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The Gravedigger Chronicles #1
Sea of Ghosts
When the last of the Gravediggers, an elite imperial infiltration unit, are disbanded and hunted down by the emperor they once served, munitions expert Colonel Thomas Granger takes refuge in the unlikeliest of places. He becomes a jailer in Ethugra.
431 pages, Paperback
First published March 18, 2011
24 people are currently reading
1436 people want to read
About the author
Alan Campbell
7 books51 followersAlan wrote the Deepgate Codex and the Gravedigger Chronicles. He's still alive.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
August 1, 2024
Нова кратка поредица с обещаващо начало. Интересен свят и идеи, с нетърпение почвам втората част.
Море с цвят на кехлибар и вкус на киселина, бряг покрит със стотици хиляди ключове, изнесени от безчет удавници...
И дракони естествено, при това гладни, бронирани и безумни понякога.
Море с цвят на кехлибар и вкус на киселина, бряг покрит със стотици хиляди ключове, изнесени от безчет удавници...
И дракони естествено, при това гладни, бронирани и безумни понякога.
May 1, 2018
Well that book sneaked up on me. I really enjoyed that. I went into this with no expectations other than the world is a grim place to live and there is magic going on. (yeah I did a lot of research and picked this one solely on the title. Which is ironic, because the title using the word 'Gravediggers' is completely irrelevant. It could have easily been called Sea of Ghosts (The Button Polishers Chronicles, #1). Yes the main character was a gravedigger, a term given to a team of soldiers who were at war together, but that is it. The cynical side of me thinks the term Gravedigger is used to make the book sound more interesting and get people to buy it based on the title. Oh wait, huh, it worked.
Anyway, no gravedigging is done in this book. You don't need to dig graves because the sea is a giant acidic brine body that turns you into one of the drowned, where you develop shark like skin and turn to stone when kept out of water. Easy to dispose of people in this world. Just splash them with a bit of sea water.
You get pretty much thrown into the story and it is pretty fast paced, a lot of times I couldn't put this book down. You have your every day humans, trying to live on a planet that has a rising sea level, the world building is excellent, so expect a lot of descriptions. So rising sea levels have already covered coastal towns and the humans are living in new towns built on top of the old towns under the brine. There are Unmar, who used to rule over us and have amazing powers (not going to go into that here) and the Haurstaf who are human sorceresses. All female, not sure why, just are. Anyway, history tells us Unmar subjugated Humans, Haurstaf's came into their power, faught back, toppled the unmar and now have them living in ghettos whilst they perform experiments on them.
Our Hero, Granger, big burly block, hard to knock down, doesn't know when to stop etc has adventures with his surly teenage daughter who has untapped powers. 'prophecy probably to follow in later books'. What follows is a full on adventure with awesome world building and very good character building.
I am certainly going straight into book 2. (psst I already have).
Definitely a grim dark book, but not in the descriptive murder and blood thirsty type, more in the the grimness of the world and some of the personalty types and their bigotry. There is one character who is brilliantly written. You have to take him as a villain, but he grows on you and you start to see his brilliance and then he does something that you think "you stupid git", but you can't not like his tenacity and his drive. Brilliantly written character.
Loved it.
Anyway, no gravedigging is done in this book. You don't need to dig graves because the sea is a giant acidic brine body that turns you into one of the drowned, where you develop shark like skin and turn to stone when kept out of water. Easy to dispose of people in this world. Just splash them with a bit of sea water.
You get pretty much thrown into the story and it is pretty fast paced, a lot of times I couldn't put this book down. You have your every day humans, trying to live on a planet that has a rising sea level, the world building is excellent, so expect a lot of descriptions. So rising sea levels have already covered coastal towns and the humans are living in new towns built on top of the old towns under the brine. There are Unmar, who used to rule over us and have amazing powers (not going to go into that here) and the Haurstaf who are human sorceresses. All female, not sure why, just are. Anyway, history tells us Unmar subjugated Humans, Haurstaf's came into their power, faught back, toppled the unmar and now have them living in ghettos whilst they perform experiments on them.
Our Hero, Granger, big burly block, hard to knock down, doesn't know when to stop etc has adventures with his surly teenage daughter who has untapped powers. 'prophecy probably to follow in later books'. What follows is a full on adventure with awesome world building and very good character building.
I am certainly going straight into book 2. (psst I already have).
Definitely a grim dark book, but not in the descriptive murder and blood thirsty type, more in the the grimness of the world and some of the personalty types and their bigotry. There is one character who is brilliantly written. You have to take him as a villain, but he grows on you and you start to see his brilliance and then he does something that you think "you stupid git", but you can't not like his tenacity and his drive. Brilliantly written character.
Loved it.
February 24, 2012
The sea bottles are bubbling away under the sea, each seemingly a gateway into another world, steadily raising the sea levels with brine whose touch will turn your skin to shark skin. The artefacts of a recently fallen alchemic and magical dictatorship lie under the poisonous waters for anyone brave enough, or insane enough to retrieve them. Steamships and sorcerous weapons abound, along with other fascinating devices in a steam/punk/fantasy world. Dragons are addicted to what can only be described as post human food. A madman conjectures about quantum physics and sorcery sources…
Sea of Ghosts is wonderful meaty stuff from Mr Campbell again – he’s a true original. When I read Scar Night I felt the same: fascinated by the ideas, by fantasy that’s stepped well away from the norm, and by the nuts and bolts of his world. I’m not highly interested in labels, but if you want to read something that definitely isn’t a Tolkien clone or even a close relative, something that engages you from page one and never lets go, this is for you.
Sea of Ghosts is wonderful meaty stuff from Mr Campbell again – he’s a true original. When I read Scar Night I felt the same: fascinated by the ideas, by fantasy that’s stepped well away from the norm, and by the nuts and bolts of his world. I’m not highly interested in labels, but if you want to read something that definitely isn’t a Tolkien clone or even a close relative, something that engages you from page one and never lets go, this is for you.
May 9, 2015
Светът в книгата на Камбъл е мрачен и зловещ
Цялото ревю тук: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...
