glowbump's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
mferrante83's review
4.0
The sequel to 2012′s Scourge of the Betrayer opens the world up quite a bit. Jeff Salyard’s expands upon the Syldoon and their culture giving readers a more in depth look at the culture and society that produced Captain Killcoin and his brothers. Picking up bare moments after the first novel Veil of the Deserter’s see’s historian/narrator Arki and his Syldoon employers holed up in an inn nursing over Captain Killcoin who still suffers under the grievous effects of his flail, Bloodsounder. With the loss of Lloi in the previous novel the Syldoon are desperately searching for a new witch to help the Captain deal with stolen memories that Bloodsounder forces upon its wielder. Unfortunately for the band of soldiers they are instead found by a pair of Syldoon memory witches, one of which is Captain Killcoin’s sister Soffjian. While part of the Syldoon power structure the members of Captain Killcoin’s company view the memory witches with distrust a fact compounded by the obvious bad blood between Captain Killcoin and his sister.
While I enjoyed the Scourge of the Betrayer, Salyards focused on action over world building which left the novel feeling a little bit incomplete. Veil of the Deserters actually manages to up the ante on the action, moving at a furious pace, while somehow managing to provide a depth and detail to Salyard’s world that was not present in the first book. Soffjian’s arrival allows for Salyards to explore Captain Killcoin’s past, the nature of the Syldoon Empire, and as the company begins making its way back home the nature of Syldoon society at large. The revelation about what Captain Killcoin was sent to do during his mission makes way for the exploration of the more distant history of the world and the nature of Bloodsounder itself. Hell, Salyard’s even gives readers a description of how Captain Killcoin and his men came to acquire Bloodsounder. All of this backstory and world building is accomplished in lockstep with furious and dangerous action as the Slydoon make their way home while avoiding enemies made in Scourge of the Betrayer, towards a fate and confrontation full of import and danger.
In addition to providing some thrilling action set pieces such as unleashing a velociraptor like bird to serve as distraction to cover the company’s escape; slaughtering an entire guardpost, to capturing an important religious figure Veil of Deserters features some standout dialogue. Particularly when it comes to Captain Killcoin, Hewspear, Vendurro, and Mulldoos Salyards imbues their dialogue with sense of humor combined with an almost erudite verbosity that is enjoyable to read even if it somewhat surprising when coming out of the mouths of soldiers. While the soldiers don’t exactly sound like soldiers the idea that the novel is being narrated by an educated man, Arki, lends credence to the notion that what we are reading has been filtered through the experiences of someone more educated. The novel is fixed from Arki’s point of view and that fact definitely colors everything the reader experiences.
Veil of Deserters is a sizable improvement on a novel whose were only minimal to start with. Salyards has improved his craft in the two years between Scourge of the Betrayer and Veil of the Deserters and while the novel still shows its “grimdark” roots it evinces a more nuanced approach and offers a more robust playground for characters and readers alike. Salyards still dances around information about the titular Deserters (the gods who abandoned the world) hinting at a time when magic was less subtle than it currently is. The title does feel like a bit of a trick, the Veil mentioned in the title is an actually place that isn’t actually visited in the novel, though I feel like the next novel might delve more deeply into the Deserter Gods. I for one hope we don’t have to wait another two years for the next novel as more than anything else Veil of the Deserters has left me hungry for more.
While I enjoyed the Scourge of the Betrayer, Salyards focused on action over world building which left the novel feeling a little bit incomplete. Veil of the Deserters actually manages to up the ante on the action, moving at a furious pace, while somehow managing to provide a depth and detail to Salyard’s world that was not present in the first book. Soffjian’s arrival allows for Salyards to explore Captain Killcoin’s past, the nature of the Syldoon Empire, and as the company begins making its way back home the nature of Syldoon society at large. The revelation about what Captain Killcoin was sent to do during his mission makes way for the exploration of the more distant history of the world and the nature of Bloodsounder itself. Hell, Salyard’s even gives readers a description of how Captain Killcoin and his men came to acquire Bloodsounder. All of this backstory and world building is accomplished in lockstep with furious and dangerous action as the Slydoon make their way home while avoiding enemies made in Scourge of the Betrayer, towards a fate and confrontation full of import and danger.
In addition to providing some thrilling action set pieces such as unleashing a velociraptor like bird to serve as distraction to cover the company’s escape; slaughtering an entire guardpost, to capturing an important religious figure Veil of Deserters features some standout dialogue. Particularly when it comes to Captain Killcoin, Hewspear, Vendurro, and Mulldoos Salyards imbues their dialogue with sense of humor combined with an almost erudite verbosity that is enjoyable to read even if it somewhat surprising when coming out of the mouths of soldiers. While the soldiers don’t exactly sound like soldiers the idea that the novel is being narrated by an educated man, Arki, lends credence to the notion that what we are reading has been filtered through the experiences of someone more educated. The novel is fixed from Arki’s point of view and that fact definitely colors everything the reader experiences.
