'Writing for me is not about speeling, grammar or punctuation – that’s why we have editors.... No, writing for me is the ability to capture a story and put it in words.' - Fantasy Muse
The Sigil Blade (Archon Sigil Trilogy Book 1) by Jeff Wilson
Front Cover
Synopsis
The people of An Innis have fallen on hard times. Vengeful thieves, rumored to be men returned from death, have brought the island to its knees. Using a fleet of captured ships, they systematically plunder everything that enters or attempts to leave the coastal waters that surround the island.
The Sigil Blade, the first book of the Archon Sigil Trilogy, tells the story of Edryd, a man who is trying to reinvent himself and conceal the truth about his past. His unexplained arrival as a stranger upon the island will change the course of its history and set in motion events that will ultimately shape the future of an entire world. He will duel with Aed Seoras, a master shaper who seeks to use and control him, and battle with immortal draugar and their human thralls as he struggles with dark powers over which he has no control. He must learn to shape the darkness around him if he wants to avoid a destiny which holds the promise of endless bloodshed and destruction.
The tool he will need to do this… is an ancient weapon of power.
My Review
The story opens up with a mysterious man called Edryd, who has found his way on to An Innis, an island populated by some of the worst thieves.
After finishing the book, I was left scratching my head, slightly puzzled at what to make of it. The beginning of the book was confusing, and while I thought the plot was heading a certain way, it suddenly headed into another direction.
As the book wore on, the story remained a little perplexing, and I don't think I ever I got a tangible grasp on what was happening; instead just going with the flow.
The character, Edryd, was the main character, but I found him difficult to like. I'm not saying that because of any evil actions on his part but because of his indecisive nature and the decisions he made throughout the book.
Now, you're probably thinking I hated this book, but that's not true. There were parts of the book that I enjoyed, particularly the action scenes, and it finished on a high, which actually made me interested in the sequel.
Conclusion
While the book didn't captivate me, I can certainly see it being popular amongst other readers. So, I say give this book a try, as you'll be reading a highly polished book for a relatively modest sum of money (I only paid £2/$3, which is cheap for a well edited book).
Out of 10 Stars:
6 Stars
Buy it here:
Stiger's Tigers (Chronicles of An Imperial Legionary Officer Book 1) by Marc Alan Edelheit.
Front Cover
Synopsis
The empire has endured many centuries but is now threatened by multiple wars and a major rebellion in the South.
A nobleman from an infamous family, imperial legionary officer, fighter and a right proper bastard of a man… Captain Ben Stiger finds himself reassigned from a crack legion to the rebellion simmering in the South. Placed in command of a truly terrible company, the 85th Imperial Foot, he is unknowingly sent on a suicide mission to resupply an isolated outpost, the garrison of Vrell. Along the way he must rebuild his new company, gain the respect of the men he leads, survive an assassination attempt, fight bandits, rebels, and an agent of an evil god. His companions on this journey of discovery and adventure are one of the few remaining elven rangers and a paladin on a quest for the High Father.
Review
The story is based on the central character called Ben Stiger, a imperial legionary officer. His family is known throughout the Empire for their power and influence.
The book follows Stiger as he finds himself re-assigned to a remote place in the south where rebellion is rife. The story then follows his exploits as he tries to install order back to a dishevelled group of soldiers, while tackling a rebellion.
Truth be told I wasn't expecting to enjoy the book as much as I did. I knew it would focus heavily on a military storyline and I expected that I'd have to syphon through a lot of technical jargon to get to the crux of the story, but to my joy that certainly wasn't the case.
The book was so easy to read and the story flowed effortlessly. The author didn't attempt to flood the reader with military tactics and instead made it simple for the reader to grasp what was happening.
I thought the writing was superb and the sentences were concise and to the point. There wasn't any unnecessary filling to make it bloated and tedious.
The protagonist Ben Stiger was a well developed character who you got a real feel for. He was a character that you couldn't help but root for. He was a hard, unyielding man, and exactly the type of leader you would want to follow.
There were some minor criticism though; I thought for a military fantasy there wasn't enough action/fighting. It was only until the end that we got our first taste of violence. Although the end of the book does set it up nicely for an action packed sequel.
I also thought besides Stiger, there wasn't enough development for the other characters. For example, Eli, an elf who was Stiger's right hand man, was a character that I wanted to learn more about but wasn't given the opportunity to.
Conclusion
All-in-all this was a really enjoyable book and would definitely recommend it for those, like me, who enjoyed Jim Butcher's Codex Alera.
The book leaves on a bit of a cliff hanger and I can't wait to read the sequel.
Out of 10 Stars:
8 Stars
Buy it here:
