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Annwn Cycle #1
The Dark Thorn
Beneath the streets of Seattle, a long-forgotten war is about to be renewed…
Richard McAllister, a spiritually destitute homeless man and Knight of the Yn Saith, protects one of seven portals linking his world to that of Annwn, where the fey Tuatha de Dannan of antiquity have been relegated by a long-running religious war.
Unknown to Richard though, powerful forces are aligning against him and all he stands to keep safe. In the wilds of a discarded world, Philip Plantagenet, son of Henry II, moves to claim a birthright nine centuries in the making, one that drives him to eliminate the Tuatha de Dannan–at any cost to both worlds.
In the halls of Vatican City, Cardinal Vicar Cormac Pell O’Connor schemes to control the Heliwr–the Unfettered Knight–one who possesses the great power known as the Dark Thorn.
The three men are on a collision course with history–and their futures. For in the wilds of Annwn, death comes as easily as magic.
Haunted by a past he can’t forget and a knightly responsibility he can’t shun, Richard is drawn into levels of machinations–and two worlds–far darker than any he has prepared for.
Richard McAllister, a spiritually destitute homeless man and Knight of the Yn Saith, protects one of seven portals linking his world to that of Annwn, where the fey Tuatha de Dannan of antiquity have been relegated by a long-running religious war.
Unknown to Richard though, powerful forces are aligning against him and all he stands to keep safe. In the wilds of a discarded world, Philip Plantagenet, son of Henry II, moves to claim a birthright nine centuries in the making, one that drives him to eliminate the Tuatha de Dannan–at any cost to both worlds.
In the halls of Vatican City, Cardinal Vicar Cormac Pell O’Connor schemes to control the Heliwr–the Unfettered Knight–one who possesses the great power known as the Dark Thorn.
The three men are on a collision course with history–and their futures. For in the wilds of Annwn, death comes as easily as magic.
Haunted by a past he can’t forget and a knightly responsibility he can’t shun, Richard is drawn into levels of machinations–and two worlds–far darker than any he has prepared for.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 25, 2011
76 people are currently reading
1239 people want to read
About the author
Shawn Speakman
31 books729 followersShawn Speakman grew up in the beautiful wilds of Washington State near a volcano and surrounded by old-growth forests filled with magic. After moving to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, he befriended New York Times best-selling fantasy author Terry Brooks and became his webmaster, leading to an enchanted life surrounded by words.
He was a manager at one of the largest Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the country for many years and now owns the online bookstore The Signed Page, manages the websites for several authors, and is a freelance writer for Random House.
He also contributed the annotations for The Annotated Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, published in 2012.
Shawn is a cancer survivor, knows angel fire east, and lives in Seattle, Washington.
He was a manager at one of the largest Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the country for many years and now owns the online bookstore The Signed Page, manages the websites for several authors, and is a freelance writer for Random House.
He also contributed the annotations for The Annotated Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, published in 2012.
Shawn is a cancer survivor, knows angel fire east, and lives in Seattle, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
March 5, 2012
I’ll be honest. I bought this book out of charity. Shawn Speakman is the webmaster/great guy who helps Terry Brooks maintain his web presence. When Shawn found out he had cancer he found himself in the unenviable position of being without health insurance. This book was released, in part, to help pay for his medical treatments and perhaps as a result I wasn’t expecting much when I started reading The Dark Thorn.
Into the first or second chapter I found myself shaking my head and wondering if Shawn was going to rip Brooks off and create a semi-“Word and the Void” semi-“Shannara” hybrid. But I continued to give it a chance because despite my initial suspicions that it would pale in comparison to Brooks, I found myself really starting to enjoy the lore. I found it darker than Brooks which, in my opinion, is a good thing.
It’s unfair to compare Speakman to Brooks given one is a perennial best seller and one is new to publishing his own work but I have to believe he knew those comparisons would inevitably come. But what surprised me, is that I found it every bit on par with a Brooks novel. For this being a self-published novel it surpasses some of traditionally published work I’ve read. If Speakman isn’t careful Brooks is going to find himself out a webmaster and up against a brand new (friendly) competitor.
But back to The Dark Thorn, this book deals with religion rather heavily, in particular, the Catholic Church. That said, as a Christian, I didn’t find any of it offensive. The main character is a knight of sorts, entrusted with protecting a portal that leads to another world in which the fairy tale creatures of our world escaped as Christianity and Catholicism grew and expanded in influence. There are other portals around the world, each with their own knight protecting it. These nights are granted a legendary weapon from King Arthur’s court. Richard, our central character, carries Lancelot’s Arondight. Another character possesses Prydwen, King Arthur’s shield. Other legendary weapons make appearances and it’s fascinating how they almost become secondary characters themselves. Or at least guest stars.
