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chrisbyron's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 - Looking forward to more of Lakkariss' journey.
cindyc's review against another edition
4.0
Review for both 'The Leopard' and 'The Lady'.
https://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/2015/01/09/the-leopard-the-lady-marakand-k-v-johansen/
‘The Leopard’ and ‘The Lady’ are a two-book fantasy series set in the same world as ‚Blackdog’. The two books can be read without having read ‚Blackdog’, but I’d recommend reading that book first. I hadn’t read it when I started The Leopard and though it is a whole different story set in the same world, there are characters and reference to the story in ‚Blackdog’ that will be lost on anyone who hasn’t read that one.
‘The Leopard’ and ‘The Lady’ are one big book split in two. It is quite obvious this used to be one continuous story before it was split. The characters that start the story in ‘The Leopard’ disappear halfway through the story to give the stage to a whole new set of characters. I thought this was an interesting choice. The first set of characters set the whole story in motion and lead us to Marakand, one of the most important cities in the book. There another cast of characters takes over and continues the story in Marakand, while the others continue their journey to other parts of the country.
Their are two main story lines throughout the two books. The first is that of Deyandara, Ahjvar and Ghu. Deyandara is the bastard daughter of a Queen and the half sister of the High King. When her family is murdered by the forces of Marakand, the Goddess of her land, Catairanah, sends her to find The Leopard, an assassin, so she can execute revenge on Marakand. Ahjvar and his companion Ghu, though reluctant at first, follow her to Marakand.
Ahjvar, cursed by the Goddess Catairanah seeks only an end to the torment he has been going through for years. A murdering spirit lives inside him, wakening every other night, hungry for blood. Ahjvar story is a fascinating one. The details of his past unfold at the end of ‘The Lady’ and I was very satisfied by how he fit into the greater picture.
Ghu remains a mystery until the very end. As Ahjvar’s loyal companion, he first seems a bit slow at first, more a servant than anything else. But later on we find out that Ghu is much more than that and I thought it was fantastic how he slowly became a big force in the story, though he isn’t one of the most important characters at first.
The second storyline is that of the Lady of Marakand, who has corrupted the city. There are those who see through her deception and want to overthrow her, to bring back peace, prosperity and the rightful Gods to the city. They are a varied bunch those. Ivah is a wizard who has already made an appearance in ‚Blackdog’, while the Blackdog himself is also in the city. The demon bear (name) and his partner Moth have also arrived in the city, because Moth has a very specific and dangerous mission to complete. Together with the last priest of one of the old Gods they try to make an end to the Lady’s reign, but to do that they have to face the fearsome Red Masks first. And not just anyone can kill the Red Masks. The most interesting thing about this storyline though was in my opinion Zora’s perspective. Zora is a dancer in the temple of the Lady, but she’s actually still loyal to the old Gods. However, when the old Voice of the Lady is murdered, she is chosen to take her place. But instead of talking through The Voice, as the Lady has always done in the past, The Lady takes over Zora body, so she can have more control over the city. It is soon clear however that The Lady isn’t the Goddess she pretends to be. All these different souls/personalities in one body must cause some confusion and the author has depicted this wonderfully. The chapters told from The Lady/Zora’s perspective are incoherent, chaotic and sometimes difficult to follow. Though this may be jarring for some readers, I thought it was very fascinating and a very bold choice to use this kind of narrative.
Next to all these great characters and their fight for righteousness, the world building definitely also deserves a mention. A Middle-Eastern setting with interesting cultures and tribes gave the perfect background this story needed.
It was interesting to watch the story of the devils/wizards unfold. Starting the books, you know the story of the seven devils who merged their souls with that of the seven wizards and who were later imprisoned by the Gods and Goddesses of the land.
The devils tricked the wizards in joining their body to be able to roam the world and rule it. What they didn’t expect is that merging their soul with that of another being would change them as much as it would change the other. During the story we encounter a few of these devils and it’s interesting to see how different they’ve become and what road they want to walk on Earth.I loved how the Gods and Goddesses of the land were very flawed and also able to die. Though most are benign and want to help their folk and their land, they also make very human mistakes. The fact that they can be punished and can be killed made them kind of vulnerable. Though they are ethereal and command reverence, they still have a weak spot.
The story comes to a powerful conclusion in ‘The Lady’, giving us closure for both the major story lines. I was more than satisfied by the ending and the exciting action-filled last battles. Some of the characters seem set on a certain path after all that happened in Marakand and in the Duina Catairna, but some still have an interesting future ahead of them that could give rise to a continuation of their story.
