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A review by aceinit
The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan
4.0
This is one of those books I have profoundly mixed feelings about. On one hand, it had one of the best beginnings I’ve read in a while. Gil’s dry wit and general outlook made for a refreshing POV and turned several clichéd fantasy tropes on their heads so quickly that I couldn’t help but fall in love. The infusion of satire and subtle, barbed social commentary was very reminiscent of my initial reading of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and everything about Gil’s opening chapter made me want to keep turning the pages.
Unfortunately, as the novel progressed and grew more serious in plot, my interest began to wane. Gil (understandably) lost his sense of humor as his search for a missing relative continued, and those things that set him apart from typical fantasy heroes (most notably his sexuality), began to wear like a giant chip on his shoulder rather than a cavalier suit of armor.
But Gil’s story is not the only one in the book. There was also Archeth, a half-breed alien left behind in this world when the remainder of her race departed; and Egar, the leader of a Mongol-like tribe of herdsmen. I found Archeth’s arc infinitely more enjoyable than Egar’s, and enjoyed her far more as a character, though she was never as interesting to me as Gil.
And it was all I could do not to skip over Egar’s chapters, most of which he spends in a self-absorbed haze. Egar was, to me, an idiot, more concerned about which tribal hussy he’d be sleeping with than returning the favor of a god (who he knows to be a god) who has just saved his sorry ass from an attempted assassination.
But, more interesting than either of these two, and perhaps moreso that Gil, are the mysterious Aldrain (also called dwenda,) an ancient race intent on retaking their homelands from the humans who have encroached upon it. With an ability to manipulate time and profound supernatural powers, they are a curious and intriguing race. Seethlaw’s interactions with Gil were particularly fascinating, especially in regards to Gil’s reaction to them. There is a particularly moving section about the affects alternate timelines are having on Gil, and I would love to see these “grey places” explored in more detail.
The major disappointment came in the handling of its climax—the showdown between a united Gil, Archet and Egar against Seethlaw and a small force of dwenda. After setting everything in motion, the author abruptly chooses to ship over the climax, talk about how it was perceived years later, then go back and actually show the readers what happened. It is an abrupt and unsettling change of pace that completely killed the narrative flow. Once we have shifted gears yet again, the climax flows smoothly. However, I was hoping for more in the final showdown between Gil and Seethlaw.
Still, in the closing pages Morgan did much to prepare for the next installment, and I am fully along for the ride. There is a twist here involving the stereotypical fantasy “prophecy,” something I cringed at when initially delivered to Gil early in his search for his cousin. But Morgan has done something truly interesting with where that prophecy is going.
And I feel as though all that has happened in this novel is only the opening salvo in a much grander war.
Unfortunately, as the novel progressed and grew more serious in plot, my interest began to wane. Gil (understandably) lost his sense of humor as his search for a missing relative continued, and those things that set him apart from typical fantasy heroes (most notably his sexuality), began to wear like a giant chip on his shoulder rather than a cavalier suit of armor.
But Gil’s story is not the only one in the book. There was also Archeth, a half-breed alien left behind in this world when the remainder of her race departed; and Egar, the leader of a Mongol-like tribe of herdsmen. I found Archeth’s arc infinitely more enjoyable than Egar’s, and enjoyed her far more as a character, though she was never as interesting to me as Gil.
And it was all I could do not to skip over Egar’s chapters, most of which he spends in a self-absorbed haze. Egar was, to me, an idiot, more concerned about which tribal hussy he’d be sleeping with than returning the favor of a god (who he knows to be a god) who has just saved his sorry ass from an attempted assassination.
But, more interesting than either of these two, and perhaps moreso that Gil, are the mysterious Aldrain (also called dwenda,) an ancient race intent on retaking their homelands from the humans who have encroached upon it. With an ability to manipulate time and profound supernatural powers, they are a curious and intriguing race. Seethlaw’s interactions with Gil were particularly fascinating, especially in regards to Gil’s reaction to them. There is a particularly moving section about the affects alternate timelines are having on Gil, and I would love to see these “grey places” explored in more detail.
The major disappointment came in the handling of its climax—the showdown between a united Gil, Archet and Egar against Seethlaw and a small force of dwenda. After setting everything in motion, the author abruptly chooses to ship over the climax, talk about how it was perceived years later, then go back and actually show the readers what happened. It is an abrupt and unsettling change of pace that completely killed the narrative flow. Once we have shifted gears yet again, the climax flows smoothly. However, I was hoping for more in the final showdown between Gil and Seethlaw.
Still, in the closing pages Morgan did much to prepare for the next installment, and I am fully along for the ride. There is a twist here involving the stereotypical fantasy “prophecy,” something I cringed at when initially delivered to Gil early in his search for his cousin. But Morgan has done something truly interesting with where that prophecy is going.
And I feel as though all that has happened in this novel is only the opening salvo in a much grander war.