Рядко съм срещал книги, които описват толкова тъмен и безрадостен свят. Алън Камбъл изважда на показ чудовищна действителност, наситена с мрачни краски и залята от отровите на една победена и поробена цивилизация. През по-голямата част от книгата имах чувството, че ставам свидетел на една колосална трагедия, напомняща много на мрачните прогнози за бъдещето на самата Земя. Дори започнах да се съмнявам дали Камбъл не е решил да ни уплаши, вмъквайки в сюжета повече научна фантастика, отколкото фентъзи. Някъде по средата на книгата е спомената Полярната звезда – единственото крехко доказателство, че описаният свят може да се отнесе към далечното бъдеще на Земята (освен ако преводачът не е решил да интерпретира нещата). И нищо друго не подсказва, че светът на Камбъл е извън поредната фентъзи реалност.
Героите и народите в „Море на призраците“ („Бард“, 2014) са изключително интересни и съм пределно доволен, че историята си има продължение, на което ще обърна внимание в друго ревю. Светът е сцена на постоянни войни (Камбъл говори за около 50), но е спомената само последната, в която с властта се сбогува народ на магьосници с необикновени възможности и с прецизни знания по квантовата физика, сътворили хиляди предмети с чудновати свойства. (Продължава в блога: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...)
Цялото ревю тук: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...
Рядко съм срещал книги, които описват толкова тъмен и безрадостен свят. Алън Камбъл изважда на показ чудовищна действителност, наситена с мрачни краски и залята от отровите на една победена и поробена цивилизация. През по-голямата част от книгата имах чувството, че ставам свидетел на една колосална трагедия, напомняща много на мрачните прогнози за бъдещето на самата Земя. Дори започнах да се съмнявам дали Камбъл не е решил да ни уплаши, вмъквайки в сюжета повече научна фантастика, отколкото фентъзи. Някъде по средата на книгата е спомената Полярната звезда – единственото крехко доказателство, че описаният свят може да се отнесе към далечното бъдеще на Земята (освен ако преводачът не е решил да интерпретира нещата). И нищо друго не подсказва, че светът на Камбъл е извън поредната фентъзи реалност.
Героите и народите в „Море на призраците“ („Бард“, 2014) са изключително интересни и съм пределно доволен, че историята си има продължение, на което ще обърна внимание в друго ревю. Светът е сцена на постоянни войни (Камбъл говори за около 50), но е спомената само последната, в която с властта се сбогува народ на магьосници с необикновени възможности и с прецизни знания по квантовата физика, сътворили хиляди предмети с чудновати свойства. (Продължава в блога: http://knijenpetar.blogspot.com/2015/...)
December 28, 2018
Понякога ме обвиняват, че не ми трябва много, за да се запаля по идеята да прочета дадена книга. Не знам дали мога да се съглася с това. Вижте само колко много фактори са повлияли върху последния ми избор! „Хрониките на гробарите – книга 1: Море на призраците” има зарибяващо заглавие, което съдържа четири думи, които обикновено предразполагат към фентъзи, хорър и приключения, т.е. – все любими мои жанрове. Корицата е като за нещо в стил Жул Верн среща “Bioshock”. Ключовите думи в Goodreads обещават стиймпънк и дракони. Поредицата е завършена, само два тома, и двата от които са вече издадени на български от „Бард” т.е. – чети смело и се не бой, че ще останеш зарязан на някой клифхенгър… Значи, ако на някого са му нужни повече фактори от това, за да даде шанс на дадена книга, то направо не знам как изобщо чете нещо. Във всеки случай, нюхът ми и този път не ме е излъгал, защото „Море на призраците” се доказа като повече от добър избор за прекарване на дните в очакване на 2019. Така де, нека другите да се суетят покрай подготовката на празника и да пишат късмети за баницата. Аз имам да пиша ревюта за дилогията на Алън Камбъл! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле": https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
March 24, 2011
http://www.rantingdragon.com/sea-of-g...
First in Alan Campbell’s new Gravedigger Chronicles, Sea of Ghosts is a mix of different genres. The novel starts as an adventurous work of low fantasy with steampunk elements, but soon moves into completely new territories of paranormal and even epic fantasy, with scientific elements that expand to make this novel resemble something I can only describe as ‘epic science fantasy’. All the while, Sea of Ghosts reads like a marine adventure written by Clive Cussler.
Dragons, zombies, and lost civilizations
Set in a dystopian world that feels like a combination of Arabic and ancient Japanese cultures, Sea of Ghosts offers a multitude of intriguing elements woven together into an enthralling story. This is a story of old magic and lost civilizations drowned at the bottom of an ocean poisoned during a war long past, of technological, steampunk-esque rediscoveries, and of dragons and zombie-like creatures at the sea floor called the Drowned.
During the aforementioned war long past, the Unmer, old rulers of this world, were imprisoned by the Haurstaf, a group of modern psychic witches. Humans, previously enslaved by the Unmer, were released to rule the world, while the Unmer civilization drowned under the seas that they themselves poisoned as a last desperate strike in the war.
The story
This is the story of Colonel Granger, leader of an elite imperial infiltration unit called the Gravediggers. When his unit is disbanded and hunted by the emperor it once served, Granger flees overseas to a new life. Years later, this life suddenly changes forever when he encounters a very special girl who turns out to be his daughter – and who a lot of people are after for her extraordinary abilities.
Darkness and suspense
Sea of Ghosts’s two biggest strengths are its atmosphere and suspense. Campbell has created a world that pulls the reader in at once. This world seems simple at first, but it is slowly revealed to have a depth to fit any epic series with mysteries around every corner and a rich, intriguing history. This world, combined with the dark, degrading atmosphere, is enough the engage the reader.
The other strength, the suspense, is even more evident, though it starts off slowly – during the first seventy pages, I often wanted to stop reading. If you find yourself in a similar situation, keep reading because it will be worth it. The story soon develops into a page-turner in the truest sense of the word. Halfway into the book I simply couldn’t stop reading. My heart raced and as I approached the ending with events following each other at a breathtaking speed, the last pages left me trembling.
A thin plot and questionable characters
For some reason, though, the plot left me wanting. Because of the slow start – caused by a big amount of character history leading up to the main plot – I believe the book would have benefited from starting seventy pages into the story. Besides that, the plot is pretty thin at times. Protagonists occasionally face dilemmas in spite of the easy way out, which Campbell conveniently ignores. For example, in one instance a magical bottle of poison kills a group of soldiers when the soldiers simply could have shattered the bottle to stop the poison.
The characters, too, are shallow. Though there are some great characters like Creedy, a member of the Gravediggers, or Ianthe, Granger’s gifted daughter, other characters have nothing to distinguish them as individuals.
An intelligent read
These flaws aside, though, Sea of Ghosts is definitely an amazing work of fantasy. I was especially intrigued by the ending that manages both to tie up the main storylines and to leave many minor storylines – with the potential to have a great impact on future installments – open. While at first the book feels simple and poorly thought out, small details that I dismissed earlier turn out to have a huge impact on the story, proving Campbell to be a true master of foreshadowing. Sea of Ghosts is an intelligent read that slowly introduces you to its world and sucks you in when you don’t expect it.
Why should you read this book?
There are many reasons to read Sea of Ghosts. If you enjoy any of the genres I mentioned in my introduction, you will probably enjoy this novel. Though it isn’t without flaws, its suspense will grip any reader and will leave you wanting more. The Gravedigger Chronicles promises to be a fantasy series worth keeping an eye on.
First in Alan Campbell’s new Gravedigger Chronicles, Sea of Ghosts is a mix of different genres. The novel starts as an adventurous work of low fantasy with steampunk elements, but soon moves into completely new territories of paranormal and even epic fantasy, with scientific elements that expand to make this novel resemble something I can only describe as ‘epic science fantasy’. All the while, Sea of Ghosts reads like a marine adventure written by Clive Cussler.
Dragons, zombies, and lost civilizations
Set in a dystopian world that feels like a combination of Arabic and ancient Japanese cultures, Sea of Ghosts offers a multitude of intriguing elements woven together into an enthralling story. This is a story of old magic and lost civilizations drowned at the bottom of an ocean poisoned during a war long past, of technological, steampunk-esque rediscoveries, and of dragons and zombie-like creatures at the sea floor called the Drowned.
During the aforementioned war long past, the Unmer, old rulers of this world, were imprisoned by the Haurstaf, a group of modern psychic witches. Humans, previously enslaved by the Unmer, were released to rule the world, while the Unmer civilization drowned under the seas that they themselves poisoned as a last desperate strike in the war.
The story
This is the story of Colonel Granger, leader of an elite imperial infiltration unit called the Gravediggers. When his unit is disbanded and hunted by the emperor it once served, Granger flees overseas to a new life. Years later, this life suddenly changes forever when he encounters a very special girl who turns out to be his daughter – and who a lot of people are after for her extraordinary abilities.
Darkness and suspense
Sea of Ghosts’s two biggest strengths are its atmosphere and suspense. Campbell has created a world that pulls the reader in at once. This world seems simple at first, but it is slowly revealed to have a depth to fit any epic series with mysteries around every corner and a rich, intriguing history. This world, combined with the dark, degrading atmosphere, is enough the engage the reader.
The other strength, the suspense, is even more evident, though it starts off slowly – during the first seventy pages, I often wanted to stop reading. If you find yourself in a similar situation, keep reading because it will be worth it. The story soon develops into a page-turner in the truest sense of the word. Halfway into the book I simply couldn’t stop reading. My heart raced and as I approached the ending with events following each other at a breathtaking speed, the last pages left me trembling.
A thin plot and questionable characters
For some reason, though, the plot left me wanting. Because of the slow start – caused by a big amount of character history leading up to the main plot – I believe the book would have benefited from starting seventy pages into the story. Besides that, the plot is pretty thin at times. Protagonists occasionally face dilemmas in spite of the easy way out, which Campbell conveniently ignores. For example, in one instance a magical bottle of poison kills a group of soldiers when the soldiers simply could have shattered the bottle to stop the poison.
The characters, too, are shallow. Though there are some great characters like Creedy, a member of the Gravediggers, or Ianthe, Granger’s gifted daughter, other characters have nothing to distinguish them as individuals.
An intelligent read
These flaws aside, though, Sea of Ghosts is definitely an amazing work of fantasy. I was especially intrigued by the ending that manages both to tie up the main storylines and to leave many minor storylines – with the potential to have a great impact on future installments – open. While at first the book feels simple and poorly thought out, small details that I dismissed earlier turn out to have a huge impact on the story, proving Campbell to be a true master of foreshadowing. Sea of Ghosts is an intelligent read that slowly introduces you to its world and sucks you in when you don’t expect it.
Why should you read this book?
There are many reasons to read Sea of Ghosts. If you enjoy any of the genres I mentioned in my introduction, you will probably enjoy this novel. Though it isn’t without flaws, its suspense will grip any reader and will leave you wanting more. The Gravedigger Chronicles promises to be a fantasy series worth keeping an eye on.
November 7, 2013
(review when read on original publication/review copy 2010)
I have finished the book yesterday too (full rv 2011 around publication date) and I was mixed; the writing style does not chime with me many times and the characters in the book are pure stock with no depth - eg the frightened but very powerful girl, the honor, duty, bla..., officer relegated by caricature emperor Hu to exile...
Also there are so many over the top action sequences that happen because they need to happen...
There were moments I thought the book would break out for me and become a big time favorite and then stuff like Hu strutting around (that character is so cartoonish that kills suspension of disbelief at any appearance), or (main serious villain) Maskelyne's 2 cents philosophizing and explaining how awesome a bad guy he is, would come and I would be, not again...
But the book is still impressive for its many goodies, the ingenious world building and I am definitely curious to see where it goes.
If you like Alan Campbell' style (eg you liked Scar Night which i did not and again for the same reason since the premise of the book/series was very fascinating and I got book 1 on publication date), you will probably love this one since it is even more original; if not, it's still worth a try since the many goodies of the novel (very interesting and original world building and lots of cool sfnal stuff - brine sea that, well I will leave you to discover what is, the Drowned, the whole idea of Multiverse exchange...) may make it a worth read though wishing it was better (or maybe more on one's taste) written and with characters not out of cartoons, but subtler, more nuanced
second take November 2013
I took a look at this book again as its sequel will be published soon and the blurb looks really exciting, and I still had the same opinion as on first read; lots of goodies and great imagination but a writing style that just doesn't fully work for me, so I will definitely read whatever sample will be available when Art of Hunting is out and decide if i want to get/read that book based on it
I have finished the book yesterday too (full rv 2011 around publication date) and I was mixed; the writing style does not chime with me many times and the characters in the book are pure stock with no depth - eg the frightened but very powerful girl, the honor, duty, bla..., officer relegated by caricature emperor Hu to exile...
Also there are so many over the top action sequences that happen because they need to happen...
There were moments I thought the book would break out for me and become a big time favorite and then stuff like Hu strutting around (that character is so cartoonish that kills suspension of disbelief at any appearance), or (main serious villain) Maskelyne's 2 cents philosophizing and explaining how awesome a bad guy he is, would come and I would be, not again...
But the book is still impressive for its many goodies, the ingenious world building and I am definitely curious to see where it goes.
If you like Alan Campbell' style (eg you liked Scar Night which i did not and again for the same reason since the premise of the book/series was very fascinating and I got book 1 on publication date), you will probably love this one since it is even more original; if not, it's still worth a try since the many goodies of the novel (very interesting and original world building and lots of cool sfnal stuff - brine sea that, well I will leave you to discover what is, the Drowned, the whole idea of Multiverse exchange...) may make it a worth read though wishing it was better (or maybe more on one's taste) written and with characters not out of cartoons, but subtler, more nuanced
second take November 2013
I took a look at this book again as its sequel will be published soon and the blurb looks really exciting, and I still had the same opinion as on first read; lots of goodies and great imagination but a writing style that just doesn't fully work for me, so I will definitely read whatever sample will be available when Art of Hunting is out and decide if i want to get/read that book based on it
March 7, 2015
В отровните морета удавници бродят: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/m...
Камбъл описва един бавно потъващ в отрова свят – загубилите властта си магьосници и драконови ездачи, наричани унмери, са разпръснали в моретата безброй шишенца, от които неспирно изтича отровна киселина. Морското равнище постоянно се повишава, но недотам бързо, че да предизвика достатъчно тревога – вместо това кралствата си воюват помежду си, а като отделен орден са се позиционирали хаурстафите, които са победили унмерите и държат последните от тях в подчинение чрез ментални мъчения. Хаурстафите са доста прилични на бинджезъритките от “Дюн”, но умеят и да комуникират телепатично помежду си, доста силно преимущество. Отровните морета нараняват кожата на хората, но нещата са много по-сложни от това – удавените в тази “саламура” не могат вече да напускат водата, но продължават да живеят по някакъв начин, дори за няколко седмици запазват и разума си. След това обаче мозъците им се разкисват и разумът им угасва – но разпадащите им се тела продължават да бродят по дъното (постоянно в главата ми изникваше сцената от “Карибски пирати”).
Издателска къща БАРД
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/m...
Камбъл описва един бавно потъващ в отрова свят – загубилите властта си магьосници и драконови ездачи, наричани унмери, са разпръснали в моретата безброй шишенца, от които неспирно изтича отровна киселина. Морското равнище постоянно се повишава, но недотам бързо, че да предизвика достатъчно тревога – вместо това кралствата си воюват помежду си, а като отделен орден са се позиционирали хаурстафите, които са победили унмерите и държат последните от тях в подчинение чрез ментални мъчения. Хаурстафите са доста прилични на бинджезъритките от “Дюн”, но умеят и да комуникират телепатично помежду си, доста силно преимущество. Отровните морета нараняват кожата на хората, но нещата са много по-сложни от това – удавените в тази “саламура” не могат вече да напускат водата, но продължават да живеят по някакъв начин, дори за няколко седмици запазват и разума си. След това обаче мозъците им се разкисват и разумът им угасва – но разпадащите им се тела продължават да бродят по дъното (постоянно в главата ми изникваше сцената от “Карибски пирати”).
Издателска къща БАРД
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/m...
December 28, 2019
Започна тромаво и се изисква известна пренастройка, за да навлезеш в историята. Тук липсата на карти на света се усеща, а аз не съм от хората, които използват такива материали...
Идеята е за място, унищожено от войни, където древна раса с невероятни умения (която не е от елфи, слава!) е решила, че ако те не могат да притежават света, то е по-добре да го отровят. Така унищожават моретата, хвърляйки в тях киселина. С годините невероятните им открития и познания са забравени и се превръщат в магия.
Заварваме този свят в едно стиймпънк състояние, в което трябва да имаш много твърда кожа, че да оцелееш. Отчасти книгата напомня и за света на Вещера, като се замисля... Грейнджър може да не е толкова здрав, но определено си го бива в оцеляването в невъзможни ситуации с вещерски привкус.
Сурова книга, но с добре изградена атмосфера, въпреки калпавото начало. Леко в повече са разсъжденията за ентропията и чисто физичните научни изследвания на някои герои, но пък това придава още плюсове към стиймпънка. Изненадах се, че ми хареса, имаше момент около 50-а страница, където мислех да я зарежа.
Идеята е за място, унищожено от войни, където древна раса с невероятни умения (която не е от елфи, слава!) е решила, че ако те не могат да притежават света, то е по-добре да го отровят. Така унищожават моретата, хвърляйки в тях киселина. С годините невероятните им открития и познания са забравени и се превръщат в магия.
Заварваме този свят в едно стиймпънк състояние, в което трябва да имаш много твърда кожа, че да оцелееш. Отчасти книгата напомня и за света на Вещера, като се замисля... Грейнджър може да не е толкова здрав, но определено си го бива в оцеляването в невъзможни ситуации с вещерски привкус.
Сурова книга, но с добре изградена атмосфера, въпреки калпавото начало. Леко в повече са разсъжденията за ентропията и чисто физичните научни изследвания на някои герои, но пък това придава още плюсове към стиймпънка. Изненадах се, че ми хареса, имаше момент около 50-а страница, където мислех да я зарежа.
January 4, 2015
Книгата ми хареса, въпреки че трудно може да се нарече шедьовър. Действието се развива в мрачен свят, който търпи последиците от война отминала преди 300 години. Загубвайки я унмерите - могъща раса на магьосници, отравят моретата със своите ичусаи - малки шишенци, които бълват безкрайно количество "саламура". Водите прииждат и поглъщат островите малко по малко, обричайки на смърт всичко живо. Всеки изложил се дори за кратко на отровната вода започва да се трансформира в Удавник - полуинтелигентно създание, което е принудено да живее в отровените морета и рискува мъчителна смърт ако го напусне дори за малко. Самите разгромени унмери са затворени в гета, които не могат да напускат по страх от моментална смърт. Върховни господари на всичко са хаурстафите - мощни телепати, които взимат скъпо от светските владетели, за да държат затворени унмерите.
Въпреки че са минали 300 години много от оръжията на унмерите все още са разпилени из света или лежат на дъното на моретата.
Главения герой Томас Грейнджър е човек, който не се колебае да убива всеки изпречил се на пътя му, за да спаси своята дъщеря - Янти от ръцете на жестокия колекционер на унмерски артефакти Масклин, а след това и от Хаурстаф.
Романът е хубав, а сюжетът - оригинален и интересен, целия пропит с отчаяние. Обречения свят има своята мрачна и интересна красота. Въпреки това на моменти историята излиза малко от контрол. Като цяло героите не са особено добре изградени и не будят симпатия. Янти е дразнещо безинтересна, ту безпомощна, ту ужасно могъща, създавайки впечатление, че автора си няма представа как всъщност се държи едно шестнадесет годишно момиче. Грейнджър ту е представен като опитен войн, ту като безпомощен слабак. Единствен император Хю е по-ярък като образ - дебел, противен и лигав.
Най-много ми хареса сцената с призрачния унмерски кораб, който плава 300 години след като екипажа му е избит във войната, тласкан от неизвестни сили и в търсене на неизвестна цел. Друга сцена, която също грабна вниманието ми, най-вече заради отчаянието и чувството за обреченост, бе затвора, който е принуден управя Грейнджър, където затворниците трябва да плащат за привилегията да бъдат затворници, а не просто умиращи от глад и жажда създания, изложени на действието на саламурата.
Като цяло романът е далеч от шедьовър, но ми хареса достатъчно, за да чакам следващите части от поредицата,най-малкото защото светът на Море на призраци е наистина интересен и завладяващ. Пък и искам да науча повече за това що за създания са самите унмери, както и за техните технологии и най-вече държа да видя как император Хю ще умре, надявам се по много гнусен начин, защото наистина го заслужава.
Въпреки че са минали 300 години много от оръжията на унмерите все още са разпилени из света или лежат на дъното на моретата.
Главения герой Томас Грейнджър е човек, който не се колебае да убива всеки изпречил се на пътя му, за да спаси своята дъщеря - Янти от ръцете на жестокия колекционер на унмерски артефакти Масклин, а след това и от Хаурстаф.
Романът е хубав, а сюжетът - оригинален и интересен, целия пропит с отчаяние. Обречения свят има своята мрачна и интересна красота. Въпреки това на моменти историята излиза малко от контрол. Като цяло героите не са особено добре изградени и не будят симпатия. Янти е дразнещо безинтересна, ту безпомощна, ту ужасно могъща, създавайки впечатление, че автора си няма представа как всъщност се държи едно шестнадесет годишно момиче. Грейнджър ту е представен като опитен войн, ту като безпомощен слабак. Единствен император Хю е по-ярък като образ - дебел, противен и лигав.
Най-много ми хареса сцената с призрачния унмерски кораб, който плава 300 години след като екипажа му е избит във войната, тласкан от неизвестни сили и в търсене на неизвестна цел. Друга сцена, която също грабна вниманието ми, най-вече заради отчаянието и чувството за обреченост, бе затвора, който е принуден управя Грейнджър, където затворниците трябва да плащат за привилегията да бъдат затворници, а не просто умиращи от глад и жажда създания, изложени на действието на саламурата.
Като цяло романът е далеч от шедьовър, но ми хареса достатъчно, за да чакам следващите части от поредицата,най-малкото защото светът на Море на призраци е наистина интересен и завладяващ. Пък и искам да науча повече за това що за създания са самите унмери, както и за техните технологии и най-вече държа да видя как император Хю ще умре, надявам се по много гнусен начин, защото наистина го заслужава.
March 13, 2016
Holy shit. Just, wow.
This book is rich in detail. But not in a long winded and unnecessary way.
The world was so well thought out, half sinking under poisonous seas, half ravaged with war.
The magical elements whilst remaining beautiful and colourful also border on science fiction. A pairing I do so happen to love.
This book starts out with a band of wartime heroes turned mercenary survivors - aka the Gravediggers. They're a witty, violent and close nit bunch. But then they're split up, we follow Captain Granger along his route as a Jailer when he comes across two inmates that change his life forever. There's battles and sea faring and magical/telepathic warfare. The characters flicker back and forth between good and evil. Starting out good, then going bad, then coming back again and vice versa. It was so interesting, being so involved with characters that could think and act to disgustingly and yet still root for them.
I once read an article about writing. It said something along the lines of continuously getting your main characters into a life threatening situation and then trying to get them out. At one point the article suggested even killing the main characters and writing ones way out of that!
I think Alan Campbell may have read that article.
There's no mercy in this book. You love or hate a character and they'll still be put through the worst of it. Death in battle, drowning in acidic waters, torture, dissection, you name it and it'll probably happen.
The vibe of this book was so dark and refreshing. I loved it!!
This book is rich in detail. But not in a long winded and unnecessary way.
The world was so well thought out, half sinking under poisonous seas, half ravaged with war.
The magical elements whilst remaining beautiful and colourful also border on science fiction. A pairing I do so happen to love.
This book starts out with a band of wartime heroes turned mercenary survivors - aka the Gravediggers. They're a witty, violent and close nit bunch. But then they're split up, we follow Captain Granger along his route as a Jailer when he comes across two inmates that change his life forever. There's battles and sea faring and magical/telepathic warfare. The characters flicker back and forth between good and evil. Starting out good, then going bad, then coming back again and vice versa. It was so interesting, being so involved with characters that could think and act to disgustingly and yet still root for them.