I’ll keep this spoiler free, but there are so many interesting aspects to this novel that it becomes literally one of my favorites ever. And this is coming from a guy who loves the Terry Brooks, loves Stephen King, and loves Michael Connelly. When you consider that Speakman will likely be compared to his long-time friend and mentor it should be a massive compliment when I tell you, without hesitation, that Speakman doesn’t aspire to be in the same company, he IS in the same company. The fantasy genre has a new player. I can absolutely recommend The Dark Thorn and not just to fans of Terry Brooks. I can recommend The Dark Thorn to fans of fantasy in general. It’s a great book.
Into the first or second chapter I found myself shaking my head and wondering if Shawn was going to rip Brooks off and create a semi-“Word and the Void” semi-“Shannara” hybrid. But I continued to give it a chance because despite my initial suspicions that it would pale in comparison to Brooks, I found myself really starting to enjoy the lore. I found it darker than Brooks which, in my opinion, is a good thing.
It’s unfair to compare Speakman to Brooks given one is a perennial best seller and one is new to publishing his own work but I have to believe he knew those comparisons would inevitably come. But what surprised me, is that I found it every bit on par with a Brooks novel. For this being a self-published novel it surpasses some of traditionally published work I’ve read. If Speakman isn’t careful Brooks is going to find himself out a webmaster and up against a brand new (friendly) competitor.
But back to The Dark Thorn, this book deals with religion rather heavily, in particular, the Catholic Church. That said, as a Christian, I didn’t find any of it offensive. The main character is a knight of sorts, entrusted with protecting a portal that leads to another world in which the fairy tale creatures of our world escaped as Christianity and Catholicism grew and expanded in influence. There are other portals around the world, each with their own knight protecting it. These nights are granted a legendary weapon from King Arthur’s court. Richard, our central character, carries Lancelot’s Arondight. Another character possesses Prydwen, King Arthur’s shield. Other legendary weapons make appearances and it’s fascinating how they almost become secondary characters themselves. Or at least guest stars.
I’ll keep this spoiler free, but there are so many interesting aspects to this novel that it becomes literally one of my favorites ever. And this is coming from a guy who loves the Terry Brooks, loves Stephen King, and loves Michael Connelly. When you consider that Speakman will likely be compared to his long-time friend and mentor it should be a massive compliment when I tell you, without hesitation, that Speakman doesn’t aspire to be in the same company, he IS in the same company. The fantasy genre has a new player. I can absolutely recommend The Dark Thorn and not just to fans of Terry Brooks. I can recommend The Dark Thorn to fans of fantasy in general. It’s a great book.
December 1, 2016
This book is traditional fantasy (which I still love) with a twist (not necessarily M. Night Shyamalan style). I highly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend. I keep saying I'm going to add more to these reviews and then leaving them be so I'll make no promises until that actually starts to happen.
July 23, 2013
Full review originally over at Fantasy Book Critic [with review by Cindy]
ANALYSIS: The Dark Thorn is Shawn Speakman’s debut vehicle. I was intrigued by it and thanks to Shawn who offered us a review copy. The blurb details an urban fantasy world with fantasy elements and makes for intriguing plotline. I was able to read an excerpt and that impressed me greatly. The whole book was another thing altogether.
The plot of The Dark Thorn is a multivariate one and focuses on many characters; the first one is Richard McAllister. A knight in the metaphysical sense who lives in Seattle and has faced a whole host of worldly and other-worldly problems, he has had a rough past and even more troubles currently. His status as a knight of the word is a bit shaky but still reliable. Bran Ardall is an orphan lost on the streets of Seattle however his destiny pulls him on to the path with Richard. Bran doesn't quite know how his past ties into his present but he will have to partner with Richard to unveil all secrets. In another realm Philip Plantagenet, scion of Henry II is planning to rule the land of Tuatha de Dannan and he will do absolutely everything to conquer it entirely. Lastly there’s Cardinal Vicar Cormac Pell O’Connor who is in the Vatican doing his religious duties however knows all too well what truly is at stake. There’s much more happening in this first volume but that’s all I’m going to talk about the main plot.
