Tour Review: Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick

Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 2 of Tales of the Kin

Publisher: Roc (May 6, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
 

At last, Sworn in Steel is in my hands and the days of wondering when this book will be released have finally come to an end. And it was absolutely worth the wait! Three years ago, at a time when I was just starting to get back into the Fantasy genre, I decided to pick up a debut novel from a fresh new talent and really enjoyed his fun little yarn about a gang of thieves and scoundrels. With this book Douglas Hulick shows he has come a long way since Among Thieves, with a sequel that is even bigger, better and packed with more fun than the original.

How is that possible, you ask? I mean, in the first novel, the main character Drothe managed to kill a legend, rise to the top of the underworld to become the newest Gray Prince, and burned down a good portion of the imperial capital while he was at it. How on earth do you top that?

Well, if you’ve met Drothe, then you would know he’s always up for a challenge. Even if it’s just to outdo himself. “In way over your head” isn’t even in his vocabulary; I seriously love this guy. Three months into his tenure of criminal overlord with barely a following to his name, Drothe is already the target of the other Gray Princes and has been framed for the murder of one of them. Someone obviously wants his attention. So Drothe finds himself traveling to the faraway land of Djan, where Imperials like him are less than welcome, all to find an old friend and seek redemption for the oaths he has broken. And who says thieves have no honor?

Drothe ends up doing quite a number on the Despotate of Djan. But Djan ends up doing quite a number on Drothe too. I’ve said this before with Among Thieves but I think it deserves saying again with Sworn in Steel: Douglas Hulick takes the idea of “something interesting must happen in every chapter” and takes that to the max. Drothe’s life is a hectic roller coaster ride that simply does not stop, and the safety restraints are for suckers. Perhaps because of this, these novels put me in mind of the urban fantasy tone and writing style, despite their traditional high fantasy setting. If Drothe and Harry Dresden have one thing in common it’s that neither of them gets anywhere near enough sleep.

Again, there will be twists and surprises aplenty, but I find the storytelling is a lot more refined and streamlined in Sworn in Steel. There was one ambitious plot twist in the first book that didn’t particularly work for me (though, it was one of those classic “Oh Drothe you sneaky, glorious bastard you” moments) but there was none of that awkwardness here. All the different pieces of the plot came together beautifully, and I’m treated to a new world with new characters and new agendas, all of which made the mystery and intrigue in this book so delightfully compelling. I loved being introduced to the culture, peoples, and magic of Djan, and seeing Drothe out of his comfort zone and frantically coming up with his crazy schemes to regain the upper hand was just the cherry on top. There’s also an assassin character making their first appearance in this that I would be very excited to see again! All in all, the book has done a stellar job expanding the world and the characters we know in the Tales of the Kin. Like I said: bigger and better.

Ask yourself, do you enjoy your fantasy with some kick? Do you like rich, twisty plots that always keep you guessing? Do you feel you need more scoundrels in your life? If you answer yes to these then you should definitely check out these books.

 A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Penguin/Roc Books!

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THE AUTHOR

Douglas Hulick is author of "Among Thieves", the first book in the "Tales of the Kin" fantasy-adventure series. "Sworn in Steel" is the highly anticipated sequel, and he is busy at work on a third book to follow.

Book Review: False Covenant by Ari Marmell

False Covenant by Ari Marmell

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Series: Book 2 of Widdershins Adventures

Publisher: Pyr

Date of Publication: June 26, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter 

Mogsy's Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars - "Series gets better the more I read; emotionally impactful and filled with suspense, this book kept me on my toes by raising the stakes and taking things to the next level"

First let me begin this review by stating how much I liked the first book of the Widdershins Adventures series, Thief's Covenant. That, however, still left me quite unprepared for how much I enjoyed this book, its follow-up. To be honest, I'm still reeling from the ending, and feeling not just a little bit heartbroken, but only because of how the story impacted me so emphatically. A book that makes me feel like this, even if it's like a punch in the gut, surely deserves my admiration and compliments! 

But more on that later, after I revel in how much fun it was to return to Davillon, catching up with Widdershins and her friends. The events of the last book have not left our protagonist in a very good place, however. The guilt over the deaths of two people close to her still weighs on her conscience, and she has taken to thieving again in order to support the beloved tavern she inherited. The minor god Olgun, whose worshipper-base consists of only Widdershins, is still a constant presence in her life, enhancing her abilities to sneak and steal.

Then, reports start coming in about a creature of nightmare stalking the streets. At first, no one is hurt, but soon the attacks turn deadly. The city guard are baffled and are in way over their heads. And as much as Widdershins would like to stay out of it, trouble always ends up finding her. Drawn into a battle against a supernatural terror, she must use all her wits to save her friends and Davillon against the greatest threat the city has ever faced. 

That I liked this book more than the first one is probably an accurate assessment. Don't get me wrong, Thief's Covenant was no slouch, but there were some slow parts I had to get through before I started warming up to it. I guess one advantage of subsequent books in a series is that the story can start right away, without having to go through all the motions of explaining background or character history. Unlike my experience with the first book, I was drawn in by False Covenant almost as soon as I started.

Also, I think I remember calling this a "cute" series. Time for me to re-evaluate that, perhaps. Not that there aren't a lot of light moments in these books; I still find lots to laugh about, especially in Widdershin's fiery and impulsive personality, not to mention her humorous banter with Olgun. Once again, Ari Marmell does a fantastic job pulling off their strange relationship as well as the their conversations that to all outward appearances seem one-sided. I don't think I'll ever get tired of those scenes, which are an endless source of entertainment!

However, there's a darkness to this series as well, which I'm just now starting to fully realize and appreciate. False Covenant strikes a good balance between that and the lightness, injecting mystery and even a bit of horror into the story. I found myself downright creeped out at times. This second book really raises the stakes, taking things to the next level and keeping you on your toes because you never know what might happen next. Ari Marmell doesn't pull any punches here.

Speaking of which, the ending. Ugh. It's hard merely thinking about it let alone having to write about it, which is just as well because I wouldn't want to spoil anything. Definitely, the characterization has gotten a lot better, and I feel a connection to Widdershins, feeling as she does about the other characters around her whether they are friend, foe, or not-sure-which. The book keeps you guessing, while still developing those character relationships and even some romance. It was all very engaging, which is why I find myself now still feeling so stunned. Those final scenes were phenomenally well done and suspenseful, and the way things ended was totally unexpected.

This seems to be one of those series that gets better the more I read. I'm so glad I caught up in time for the third book coming out in December, because now I can't wait to see what comes next.

 4.5 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.