I once read an article about writing. It said something along the lines of continuously getting your main characters into a life threatening situation and then trying to get them out. At one point the article suggested even killing the main characters and writing ones way out of that!
I think Alan Campbell may have read that article.
There's no mercy in this book. You love or hate a character and they'll still be put through the worst of it. Death in battle, drowning in acidic waters, torture, dissection, you name it and it'll probably happen.
The vibe of this book was so dark and refreshing. I loved it!!
January 15, 2020
My boyfriend read this book before me and he really didn't like it so my expectations were extremely low for this one, but I figured I might as well read it. It starts off pretty slow. I don't like Granger, even after finishing the book I'm not a fan of Granger. I really like Ianthe and Briana, though, and I'm fascinated by Maskelyne. So far so good. The world is steampunk meets sci-fi meets fantasy meets dystopia. This book is the absolute definition of science fantasy. The only thing that's extremely jarring to me in this book is how they are terrified of the ocean throughout the whole thing, a touch of it will change you, being submerged will kill you, and yet Either the author unwittingly ruined the danger element he'd given the sea, or he made his beloved main character a superhero, or there will be answers further down the line. I also don't agree with the way The way she discovered what she could do was way too convenient.
September 25, 2013
Goodreads removed the review for some reason...
http://abitterdraft.com/2013/09/sea-o...
I stumbled across Campbell’s Sea of Ghosts back in May, and what caught my initial interest was the cover. A man in heavy diving gear trudging out of the depths with some fierce looking weapons strapped to his back – but the book dropped further and further down my list while more books were added. It returned to my attention at the words of Stefan of Civilian Reader and after jumping through some hoops to get my hands on a copy, I dove in.
Emperor Hu has decided to disband the Gravediggers and order their execution after an insult from Colonel Thomas Granger, and Granger’s path of escape leads to a life as a prison warden in Ethugra. Little does he know that his next pair of prisoners are his most unique yet. Enter Ianthe and her mother, Hana. Ianthe is blind and deaf, but she’s able to see and hear through other people’s eyes and ears no matter where they are in the world. From the Emperor himself to a Drowned listing lazily beneath the brine, she can ‘become’ them. When Ianthe’s talents are revealed, Sea of Ghosts becomes a story of greed and betrayal by many characters.
If the prologue to Sea of Ghosts doesn’t pique your interest in one way or another, something may be wrong with you. Right off the bat, we’re dropped into one of the most unique and atmospheric settings I’ve encountered in the genre. The Gravediggers, equipped with hand-cannons that appear to be vaguely similar technologically to muskets, are perched on some bookshelves to avoid the water below them. Why, you ask? The water, brine as it’s called in the book, is toxic. If you dip your hand into the brine, your skin bubbles and burns away and the exposed skin turns grey – into what Campbell calls sharkskin. Enough exposure to the brine will deteriorate you inside and out. Toxic water? Check. Enter a small child. Innocent, right? Wrong. There’s a race of magicians of a sort called Unmer, and she’s one of them. Mysterious race of wizards? Check. Crash! A dragon in full body armor comes barreling in. Sea of Ghosts is an awesome mash-up of genres that is potentially my new favorite – science fantasy.
Read the rest @ the link up top.
http://abitterdraft.com/2013/09/sea-o...
I stumbled across Campbell’s Sea of Ghosts back in May, and what caught my initial interest was the cover. A man in heavy diving gear trudging out of the depths with some fierce looking weapons strapped to his back – but the book dropped further and further down my list while more books were added. It returned to my attention at the words of Stefan of Civilian Reader and after jumping through some hoops to get my hands on a copy, I dove in.
Emperor Hu has decided to disband the Gravediggers and order their execution after an insult from Colonel Thomas Granger, and Granger’s path of escape leads to a life as a prison warden in Ethugra. Little does he know that his next pair of prisoners are his most unique yet. Enter Ianthe and her mother, Hana. Ianthe is blind and deaf, but she’s able to see and hear through other people’s eyes and ears no matter where they are in the world. From the Emperor himself to a Drowned listing lazily beneath the brine, she can ‘become’ them. When Ianthe’s talents are revealed, Sea of Ghosts becomes a story of greed and betrayal by many characters.
If the prologue to Sea of Ghosts doesn’t pique your interest in one way or another, something may be wrong with you. Right off the bat, we’re dropped into one of the most unique and atmospheric settings I’ve encountered in the genre. The Gravediggers, equipped with hand-cannons that appear to be vaguely similar technologically to muskets, are perched on some bookshelves to avoid the water below them. Why, you ask? The water, brine as it’s called in the book, is toxic. If you dip your hand into the brine, your skin bubbles and burns away and the exposed skin turns grey – into what Campbell calls sharkskin. Enough exposure to the brine will deteriorate you inside and out. Toxic water? Check. Enter a small child. Innocent, right? Wrong. There’s a race of magicians of a sort called Unmer, and she’s one of them. Mysterious race of wizards? Check. Crash! A dragon in full body armor comes barreling in. Sea of Ghosts is an awesome mash-up of genres that is potentially my new favorite – science fantasy.
Read the rest @ the link up top.
November 27, 2014
Въпреки, че пише в жанр фентъзи, Алън Камбъл е автор силно ориентиран към науката. В „Море на призраците” той е успял да вплете няколко страници от негови много напредничави разсъждения относно космологията на различните светове.
Книгата започва много увлекателно. Запознаваме се с една своеобразна вселена – в нея съществуват момичета, неуязвими за куршуми и сачми, дракони берсеркери и магия, много магия. Там морската вода изгаря, а ако е в по-голямо количество променя човеците в нещо неузнаваемо.
Една от сюжетните линии ни запознава с патилата на полковник Томас Грейнджър. Той е човек с вкус към приключенията, но с променлив късмет.
Авторът умее да пише многопластово, леко да критикува, а също и да ни покаже, че някои неща не се променят, независимо за колко фантастичен свят става въпрос:
„Независимо дали ти харесва, или не, мистър Грейнджър, обществото ни е построено така, че правата на по-богатите и властимащи граждани стоят над тези на останалите.”