Speaking about the book, it’s a veritable monster if you consider the usual book size in the urban fantasy genre. This story while primarily being an urban fantasy story has huge dollops of thriller and high fantasy genres as well. The author does his best to mix them up and gives us a story whose outcome is hard to predict. There are multiple threads focusing on various characters that speak of the author’s intent in creating a complex storyline spread across various realms. I found this to be a bit unique in regards to urban fantasy storylines. Yes The Dresden Files is currently mixing urban and high fantasy and building up to a big climax however the author never quite revealed this until the 7th book. Shawn on the other hand opens up the story in a dark, smashing fashion showcasing faeries, the Vatican church, an otherworldly realm and some Arthurian mythos. This is just a small teaser of what to expect from this book but rest assured there’s much more in the story to keep the readers occupied and wondering how it all ties in together.
The characterization becomes very crucial in a tale with a huge cast of characters and we get a wide variety of them. With Bran and Richard, we get two whom the audience can connect and root for. However the other POV character Deidre who starts off as simple maiden but gets sucked into a horrible arrangement, truly shows some surprising chops. Then there’s also Richard’s past mentor who is mysterious and devious at the same time and I’m very curious to see how the author develops his storyline further. The side character cast is also intriguing and I’m sure some of them will play major roles in the upcoming sequels. The main plot takes quite some turns which will keep the readers on their toes as they follow all the character arcs. Lastly there’s the magic system and world setting which aren't all that new but have been presented in a slightly new format with the obvious focus on Celtic and Arthurian elements.
Now while The Dark Thorn did manage to impress me quite a bit, there are some areas wherein it needs improvement. First the author plunges the readers directly into the story without much of an explanation. This is a bit Steven Erikson-esque and while some might enjoy such a introduction, there will be many who wouldn't prefer it to be so. The story takes a while to get itself grounded and the readers will have to labor on trying to understand what’s happening and who’s connected to which facet of the plotline. Secondly the pace of the story is uneven in the sense, there are some terrific action sequences but in between them, the story flounders a bit as the author pushes the story forward. Lastly there’s the morally ambiguous main POV character Richard, while many readers might enjoy his dark plot arc. His characterization might leave a lot unsettled and hard to connect with.
CONCLUSION: Shawn Speakman’s debut vehicle is one that showcases his talent and marks itself out to be a different book amidst the crowded urban fantasy genre. It has its plus points and some flaws but that shouldn't deter readers from giving it a shot. The Dark Thorn will surely feature in my year-end lists for the ingenuity shown in its plot and world setting while also providing some intriguing characters. If you are tired of reading the same old urban fantasy stories, then make sure you read this one, as it will surely refresh your mind as it did mine!
February 5, 2014
This book could have been so much better, the premise for the book is good and is what initially caught my attention, but I feel that the author tried to do too much with the subject and tried to include too many fantasy/historical elements. The writing is not very polished and doesn't flow very well. He tries to be very grandiose with the writing and language and it just comes off as cheap and awkward. There are also several instances in the book where the author will say something on one page and then contradict himself on the next page, sometimes in the next sentence.
The characters are shallow and one dimensional, they have no depth, and they flip flop from being extremely immature and irrational one minute to being very wise and all knowing the next. There is no character development, we don't see them grow at all, they just inexplicably go from selfish children, ignorant of the world around them, to full grown, mature adults, tasked to save the world from impending doom.
The plot has holes all over the place and there is a lot of deus ex machina. He writes the characters into seemingly impossible scenarios with no way out and all of a sudden they emerge victorious and he explains it away with "magic." It's hokey and fake and not believable at all (yes, this is fantasy writing, but there has to be some believable elements, rooted in what we know, to make it engaging and to help the reader buy in to what the author is selling).
It was all I could do to make it to the end of the book. I will not be reading the next two books in the series when they come out, one book was more than enough for me. I would not recommend this book.
The characters are shallow and one dimensional, they have no depth, and they flip flop from being extremely immature and irrational one minute to being very wise and all knowing the next. There is no character development, we don't see them grow at all, they just inexplicably go from selfish children, ignorant of the world around them, to full grown, mature adults, tasked to save the world from impending doom.
The plot has holes all over the place and there is a lot of deus ex machina. He writes the characters into seemingly impossible scenarios with no way out and all of a sudden they emerge victorious and he explains it away with "magic." It's hokey and fake and not believable at all (yes, this is fantasy writing, but there has to be some believable elements, rooted in what we know, to make it engaging and to help the reader buy in to what the author is selling).
It was all I could do to make it to the end of the book. I will not be reading the next two books in the series when they come out, one book was more than enough for me. I would not recommend this book.