Veil of Deserters is a sizable improvement on a novel whose were only minimal to start with. Salyards has improved his craft in the two years between Scourge of the Betrayer and Veil of the Deserters and while the novel still shows its “grimdark” roots it evinces a more nuanced approach and offers a more robust playground for characters and readers alike. Salyards still dances around information about the titular Deserters (the gods who abandoned the world) hinting at a time when magic was less subtle than it currently is. The title does feel like a bit of a trick, the Veil mentioned in the title is an actually place that isn’t actually visited in the novel, though I feel like the next novel might delve more deeply into the Deserter Gods. I for one hope we don’t have to wait another two years for the next novel as more than anything else Veil of the Deserters has left me hungry for more.
pagesofash's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
seak's review against another edition
4.0
Veil of the Deserters is one of those sequels I've been dying to get my hands on. Salyards created this captivating world through the eyes of his protagonist, Arkamandos (Arki), and then made us wait two years to see more! Not only that, Scourge of the Betrayer, book one of Bloodsounder's Arc, was relatively short. It gave us a number of answers, but it left so much untold. I just knew the sequel would take this series to the next level ... or kill it.
Veil of the Deserters killed it ... wait, I mean took it to the next level by killing it in the best way possible.
In Scourge, we only just find out the smallest bit about the Syldoons and their mission. In Veil, things are opened up wide and suddenly the story is completely different. The Syldoon are pulled out to return to the capital, but their mission is nowhere near completion. Facing the undesirable question of losing all their progress or angering the Emperor Cynead is only the beginning of their problems.
Veil is yet again told through the eyes of Arki, who also happens to be curious to a fault. This gives us answers as readers, but also leaves us in his shoes to flounder through mystery after mystery.
One of the best parts of this sequel was that we not only get to see more of the world as the Syldoon head back home, but we get a look into the magics. The Memoridons are a force all their own and independently powerful, with a form of mind magic. It's hard to tell where their loyalties lie and they bring a lot into the story.
In the end, I'm dying to read more of this series.
Jeff, you're work called me and said you're fired. No, don't ask why they called me, they just did. Oh, and so did all employers everywhere, which means there's nothing else for you to look for. There's just no chance, I already heard from them. What's with all the questions? Trust me.
So ... I guess you have to make ends meet solely through writing. Please write more, right now. I can't get enough.
4.5 out of 5 Stars (very highly recommended)
Veil of the Deserters killed it ... wait, I mean took it to the next level by killing it in the best way possible.
In Scourge, we only just find out the smallest bit about the Syldoons and their mission. In Veil, things are opened up wide and suddenly the story is completely different. The Syldoon are pulled out to return to the capital, but their mission is nowhere near completion. Facing the undesirable question of losing all their progress or angering the Emperor Cynead is only the beginning of their problems.
Veil is yet again told through the eyes of Arki, who also happens to be curious to a fault. This gives us answers as readers, but also leaves us in his shoes to flounder through mystery after mystery.
One of the best parts of this sequel was that we not only get to see more of the world as the Syldoon head back home, but we get a look into the magics. The Memoridons are a force all their own and independently powerful, with a form of mind magic. It's hard to tell where their loyalties lie and they bring a lot into the story.
In the end, I'm dying to read more of this series.
Jeff, you're work called me and said you're fired. No, don't ask why they called me, they just did. Oh, and so did all employers everywhere, which means there's nothing else for you to look for. There's just no chance, I already heard from them. What's with all the questions? Trust me.
So ... I guess you have to make ends meet solely through writing. Please write more, right now. I can't get enough.
4.5 out of 5 Stars (very highly recommended)
beau_kemp's review
5.0
Very impressed, and very upset I can't have the next book yet! I really enjoyed both books. I'd put them in my top 10 of the year, and I've read over 50 books this year.
colonelkillgore's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
vailynst's review
4.0
I made a point of listening to various parts of this book several times before considering myself done. I wasn't sure how I wanted to rate the book. My initial response was to give it a three because not a lot happens in it. Right now, I feel like I should give it a 3.5 stars and rounding it up to 4. I rarely round up.
In the first book of the Bloodsounder's Arc, I really enjoyed the way information was pieced out in small portions to the reader. That made me pay attention to all of the details because you never knew when something important will show up.