The Marakand books were amongst my favourite reads of 2014. I enjoyed reading both of them very much. These books are a rich Epic Fantasy written in a complex, but beautiful writing style that is immensely captivating. I would recommend to first read ‚Blackdog’ before you start this two-parter. It will give you more background on some of the characters that is lacking in these books. Another tip is to really view these books as one and read them one after the other, it will give you a more coherent and fluent story.
Overall a series that I very much enjoyed and I will be keeping an eye out for more work from K.V. Johansen in the future!
https://draumrkopablog.wordpress.com/2015/01/09/the-leopard-the-lady-marakand-k-v-johansen/
‘The Leopard’ and ‘The Lady’ are a two-book fantasy series set in the same world as ‚Blackdog’. The two books can be read without having read ‚Blackdog’, but I’d recommend reading that book first. I hadn’t read it when I started The Leopard and though it is a whole different story set in the same world, there are characters and reference to the story in ‚Blackdog’ that will be lost on anyone who hasn’t read that one.
‘The Leopard’ and ‘The Lady’ are one big book split in two. It is quite obvious this used to be one continuous story before it was split. The characters that start the story in ‘The Leopard’ disappear halfway through the story to give the stage to a whole new set of characters. I thought this was an interesting choice. The first set of characters set the whole story in motion and lead us to Marakand, one of the most important cities in the book. There another cast of characters takes over and continues the story in Marakand, while the others continue their journey to other parts of the country.
Their are two main story lines throughout the two books. The first is that of Deyandara, Ahjvar and Ghu. Deyandara is the bastard daughter of a Queen and the half sister of the High King. When her family is murdered by the forces of Marakand, the Goddess of her land, Catairanah, sends her to find The Leopard, an assassin, so she can execute revenge on Marakand. Ahjvar and his companion Ghu, though reluctant at first, follow her to Marakand.
Ahjvar, cursed by the Goddess Catairanah seeks only an end to the torment he has been going through for years. A murdering spirit lives inside him, wakening every other night, hungry for blood. Ahjvar story is a fascinating one. The details of his past unfold at the end of ‘The Lady’ and I was very satisfied by how he fit into the greater picture.
Ghu remains a mystery until the very end. As Ahjvar’s loyal companion, he first seems a bit slow at first, more a servant than anything else. But later on we find out that Ghu is much more than that and I thought it was fantastic how he slowly became a big force in the story, though he isn’t one of the most important characters at first.
The second storyline is that of the Lady of Marakand, who has corrupted the city. There are those who see through her deception and want to overthrow her, to bring back peace, prosperity and the rightful Gods to the city. They are a varied bunch those. Ivah is a wizard who has already made an appearance in ‚Blackdog’, while the Blackdog himself is also in the city. The demon bear (name) and his partner Moth have also arrived in the city, because Moth has a very specific and dangerous mission to complete. Together with the last priest of one of the old Gods they try to make an end to the Lady’s reign, but to do that they have to face the fearsome Red Masks first. And not just anyone can kill the Red Masks. The most interesting thing about this storyline though was in my opinion Zora’s perspective. Zora is a dancer in the temple of the Lady, but she’s actually still loyal to the old Gods. However, when the old Voice of the Lady is murdered, she is chosen to take her place. But instead of talking through The Voice, as the Lady has always done in the past, The Lady takes over Zora body, so she can have more control over the city. It is soon clear however that The Lady isn’t the Goddess she pretends to be. All these different souls/personalities in one body must cause some confusion and the author has depicted this wonderfully. The chapters told from The Lady/Zora’s perspective are incoherent, chaotic and sometimes difficult to follow. Though this may be jarring for some readers, I thought it was very fascinating and a very bold choice to use this kind of narrative.
Next to all these great characters and their fight for righteousness, the world building definitely also deserves a mention. A Middle-Eastern setting with interesting cultures and tribes gave the perfect background this story needed.
It was interesting to watch the story of the devils/wizards unfold. Starting the books, you know the story of the seven devils who merged their souls with that of the seven wizards and who were later imprisoned by the Gods and Goddesses of the land.
The devils tricked the wizards in joining their body to be able to roam the world and rule it. What they didn’t expect is that merging their soul with that of another being would change them as much as it would change the other. During the story we encounter a few of these devils and it’s interesting to see how different they’ve become and what road they want to walk on Earth.I loved how the Gods and Goddesses of the land were very flawed and also able to die. Though most are benign and want to help their folk and their land, they also make very human mistakes. The fact that they can be punished and can be killed made them kind of vulnerable. Though they are ethereal and command reverence, they still have a weak spot.