August 7, 2013
This book is about Richard, a knight who guards a portal between our world and the fey world. When trouble stirs in the other world Richard reluctantly investigates, but nothing is what it seems.
The author, Shawn Speakman, has been the web druid for Terry Brooks for years, and you can see Terry's influence at the beginning of this book. The tone, especially early-on reminded me of Terry.
Some people said they had trouble connecting with Richard's character. That wasn't the case for me, especially once Elizabeth was introduced. However, it did take me a while to get into the story. The book starts with a battle before you know or care about the characters, but if you keep reading the plot threads start to reveal themselves.
The story combines urban fantasy and high fantasy. I love all of the Arthurian threads interwoven into the story. Some of the scenes involving the Catholic Church felt a little heavy-handed in the first part of the book, but they are relevant to events later in the book. It all connects.
Several of the plot twists surprised me. As a writer, that pleased me, but as a reader I was sad that some of the characters I liked had to deal with more trouble... :)
I really enjoyed the romantic plotline. It helped humanize the characters. I was really looking forward to watching it unfold in the future books. The resolution to the romantic plotline felt like the easy way out for that particular plot thread. It's resolution is the catalyst for something else, but as a reader I felt misled, especially because of what is foretold.
Bran is the other knight who travels with Richard. Bran was an orphan who lived on the streets most of his life. Early-on in the fey world, Bran felt a little too helpless and innocent for someone who had lived on the streets for so long. However, his innocence is a good balance for Richard's cynicism.
Overall, this is a good debut novel. I enjoyed reading it (even if I was sad about certain characters). It is written as a stand-alone novel at the beginning of a series, and I did have a feeling of completion/satisfaction when I finished the book. The major plotlines are resolved, but enough questions are left unanswered to make you want to read the next book. I look forward to it!
The author, Shawn Speakman, has been the web druid for Terry Brooks for years, and you can see Terry's influence at the beginning of this book. The tone, especially early-on reminded me of Terry.
Some people said they had trouble connecting with Richard's character. That wasn't the case for me, especially once Elizabeth was introduced. However, it did take me a while to get into the story. The book starts with a battle before you know or care about the characters, but if you keep reading the plot threads start to reveal themselves.
The story combines urban fantasy and high fantasy. I love all of the Arthurian threads interwoven into the story. Some of the scenes involving the Catholic Church felt a little heavy-handed in the first part of the book, but they are relevant to events later in the book. It all connects.
Several of the plot twists surprised me. As a writer, that pleased me, but as a reader I was sad that some of the characters I liked had to deal with more trouble... :)
I really enjoyed the romantic plotline. It helped humanize the characters. I was really looking forward to watching it unfold in the future books. The resolution to the romantic plotline felt like the easy way out for that particular plot thread. It's resolution is the catalyst for something else, but as a reader I felt misled, especially because of what is foretold.
Bran is the other knight who travels with Richard. Bran was an orphan who lived on the streets most of his life. Early-on in the fey world, Bran felt a little too helpless and innocent for someone who had lived on the streets for so long. However, his innocence is a good balance for Richard's cynicism.
Overall, this is a good debut novel. I enjoyed reading it (even if I was sad about certain characters). It is written as a stand-alone novel at the beginning of a series, and I did have a feeling of completion/satisfaction when I finished the book. The major plotlines are resolved, but enough questions are left unanswered to make you want to read the next book. I look forward to it!
June 25, 2012
NOTE: Back in 2011, Terry Brook’s webmaster, Shawn Speakman, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He fought the disease and survived. The problem now is that Speakman had no Health Insurance. So instead of declaring medical bankruptcy, Shawn decided to self-publish his fantasy novel The Dark Thorn and use the proceeds from the book to pay off his debts. (To learn more, follow this link.) I didn’t buy this book out of pity. I bought it because frankly the blurb grabbed my attention.
Currently the Fantasy genre has seen a huge influx of tales set in a modern-day setting. There are many subpar knockoffs of these books released every year. The Dark Thorn however is able to be on the same level of books by authors such as Butcher and Hamilton. And I think in some respects the book outshines a lot of newly released fantasies. Traditionally Published and Self Published.
The plot of Speakman’s novel is a unique blend of Arthurian mythology, ancient Church conspiracies, modern history, and the classic Quest tale. These unlikely themes are combined to create a very human tale.
The characters are very superb also. The POV shifts from character to character and at each switch, Speakman takes you on a ride in the character’s mind. Every character had clear motives, and the way they proceed to act makes sense.