My own expectations for this book made me not like this story as much as I could. I had this idea that a similar parceling out of information would happen in this book. That does happen--sort of. The overall mini-arc for this novel is very straight forward and does not have the layers that were apparent in the first. If I judged the story for itself, it deserves four stars because it's a solid story from start to finish. Yet, I had a few nagging ideas that started to bug me halfway into this book. I don't want to be right. I went and listened to the story again. I'm pretty sure my hunches are right.
The world, characters and plot lines have so much potential that I have expectations for the series. I'm not sure if they will be met. I'm going to adjust my perspective a bit and dive into the last book of this series. I know at least one aspect of the story will be concluded. Let's see how that comes about.
In the first book of the Bloodsounder's Arc, I really enjoyed the way information was pieced out in small portions to the reader. That made me pay attention to all of the details because you never knew when something important will show up.
My own expectations for this book made me not like this story as much as I could. I had this idea that a similar parceling out of information would happen in this book. That does happen--sort of. The overall mini-arc for this novel is very straight forward and does not have the layers that were apparent in the first. If I judged the story for itself, it deserves four stars because it's a solid story from start to finish. Yet, I had a few nagging ideas that started to bug me halfway into this book. I don't want to be right. I went and listened to the story again. I'm pretty sure my hunches are right.
The world, characters and plot lines have so much potential that I have expectations for the series. I'm not sure if they will be met. I'm going to adjust my perspective a bit and dive into the last book of this series. I know at least one aspect of the story will be concluded. Let's see how that comes about.
vailynst's review against another edition
4.0
I made a point of listening to various parts of this book several times before considering myself done. I wasn't sure how I wanted to rate the book. My initial response was to give it a three because not a lot happens in it. Right now, I feel like I should give it a 3.5 stars and rounding it up to 4. I rarely round up.
In the first book of the Bloodsounder's Arc, I really enjoyed the way information was pieced out in small portions to the reader. That made me pay attention to all of the details because you never knew when something important will show up.
My own expectations for this book made me not like this story as much as I could. I had this idea that a similar parceling out of information would happen in this book. That does happen--sort of. The overall mini-arc for this novel is very straight forward and does not have the layers that were apparent in the first. If I judged the story for itself, it deserves four stars because it's a solid story from start to finish. Yet, I had a few nagging ideas that started to bug me halfway into this book. I don't want to be right. I went and listened to the story again. I'm pretty sure my hunches are right.
The world, characters and plot lines have so much potential that I have expectations for the series. I'm not sure if they will be met. I'm going to adjust my perspective a bit and dive into the last book of this series. I know at least one aspect of the story will be concluded. Let's see how that comes about.
In the first book of the Bloodsounder's Arc, I really enjoyed the way information was pieced out in small portions to the reader. That made me pay attention to all of the details because you never knew when something important will show up.
My own expectations for this book made me not like this story as much as I could. I had this idea that a similar parceling out of information would happen in this book. That does happen--sort of. The overall mini-arc for this novel is very straight forward and does not have the layers that were apparent in the first. If I judged the story for itself, it deserves four stars because it's a solid story from start to finish. Yet, I had a few nagging ideas that started to bug me halfway into this book. I don't want to be right. I went and listened to the story again. I'm pretty sure my hunches are right.
The world, characters and plot lines have so much potential that I have expectations for the series. I'm not sure if they will be met. I'm going to adjust my perspective a bit and dive into the last book of this series. I know at least one aspect of the story will be concluded. Let's see how that comes about.
vinayvasan's review against another edition
3.0
Extremely conflicted about this book. On one hand, this is a wonderful addition to the grimdark literature. Grim and dark (duh) and wonderfully brooding with a Tarantino-esque level of stillness to sudden bouts of bloody and brutal violence. On the other hand, the action is very subdued, the plot moves slow, almost glacial albeit with tons of character development and new character introduction. Captain Braylar remains an impassive mysterious character while the narrator Arki goes through his own growth and is far more rounded. The supporting cast is wonderfully etched and rounded. Salyards is a good storyteller and writes in true Abercrombie style.
michaelrfletcher's review against another edition
5.0
Another fantastic book from Jeff Salyards.
Arki's growth continues and the pacing is pitch perfect.
“It is a good day for crossbows, Syldoon. A very good day.”
I can't wait to get into [b:Chains of the Heretic|25159315|Chains of the Heretic (Bloodsounder's Arc, #3)|Jeff Salyards|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1427161417s/25159315.jpg|43128366]!
Arki's growth continues and the pacing is pitch perfect.
“It is a good day for crossbows, Syldoon. A very good day.”
I can't wait to get into [b:Chains of the Heretic|25159315|Chains of the Heretic (Bloodsounder's Arc, #3)|Jeff Salyards|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1427161417s/25159315.jpg|43128366]!
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