Алън Камбъл определено е повлиян от Франк Хърбърт и по-специално от неговото произведение „Месията на Дюна 2”. Янти е лишена от зрение, но има способностите на Пол Атреидес, героят на Хърбърт. Тоест момичето може да вижда от много и най-различни чужди гледни точки. Все пак с течение на времето Янти успява да си намери доста специални очила…
„Море на призраците” е четиво в жанр „сайънс фентъзи” с леки препратки към стиймпънк.
Това, което не ми допадна в книгата е, че авторът екстраполира физичните закони по особен начин спрямо различните герои. Сержант Уилям Патрик Крийди е уцелен в окото от вакуумна стрела, която излиза през задната част на черепа му. Сержантът остава жив и дори се шегува дали ще може да си държи граната в дупката на мястото на окото. Докато доктор Шау бе унищожен след като Маскелин го прободе с алхимична карфица в бедрото…
Алън Камбъл е автор със силно, неудържимо и живо въображение:
http://radiradev.blogspot.com/2014/11...
Книгата започва много увлекателно. Запознаваме се с една своеобразна вселена – в нея съществуват момичета, неуязвими за куршуми и сачми, дракони берсеркери и магия, много магия. Там морската вода изгаря, а ако е в по-голямо количество променя човеците в нещо неузнаваемо.
Една от сюжетните линии ни запознава с патилата на полковник Томас Грейнджър. Той е човек с вкус към приключенията, но с променлив късмет.
Авторът умее да пише многопластово, леко да критикува, а също и да ни покаже, че някои неща не се променят, независимо за колко фантастичен свят става въпрос:
„Независимо дали ти харесва, или не, мистър Грейнджър, обществото ни е построено така, че правата на по-богатите и властимащи граждани стоят над тези на останалите.”
Алън Камбъл определено е повлиян от Франк Хърбърт и по-специално от неговото произведение „Месията на Дюна 2”. Янти е лишена от зрение, но има способностите на Пол Атреидес, героят на Хърбърт. Тоест момичето може да вижда от много и най-различни чужди гледни точки. Все пак с течение на времето Янти успява да си намери доста специални очила…
„Море на призраците” е четиво в жанр „сайънс фентъзи” с леки препратки към стиймпънк.
Това, което не ми допадна в книгата е, че авторът екстраполира физичните закони по особен начин спрямо различните герои. Сержант Уилям Патрик Крийди е уцелен в окото от вакуумна стрела, която излиза през задната част на черепа му. Сержантът остава жив и дори се шегува дали ще може да си държи граната в дупката на мястото на окото. Докато доктор Шау бе унищожен след като Маскелин го прободе с алхимична карфица в бедрото…
Алън Камбъл е автор със силно, неудържимо и живо въображение:
http://radiradev.blogspot.com/2014/11...
November 10, 2014
Историята не е нещо изключително ново или нечетено досега: един разжалван Гробар (нещо като спец.оп. войник), който открива, че има дъщеря с малко по-особени способности (и която разбира се всички искат да използват). А после се оказва и че дъщерята не е точно това, което трябва да е (нищо неочаквано тук - книгата те подготвя за това). Това са и двамата главни герои в книгата. Има още няколко (богатият иманяр, опасната медиумка и още множество други интересни герои), но те не се развиват като герои в книгата - точно обратното: те правят това, което очакваш от тях.
Жанрът е нещо като фентъзи със стиймпънк елементи, но не бих го нарекла чист стиймпънк, така че ако някой е върл фен на последния може да остане и леко разочарован. Но за фентъзи фенове - книгата е приятно четиво.
Авторът още от самото начало те хвърля в един свят, който някога е имал оприлика със Земята, но това е било преди шишенцата ичусаи и саламурата. Моретата са опасни за хората, Удавниците са една мистерия, която се разкрива с течение на книгата (и пак накрая не си сигурен какво са), унмерите не са хора, но са владеели светът...преди да ги свалят разбира се и след тях са останали толкова много тайни и най-вече "иманета" - предмети с неизвестно предназначение. В началото книгата тръгна мудно, сякаш само да представи двамата главни герои. После подхвана темпо и към края вече исках само и само да прочета последните страници и в същото време не исках да свършва книгата.
В заключение: книгата е интересно четиво. Има много иновативни фентъзи елементи, които добавят особеност към цялостната творба. Препоръчвам за фентъзи фенове, а на останалите бих препоръчала да намерят откъс от книгата (сайта на Бард мисля, че го предлагат като опция) и да го прочетат, за да преценят дали би им допаднала.
Жанрът е нещо като фентъзи със стиймпънк елементи, но не бих го нарекла чист стиймпънк, така че ако някой е върл фен на последния може да остане и леко разочарован. Но за фентъзи фенове - книгата е приятно четиво.
Авторът още от самото начало те хвърля в един свят, който някога е имал оприлика със Земята, но това е било преди шишенцата ичусаи и саламурата. Моретата са опасни за хората, Удавниците са една мистерия, която се разкрива с течение на книгата (и пак накрая не си сигурен какво са), унмерите не са хора, но са владеели светът...преди да ги свалят разбира се и след тях са останали толкова много тайни и най-вече "иманета" - предмети с неизвестно предназначение. В началото книгата тръгна мудно, сякаш само да представи двамата главни герои. После подхвана темпо и към края вече исках само и само да прочета последните страници и в същото време не исках да свършва книгата.
В заключение: книгата е интересно четиво. Има много иновативни фентъзи елементи, които добавят особеност към цялостната творба. Препоръчвам за фентъзи фенове, а на останалите бих препоръчала да намерят откъс от книгата (сайта на Бард мисля, че го предлагат като опция) и да го прочетат, за да преценят дали би им допаднала.
February 6, 2017
Whoaaa! WHAT` I`ve just finished reading?!
This one was one of the best fantasy adventure book read in the past years.
The wholse scenario it`s absolutely brilliant with a world in wich the powerfull Magi race has been subdued by the traitor Guild of Psychics and the whole Planet has gone in a distructive state. Now from the war all the sea is contaminated,there are a lot of things free out there, but the most amazing thing is that people can actually live under water (in something like an undying state) and we have whole cities there...