At times the writing style reminded me a lot of Terry Brooks. (Speakman is good friends with Brooks, who also taught him at the Maui Writers Workshop.) Speakman is no knockoff though. He may be similar but his style is all his own, and is rather refreshing. The only problem I had was that there were a lot of “ly” adverbs after Speakman wrote said. There were a few “Swifties” here and there but it never stopped me from finishing the novel or liking the story.
Overall, I give the book 4 stars out of 5! A great debut from a new writer! Recommended for fans of Jim Butcher, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Terry Brooks, and Dan Brown. For the price of $6.99 it’s worth every penny.
Available on B&N, Amazon.com, and in Print.
Currently the Fantasy genre has seen a huge influx of tales set in a modern-day setting. There are many subpar knockoffs of these books released every year. The Dark Thorn however is able to be on the same level of books by authors such as Butcher and Hamilton. And I think in some respects the book outshines a lot of newly released fantasies. Traditionally Published and Self Published.
The plot of Speakman’s novel is a unique blend of Arthurian mythology, ancient Church conspiracies, modern history, and the classic Quest tale. These unlikely themes are combined to create a very human tale.
The characters are very superb also. The POV shifts from character to character and at each switch, Speakman takes you on a ride in the character’s mind. Every character had clear motives, and the way they proceed to act makes sense.
At times the writing style reminded me a lot of Terry Brooks. (Speakman is good friends with Brooks, who also taught him at the Maui Writers Workshop.) Speakman is no knockoff though. He may be similar but his style is all his own, and is rather refreshing. The only problem I had was that there were a lot of “ly” adverbs after Speakman wrote said. There were a few “Swifties” here and there but it never stopped me from finishing the novel or liking the story.
Overall, I give the book 4 stars out of 5! A great debut from a new writer! Recommended for fans of Jim Butcher, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Terry Brooks, and Dan Brown. For the price of $6.99 it’s worth every penny.
Available on B&N, Amazon.com, and in Print.
April 17, 2014
I will preface my review by saying it only covers around the first half of the book. After six 1/2 years and 162 books as hard as I tried I just could not finish it and here is why. To all you authors out there please do not go to all the effort to create an in depth fantasy world that you fill with numerous characters, an alternate history, glorious artifacts,parallel universe, and imaginary beasts and NEVER EXPLAIN ANY OF IT! It creates a reader who doesn't give two shits about your story (I've moved on to the Lies of Locke Lamora so hence the reason for the language). Now maybe it's all explained later in the book but as a reader I shouldn't have to dread picking it back up to get to that point. Also the main character is impossible to connect with and the writing style and prose could have used significantly more editing, to the point that it distracted the reader from the story.
March 10, 2014
Good book, just a little ways away from being a better maybe even a great book. It felt like if the author Shawn Speakman had been slightly less ambitious about making so many plot elements and focused a little more on the characters, especially Bran, the book would have felt more complete. Also while it was interesting to not know the boundaries of the conflict for a while, a little more back story earlier in the book would have gotten me more involved. Finally a pet peeve of mine, giving someone a sword doesn't make them a warrior. They have to actually like train and use it for a while.
The good parts, I really enjoyed how the book surprised me. I felt like there were a lots of good plot twist, that I didn't see coming. It was fun how it blended the modern day, with mythology. It setup a world well, for future books. All in all, a pretty good read.
The good parts, I really enjoyed how the book surprised me. I felt like there were a lots of good plot twist, that I didn't see coming. It was fun how it blended the modern day, with mythology. It setup a world well, for future books. All in all, a pretty good read.
September 29, 2017
Well, that was a rollercoaster. In fact, I'm still not sure of my rating. My heart says 4 stars but my head says 3.
It started off so well. There was great world building and the whole book was well-written. I loved the premise and all the little nods towards Arthurian legend and got drawn into the story. I was totally prepared to give this five stars.
But then I got to the middle and suddenly I was confused. So many types of fey were introduced and I'm still not sure how to pronounce their names. Descriptions became long winded, aspects of the plot were resolved a bit quick and characters appeared one-dimensional.
The ending was rushed and had a slight unfinished feel to it but it was gripping enough for me to see the book through. I think this book could have been better so I'm going to listen to my head here.
It started off so well. There was great world building and the whole book was well-written. I loved the premise and all the little nods towards Arthurian legend and got drawn into the story. I was totally prepared to give this five stars.
But then I got to the middle and suddenly I was confused. So many types of fey were introduced and I'm still not sure how to pronounce their names. Descriptions became long winded, aspects of the plot were resolved a bit quick and characters appeared one-dimensional.