The story comes to a powerful conclusion in ‘The Lady’, giving us closure for both the major story lines. I was more than satisfied by the ending and the exciting action-filled last battles. Some of the characters seem set on a certain path after all that happened in Marakand and in the Duina Catairna, but some still have an interesting future ahead of them that could give rise to a continuation of their story.
The Marakand books were amongst my favourite reads of 2014. I enjoyed reading both of them very much. These books are a rich Epic Fantasy written in a complex, but beautiful writing style that is immensely captivating. I would recommend to first read ‚Blackdog’ before you start this two-parter. It will give you more background on some of the characters that is lacking in these books. Another tip is to really view these books as one and read them one after the other, it will give you a more coherent and fluent story.
Overall a series that I very much enjoyed and I will be keeping an eye out for more work from K.V. Johansen in the future!
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
So this was a two book series? I guess so, cos there is an ending. And most will continue with their happy or not happy lives, after they rebuild everything. But with 2 of the characters there is a promise of a new series set somewhere else.
Anyway with this series, the last book left everything and everyone in quite a mess. The crazy God/Devil/Dancer is backed into a corner and wants to destroy the city of Marakand and everyone. Then there are a bunch of characters who now fight in Marakand, and I must confess, if I had read her other book, Blackdog, then I would have felt more at home with those. Now it felt like I did not really know them all. The dog, the bear, the wizard, the rest. So even if this is a new series, I do say read Blackdog, and then this series. It will work better.
What I really enjoyed was reading about Deya, Ajhvar and Ghu. There was so much tension there as she was meant to be Queen, but the Goddess did not want her to be. And poor Ajhvar..poor guy :/ And who Ghu really was? Intriguing. They were great characters. They tried to keep things together as forces of Marakand are coming to conquer.
An interesting world, the Gods in particular. I liked how it was all put together.
Anyway with this series, the last book left everything and everyone in quite a mess. The crazy God/Devil/Dancer is backed into a corner and wants to destroy the city of Marakand and everyone. Then there are a bunch of characters who now fight in Marakand, and I must confess, if I had read her other book, Blackdog, then I would have felt more at home with those. Now it felt like I did not really know them all. The dog, the bear, the wizard, the rest. So even if this is a new series, I do say read Blackdog, and then this series. It will work better.
What I really enjoyed was reading about Deya, Ajhvar and Ghu. There was so much tension there as she was meant to be Queen, but the Goddess did not want her to be. And poor Ajhvar..poor guy :/ And who Ghu really was? Intriguing. They were great characters. They tried to keep things together as forces of Marakand are coming to conquer.
An interesting world, the Gods in particular. I liked how it was all put together.
tmarthal's review against another edition
4.0
The weakest of the series (still much better than most fantasy, though!); maybe I just did not particularly enjoy the situation of the title character. _The Lady_ dealt with the same characters and situations as the previous book, and moved the events along appropriately; too much time exposing the nature of multiple personality disorder. This could be construed as the author trying to show us the problem through internal monologue, instead of telling us about the multiple personality problems. A good idea, but the execution went a little long.
Enjoyed the secondary characters and the magic-infused fight scenes.
Enjoyed the secondary characters and the magic-infused fight scenes.
midrel's review against another edition
5.0
The Leopard was great even if it had a bit of an awkward start, but The Lady was such a nice, enjoyable read from the very beginning to the very end! Zora's chapters were probably the least engaging aspect of the story at certain points because of how her fragmented mind and soul was written, which made sometimes for awkward reading, even if it also made it interesting in its own way.
For those who might be confused, as Gods of Nabban has been listed in some places as Marakand #3, this title effectively and satisfyingly concludes the story that started with The Leopard. Then again, I think these books are actually best experienced as one series, starting from Blackdog, then The Leopard, then The Lady and then Gods of Nabban and whatever might (hopefully) follow. I know the author has said reading Blackdog is not necessary to read The Leopard and so on, but I sincerely think it'd be a mistake, owing to the sheer amount of references and characters used here and introduced there.
Anyway, I digress.
Truly, I honestly can't overstate how much I enjoyed this book. The story was not at all what I expected when I first read the blurb of The Leopard, but thats only works for the better, as far as I am concerned. I still think the title's a bit of a misnomer but thats such a minor gripe.
I loved how new and old came together in Marakand#1 and #2, and how the author continued to elaborate on the world she first showed us with Blackdog. I loved the deft manner in which she handled characterisation. Every character felt solid and compelling, no walking super-powered tropes, or walking cardboards, everyone with strengths and weaknesses and their coloured view of the world, from old favourites like Holla-Sayan or Ivah, to Ahjvar and Ghu, and the few devils and demons we meet along the way.
