Bookish things...
As promised, one book review, no spoilers...
Nightstand Novel?
As a debut novel Servant of a Dark God is an extraordinarily ambitious undertaking. At 442 pages, plus appendices, it has the bulk and complexity to turn ones’ brain to powder if it fails to engage. It’s not strictly Fantasy, though there are elements of Magics. It is strong Speculative Fiction but not constrained by genre limits. It is a reality construct unto itself which takes what it needs from where it finds it.
The Universe is well constructed; with form and shading, multiple Cultural Contexts .
The interactions between the various factions are colored by their perceptions of themselves, each other, and these may vary widely, and are excellent source of tension and interaction. There are racial, tribal, classist and religious elements - some of which can interact or overlap with ease, some which seem to be absolutely immutable this Universe/Societal structure. A society with a history of wars - some in which our factions are united against others in order to prevail - some where they’ve faced defeat and disgrace.
Interpersonal interactions along family/clan/tribal lines have apparently predictable patterns, but as the story develops we see that not all the patterns are as rigid nor are things ever entirely as they initially seem - for the characters and reader both. There is a great deal of interplay in the weaving of the different stories. There are subtle interplays of politics and region, warrior and farm worker, healer and orphaned child. There is pleasure of seeing how the players change as they see more of their own bigger picture.
The story develops solidly, not at break-neck pace, nor leaving threads hanging behind for too long. As the scale of the story becomes apparent, the breadth and depth appear. The book stands on its own feet very well, without any great gaping plot holes or hanks of thread that go nowhere, but it’s easy to imagine that there’s a LOT more story to tell. Servant of a Dark God is, in fact, the first of a three book contract with Tor. John Brown has created an artful construct and I’m looking forward to seeing where he takes us next.
To answer my opening question; is it a nightstand novel? Only if you don’t care to sleep. I did, in fact, read it at one sitting, into the wee small hours of morning - and find the recliner a far superior place to do that.
ETA: Original posted at LibraryThing.com
Nightstand Novel?
As a debut novel Servant of a Dark God is an extraordinarily ambitious undertaking. At 442 pages, plus appendices, it has the bulk and complexity to turn ones’ brain to powder if it fails to engage. It’s not strictly Fantasy, though there are elements of Magics. It is strong Speculative Fiction but not constrained by genre limits. It is a reality construct unto itself which takes what it needs from where it finds it.
The Universe is well constructed; with form and shading, multiple Cultural Contexts .
The interactions between the various factions are colored by their perceptions of themselves, each other, and these may vary widely, and are excellent source of tension and interaction. There are racial, tribal, classist and religious elements - some of which can interact or overlap with ease, some which seem to be absolutely immutable this Universe/Societal structure. A society with a history of wars - some in which our factions are united against others in order to prevail - some where they’ve faced defeat and disgrace.
Interpersonal interactions along family/clan/tribal lines have apparently predictable patterns, but as the story develops we see that not all the patterns are as rigid nor are things ever entirely as they initially seem - for the characters and reader both. There is a great deal of interplay in the weaving of the different stories. There are subtle interplays of politics and region, warrior and farm worker, healer and orphaned child. There is pleasure of seeing how the players change as they see more of their own bigger picture.
The story develops solidly, not at break-neck pace, nor leaving threads hanging behind for too long. As the scale of the story becomes apparent, the breadth and depth appear. The book stands on its own feet very well, without any great gaping plot holes or hanks of thread that go nowhere, but it’s easy to imagine that there’s a LOT more story to tell. Servant of a Dark God is, in fact, the first of a three book contract with Tor. John Brown has created an artful construct and I’m looking forward to seeing where he takes us next.
To answer my opening question; is it a nightstand novel? Only if you don’t care to sleep. I did, in fact, read it at one sitting, into the wee small hours of morning - and find the recliner a far superior place to do that.
ETA: Original posted at LibraryThing.com