The ending was rushed and had a slight unfinished feel to it but it was gripping enough for me to see the book through. I think this book could have been better so I'm going to listen to my head here.
February 2, 2019
Oh Shawn, I’m so sorry, I tried but this is just not well written. There’s interesting elements here but the world and the characters are not fleshed out enough to draw you in so it’s hard to care - I just found it dull - the quality of the prose is poor with some sentences not even making sense. I found my eyes sort off slipping away from the page because I was so unengaged.
It did however contain possibly the worst simile I’ve ever read which I will treasure forever:
“...silver streaks of light flickering like a strobe light through bits of fog.”
It did however contain possibly the worst simile I’ve ever read which I will treasure forever:
“...silver streaks of light flickering like a strobe light through bits of fog.”
January 28, 2014
This is a very creative romp through modern Seattle, a faerie underground, and massive battle involving tons of Celtic and Christian lore and history. Shawn is a creative and talented writer, who has crafted a quality product. I look forward to future installments in this series. The only real downside is my lack of lore knowledge, which made me feel left out quite often as the book progressed.
October 26, 2013
Pretty good story, imaginative. But Speakman's writing is such that he should never have been published. His language tries too hard to be grandiose (usually only succeeding at being awkward), there are plot holes everywhere, and his characters automatically know things that should be unknown... The entire novel his writing kept jarring me out of a story that deserved a finer touch.
June 27, 2014
I read a short story set in the world in the anthology which Shawn edited and the proceeds of which were used so Shawn could pay his medical bills (he had cancer).
I liked the world a lot; I liked the story. It was familiar enough to hook me quickly but he threw in some twists that I didn't see coming. I do hope he writes more in this world!
I liked the world a lot; I liked the story. It was familiar enough to hook me quickly but he threw in some twists that I didn't see coming. I do hope he writes more in this world!
April 16, 2019
Darkthorn
Loved this book.it was gripping from.the first page the character hero was someone you could feel his very anguish for and how strong he was the characters and story were mind blowing loved it
Loved this book.it was gripping from.the first page the character hero was someone you could feel his very anguish for and how strong he was the characters and story were mind blowing loved it
January 3, 2014
Similarly to my review of unfettered, this book gets bonus points because of it's high quality publishing. Shawn must treat these books like they are his babies, because dust jacket, paper, and binding are all extremely high quality and it was sent in so much bubble wrap that it would have survived nuclear war. As a fledgling fantasy book collector, I cannot have appreciated this more. This could have been a bad book (which it most certainly was not) and I still would have appreciated it because you can just tell he loves his books.
Now on to the story - Richard McAllister, a Knight of the Yn Saith and protector of a portal to Annwn with a sorrowful past, and Bran Ardall, an orphan from the street of Seattle, venture into Annwn to prevent Philip Plantaganet from conquering the Tuatha De Dannan and invading present day earth. Well, that's a simplified version of it at least - the full story is vastly complicated with many intertwining paths, world and mythological references centered around the Vatican, Camelot and a heavy dose of Celtic Mythology.
This book had a slow start for me, but I really ended up liking it. My celtic mythology is not really up to snuff, so it was a little hard tracking characters and I definitely felt that the significance of certain events and items didn't quite get through to me, but as the story went on I felt myself enjoying it more and more. I became more involved with the characters and truly appreciated the world within a world that was brought to life.
I probably would have normally given this a 4, but the publishing quality bumped it up to a 5 for me. Bur more importantly, there are supposed to be a few more books coming and that is what I'm really looking forward to. I feel like I can dive head first into the next books with no problems at all and avoid the slow start I felt with this one.
Now on to the story - Richard McAllister, a Knight of the Yn Saith and protector of a portal to Annwn with a sorrowful past, and Bran Ardall, an orphan from the street of Seattle, venture into Annwn to prevent Philip Plantaganet from conquering the Tuatha De Dannan and invading present day earth. Well, that's a simplified version of it at least - the full story is vastly complicated with many intertwining paths, world and mythological references centered around the Vatican, Camelot and a heavy dose of Celtic Mythology.
This book had a slow start for me, but I really ended up liking it. My celtic mythology is not really up to snuff, so it was a little hard tracking characters and I definitely felt that the significance of certain events and items didn't quite get through to me, but as the story went on I felt myself enjoying it more and more. I became more involved with the characters and truly appreciated the world within a world that was brought to life.
