about it.
The Duke of Andronicus, who should be a major adversary, gets worried on occasion. That’s about it.
Ser Random, the wealthy merchant taking on very risky venture, advances deus ex machina money on occasion. That’s about it.
As a subclass of this, the female characters serve mainly as plot devices by being healers, suppliers of magical power, or expositioners of new information. All of these activities have little bearing on their actual character development. The author also chose to have female POV sections, putting the onus on him to make them interesting. Generally they are not:
We are told that Sauce is a former prostitute turned knight. The book appears to consider that enough for her to be a fully fleshed character. I’m not expecting the author to tie every (or even any) new interaction with her past but I felt that all the book gave her was her past.
Two of the potentially most interesting POV female characters due to their position and magical power, the Queen of Alba and Ghause, end up being the most boring. We read about their great powers and their schemes. At the end of the book they have undertaken no acts of note to advance the plot and appear primarily as vessels for exposition. Also, they are attractive, which is hammered home regularly.
Irene seizes the throne following the attempted coup at the beginning of the book. Then, despite her new position of power and differing motivations than Gabriel, she proceeds to do nothing other than lurk as a figure of uncertain allegiances/attraction. The book doesn't even bother providing any resolution in her case.
I still have an interest in the series but I worry that character development may fall by the wayside as the pace quickens.
thinde's review against another edition
4.0
If you managed to wade through the enormous cast and plot complexity of book one then book two should be fine. It's not the sort of story that lets you easily take six-month breaks between books though.
I honestly found it hard to navigate the battle scenes. I should have taken notes.
I honestly found it hard to navigate the battle scenes. I should have taken notes.
t_jenkins's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
soursock's review against another edition
3.0
Same problem as the first book. I loved the red Knight and his companions but the rest of the character's chapters were just boring for me for some reaaon