So truly, I would urge everyone to give the books a chance. Even if for some the amount of descriptions verge on the long-winded, its all well-worth it in the end, and even along the way.
For those who might be confused, as Gods of Nabban has been listed in some places as Marakand #3, this title effectively and satisfyingly concludes the story that started with The Leopard. Then again, I think these books are actually best experienced as one series, starting from Blackdog, then The Leopard, then The Lady and then Gods of Nabban and whatever might (hopefully) follow. I know the author has said reading Blackdog is not necessary to read The Leopard and so on, but I sincerely think it'd be a mistake, owing to the sheer amount of references and characters used here and introduced there.
Anyway, I digress.
Truly, I honestly can't overstate how much I enjoyed this book. The story was not at all what I expected when I first read the blurb of The Leopard, but thats only works for the better, as far as I am concerned. I still think the title's a bit of a misnomer but thats such a minor gripe.
I loved how new and old came together in Marakand#1 and #2, and how the author continued to elaborate on the world she first showed us with Blackdog. I loved the deft manner in which she handled characterisation. Every character felt solid and compelling, no walking super-powered tropes, or walking cardboards, everyone with strengths and weaknesses and their coloured view of the world, from old favourites like Holla-Sayan or Ivah, to Ahjvar and Ghu, and the few devils and demons we meet along the way.
So truly, I would urge everyone to give the books a chance. Even if for some the amount of descriptions verge on the long-winded, its all well-worth it in the end, and even along the way.
raccoonsinatrenchcoat's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
tak's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jamesnotlatimer's review
5.0
So many threads, all drawn to a satisfactory conclusion, yet not all cut off. I loved these books (The Leopard and the Lady are really one book, to be honest), I love the characters, the world. In some ways all the set-up of the first book meant this was an extended resolution with a series of climaxes, and quite a lot of chaotic action - a lot of which is internal or magical/metaphysical. In the end, the baddie is neutralised without too much tension (after all, she's no match for what's arrayed against her), though not without loss and sacrifice, and becomes almost a tragic figure. But it's nice to have a mostly-happy ending, and the stage is set to entangle all these captivating characters in a new intrigue and a new location. Can't wait to explore it!
tomlloyd's review
5.0
Wonderful book, a great second half of the duology(?) and a fitting end to the story - albeit that opens things up for the future. It's a beautifully written timeless fantasy Tolkien himself would have loved. Not in the same vein as the more modern sort of fantasy, nor the traditional 80s fare, it's got more in common with Guy Gavriel Kay's books which sit slightly aside from the trends of grimdark or whatever, but these are more solidly fantasy with as always a deft hand to the dealing of magic and gods. Even with bouts of illness taking me away from the book and having to read it in snatches, it held my attention throughout, after struggling to keep up a bit in the Leopard because it had been so long since I read Blackdog. If I had a complaint it would be that the devils are almost a bit too significant in events of the world - while they're hugely powerful, given it's a whole world and there's only ever been seven of them, they crop up more than quite seems natural - while Erikson deals with that with a strong sense of convergence in his series, there's less of an explanation here, it's just presented as a fact and somehow that niggles.
As an aside, it's also one of those more intricate fantasy novels that, I realise these days, are better read on paper. I read the Leopard on my ereader and that didn't help me engage with it - i realise now that i skim a bit on that so lighter reads work best for me and when I think I really need to focus on the prose etc, books like Erikson and these, are best bought in print.
Recommended to all who're looking for a deft, absorbing fantasy - but start with Blackdog I'd suggest, it's referenced a fair bit and it's also really good!
As an aside, it's also one of those more intricate fantasy novels that, I realise these days, are better read on paper. I read the Leopard on my ereader and that didn't help me engage with it - i realise now that i skim a bit on that so lighter reads work best for me and when I think I really need to focus on the prose etc, books like Erikson and these, are best bought in print.
Recommended to all who're looking for a deft, absorbing fantasy - but start with Blackdog I'd suggest, it's referenced a fair bit and it's also really good!
ishmael's review
5.0
So even though I'm still a bit muddy on the various cultures and don't always track the many characters well, and feel like I should really read Blackdog for backstory, there's enough to keep me invested in the world and the characters. There's a core to them that I really like but can't articulate.
I want to reread these until I do follow all the threads.
Having now read the series from the beginning, the character arcs have more depth--Ivah's especially stood out as improving knowing her full backstory. Also I love Ahjvar and Ghu so much.
I want to reread these until I do follow all the threads.
Having now read the series from the beginning, the character arcs have more depth--Ivah's especially stood out as improving knowing her full backstory. Also I love Ahjvar and Ghu so much.
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