I probably would have normally given this a 4, but the publishing quality bumped it up to a 5 for me. Bur more importantly, there are supposed to be a few more books coming and that is what I'm really looking forward to. I feel like I can dive head first into the next books with no problems at all and avoid the slow start I felt with this one.
September 15, 2013
I was introduced to Shawn Speakman and his Dark Thorn world via a book called Unfettered (see my book list). I was intrigued by the character of Richard and the idea that a parallel world existed where the magical beings of our stories and myths had gone to live apart from man.
This book really delivered. For anyone interested in or already versed in Celtic, Irish and English mythologies and history, it's really a delight to read. For those more unfamiliar some of the language and names may stack up a bit and seem like a long list of characters and types of monsters, fairies and other creatures. Stick with it. It's a classic good vs evil story but it's more in depth than that. Both the "heroes" and "evil guys" are flawed and have valid arguments for their actions and reactions to events. It's a fantasy book with a gritty underlayer of realistic emotional conflicts and terrible, sad scenes of death and destruction. And it even ties in the Catholic Church, in a very Dan Brown kind of way, but less annoying, and far more interesting.
I'm impressed with Shawn (and I love his background - again see Unfettered) and hope to see a lot more of Richard McAllister and his Dark Thorn.
This book really delivered. For anyone interested in or already versed in Celtic, Irish and English mythologies and history, it's really a delight to read. For those more unfamiliar some of the language and names may stack up a bit and seem like a long list of characters and types of monsters, fairies and other creatures. Stick with it. It's a classic good vs evil story but it's more in depth than that. Both the "heroes" and "evil guys" are flawed and have valid arguments for their actions and reactions to events. It's a fantasy book with a gritty underlayer of realistic emotional conflicts and terrible, sad scenes of death and destruction. And it even ties in the Catholic Church, in a very Dan Brown kind of way, but less annoying, and far more interesting.
I'm impressed with Shawn (and I love his background - again see Unfettered) and hope to see a lot more of Richard McAllister and his Dark Thorn.
January 27, 2015
The Dark Thorn by Shawn Speakman was an awesome book! The plot had a lot going on but everything worked. The characters, settings, and Speakman's story-telling ability really blew me away. One of my favorite passages in chapter 7 was: "The sweet smell of virgin nature coupled with air not of the sea intoxicated the knight, and he looked out over the day in silent thanks, the rippling water of the lake glimmering like sapphires under the sun." This is just a small example of the quality of the description that the author put into this story.
This is a story of Richard McAlister, a Knight of the Yn Saith, who guards one of seven secret portals between our world and a magical world called Annwn. Richard has to travel into Annwn to investigate strange happenings at his portal. Events during the story change Richard for the better.
I'll be thinking about this book for a long time. I just can't say enough good things about the quality of the story telling and world building along with the heart and passion that Speakman put into this book. This is fantasy at its best and it was quite unique in my opinion - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Happy reading, everyone!
This is a story of Richard McAlister, a Knight of the Yn Saith, who guards one of seven secret portals between our world and a magical world called Annwn. Richard has to travel into Annwn to investigate strange happenings at his portal. Events during the story change Richard for the better.
I'll be thinking about this book for a long time. I just can't say enough good things about the quality of the story telling and world building along with the heart and passion that Speakman put into this book. This is fantasy at its best and it was quite unique in my opinion - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Happy reading, everyone!
March 20, 2019
Very clever! I loved the characters and really enjoyed the reinterpretation of the Vatican and the idea that there is another world connected to our own.
Well done.
And the narrator is one of the best!
Well done.
And the narrator is one of the best!
July 26, 2013
Richard McAllister is a knight of the Yn Saith, protecting a portal between Seattle and Annwn, the world of the Fey.
Nice set up, and I'll do this with no spoiler other than the obvious - it goes badly. The story that builds from a slightly slow beginning is a work of fantasy in a great form. Taking elements of new age urban fantasy such as The Dresden Files and combining it with Tolkien-esque and Brooks' style fantasy worlds of magic and intrigue, Speakman creates a unique blend, pulling inspiration from not only these authors, but older stories of knights and wizards.
In short - a great opening story for Shawn Speakman. I highly recommend it, and sit here frustrated that two more books do not yet to exist for me to dive into next.
Nice set up, and I'll do this with no spoiler other than the obvious - it goes badly. The story that builds from a slightly slow beginning is a work of fantasy in a great form. Taking elements of new age urban fantasy such as The Dresden Files and combining it with Tolkien-esque and Brooks' style fantasy worlds of magic and intrigue, Speakman creates a unique blend, pulling inspiration from not only these authors, but older stories of knights and wizards.
In short - a great opening story for Shawn Speakman. I highly recommend it, and sit here frustrated that two more books do not yet to exist for me to dive into next.
October 17, 2013
I was very impressed with this book, the Dark Thorn. It is an urban fantasy but married with an epic fantasy style. The characters are developed to the point that I am hooked on them I want to know more about them and this world that Shawn has built. This book intrigues the reader, with the story lines, you think you see what is coming, but there is a twist here and there and all of a sudden the story goes in a different direction. The characters are flawed, but valiant. It will be fun and interesting to see where Shawn takes this world in the next book. I will be waiting for it.
Read this book, I recommend it to any lover of fantasy.
A very impressive first book.
Read this book, I recommend it to any lover of fantasy.
A very impressive first book.
September 3, 2014
I reached the 6th chapter and was introduced to the fourth point of view character. According to Kindle, I was only 10% of the way through the story.
Compounding the confusing cast of characters is merely passable prose, barely average action, and unironic use of simile saturated scenes. I decided not to finish the story.
Based on the quality of the writing, I'm giving this 2 stars. The story itself may rate more, but it doesn't feel worth finishing.
I've read this author's work before and really like his short stories.
Compounding the confusing cast of characters is merely passable prose, barely average action, and unironic use of simile saturated scenes. I decided not to finish the story.
Based on the quality of the writing, I'm giving this 2 stars. The story itself may rate more, but it doesn't feel worth finishing.
I've read this author's work before and really like his short stories.
July 12, 2012
In all honestly, I was a little wary of this book at first, but the author's plight and the interesting premise convinced me to purchase it. I have mixed feelings. Overall, it was good. I am not sure, however, if it is something I will read again. More than likely, not. The prose wasn't as sophisticated as I had expected, the characters not as well drawn out as they could have been. The book started out strong, kind of plateaued in the middle, but finished with a satisfying conclusion.
November 1, 2015
I actually have had to stop listening and will finish the book in print. The mispronunciation of Welsh words was driving me insane. And there's no way to avoid words like Annwn (closest to An-Noon in Welsh) or Llion (closest to Th-Eeyon) in this story. After spending all the time on accents, would you have thought they'd have spent a bit of time on the proper pronunciation of the Welsh?
Ann-win? Really?
Paging Mary Robinette! Help them!
Ann-win? Really?
Paging Mary Robinette! Help them!
January 16, 2019
A real must read, I am Celtic, Welsh and loved the use of our language and heritage. I also love fantasy so it was a match made in heaven, and decided I was going to like it before I read it. But I was amazed just how much I enjoyed it, it’s well written, fast paced and full of fey legends. I’ve gone on to read the Twilight Dragon and wanted to pre order the sequel the Everwinter Wraith and its not available.
August 6, 2014
Speakman is doing something right in this novel. There are no words wasted, every scene drives the plot forward and keeps the pages turning. He takes some familiar tropes and runs with them, while turning others on their heads. I look forward to another installment in this world, yet the book can be read as a standalone and leave the reader feeling satisfied.
December 11, 2013
Chances are if you read the works of Terry Brooks, then you know of Shawn Speakman. I bought this book to support him in his endeavor to pay off medical bills. Upon reading The Dark Thorn, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I found the premise to be intriguing and well thought out. If you enjoy the Urban Fantasy genre, I recommend checking this book out.
May 10, 2014
The Arthurian Legends have morphed and changed over centuries clothing the quintessential myth in costumes recognizable by the current generation. Speakman's Dark Thorn is a lively interpretation for the 21st century. It's a great read and I had a hard time putting it down. It's one of those books where you turn the last page and find yourself asking "more...?"
March 14, 2015
This is one of those books that I've had sitting around and finally got to...And loved it. I have no idea why I kept over looking this little gem. Just a great blend of everything. Catholicism, Paganism, the fae, Arthurian legend, Merlin the wizard and on and on. Rather unique in its style in my opinion. I greatly enjoyed it.
August 11, 2015
The plot is original, very good. It is a story of a Knights Templar, Richard who wants revenge and still want to do his job which is protecting the portal of the other world and his world. It has excitement and action which will keep you interested. One or two parts I would have written differently if I was a writer, about I’m not so I will end this here.
October 10, 2013
A great fast read. This is a great debut for Speakman, although it does suffer from some of the normal "first novel" complications. Fun characters, interesting ideas and big ambitions. I want to see what happens next though.
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