The magic is present in a lot of artefacts and objects, but also there are some temporal theories and some other explanations that made me scream with joy. :)
Amazing stuff, with a slow beggining, but so rewarding after that.
Anyway from the start you could marvel at all the stuff that is present here. I`m not a fan of dragons, but in this book, they really are mean bad ass killing machines and I was surprise that I hadn`t anything against them.
You`ll still have to wait some 100 pages to get to love this one, but for me the wait wasn`t in vain.
This is an adventure fantasy book with a frenetic and on dope action, with some twists that proved to be so rewarding in the end.
Maybe some of the characters were not so well developed, The Emperor Hu, but in a way they are second hand ones and I was interested in the main characters arcs not in the one of the Emperor`s.
The ending was glorious, bathed in blood and revenge, not for the main bad ass characters,he doesn`t want to die(!), but still on my taste.
Pure, pure, entertaining stuff!
This one was one of the best fantasy adventure book read in the past years.
The wholse scenario it`s absolutely brilliant with a world in wich the powerfull Magi race has been subdued by the traitor Guild of Psychics and the whole Planet has gone in a distructive state. Now from the war all the sea is contaminated,there are a lot of things free out there, but the most amazing thing is that people can actually live under water (in something like an undying state) and we have whole cities there...
The magic is present in a lot of artefacts and objects, but also there are some temporal theories and some other explanations that made me scream with joy. :)
Amazing stuff, with a slow beggining, but so rewarding after that.
Anyway from the start you could marvel at all the stuff that is present here. I`m not a fan of dragons, but in this book, they really are mean bad ass killing machines and I was surprise that I hadn`t anything against them.
You`ll still have to wait some 100 pages to get to love this one, but for me the wait wasn`t in vain.
This is an adventure fantasy book with a frenetic and on dope action, with some twists that proved to be so rewarding in the end.
Maybe some of the characters were not so well developed, The Emperor Hu, but in a way they are second hand ones and I was interested in the main characters arcs not in the one of the Emperor`s.
The ending was glorious, bathed in blood and revenge, not for the main bad ass characters,he doesn`t want to die(!), but still on my taste.
Pure, pure, entertaining stuff!
May 30, 2016
This was a cover buy.
I love the cover. Then I began reading, and what a disappointment. I couldn't care for Granger, I couldn't picture the world inside my head, nothing was explained.
Some bits here and there were interesting, but mostly the story couldn't grip me and every time I picked the book up I'd forgotten what had happened and had to reread the previous pages. During my reading I often zoomed out and couldn't keep up with all the twist and turns.
Almost nothing got an explanation. What is the history? Haurstaf vs Unmer? Who are the Unmer? Brine? An all of Maskelyn's talk of physics and "discovery" of black holes...It didn't fit. A world that was neither fantasy, sci-fi or steampunk, but something in between, with a mix of physics thrown in, it is a disaster.
This book, it's been a while since I've read something this... uninteresting.
I love the cover. Then I began reading, and what a disappointment. I couldn't care for Granger, I couldn't picture the world inside my head, nothing was explained.
Some bits here and there were interesting, but mostly the story couldn't grip me and every time I picked the book up I'd forgotten what had happened and had to reread the previous pages. During my reading I often zoomed out and couldn't keep up with all the twist and turns.
Almost nothing got an explanation. What is the history? Haurstaf vs Unmer? Who are the Unmer? Brine? An all of Maskelyn's talk of physics and "discovery" of black holes...It didn't fit. A world that was neither fantasy, sci-fi or steampunk, but something in between, with a mix of physics thrown in, it is a disaster.
This book, it's been a while since I've read something this... uninteresting.
June 18, 2013
I love a dark world. and this book's setting is GRIM! Poison seas cover the earth, dooming any one even touching the brine , to a painful conversion to a sea creature and/or death. and the seas are rising! Artifacts of a defeated magical race wait under the toxic sea for anyone brave, or desperate enough to plunder search for them. a decadent empire, a militant order of telepaths, rule the remnants of a world doomed to a toxic watery death. only a disgraced soldier, an opportunistic 'trove' hunter and a young girl with a never before seen mental power can save the world. if they can ever stop trying to kill each other
December 13, 2011
Fast-paced action, weird and wacky steampunk settings, and it is occasionally gripping material. What it also possesses is a litany of characters who never transcend cardboard, periods where the writing is pedestrian (some poor editing at play too) and as with Campbell's prior three books, his imagination gets the better of him and logical flow goes out the window.
The good outweighs the bad - just, and it is a guilty pleasure of a read.
The good outweighs the bad - just, and it is a guilty pleasure of a read.
May 25, 2015
Много добро фентъзи, от онези, в които светът е по-интересен от действието. Представете си морета от саламура, в която бродя�� зомбита, няколко различни категории магьосници и всичките герои - луди за връзване.
March 14, 2018
DNF, good premise, but the writing is unbearable, absolutely bland. Such a shame
December 12, 2022
DNF
Starts off boring and confusing. The world wasn't explained.
Starts off boring and confusing. The world wasn't explained.
July 17, 2012
Lite seg i början men blev grymt bra sen. Vill ha näsya bok....nuuuuuu!
February 2, 2019
I only have one word: MASTERPIECE
I don't have much experience with the genre Steampunk, heck I daresay that this was only my second book, after Clockwork Angel. So I was sceptical to read this book. Though Clockwork Angel was great, the author didn't give much insight into the world itself. I am sure the series was good but sadly I didn't continue with it since it was not my cup of tea.
This book reintroduced me to this amazing genre and I was blissfully swept off my feet. I had serious concerns about this book because I don't know what I was reading until I decided to check out the genre and google about it, only then I had a sense of clarity. Yes, I didn't really know what I was getting into and it was a happy surprise indeed.
The story basically had everyone's point of view in it even the villain which was interesting because you get to actually see how he perceives the world. I daresay that this book had both the character and the author's narration in it which was slight and it was still good to read.
Characters: They were mind-blowing and I loved them all! So very different from one another, and each had their own logic or moral explanation which was intriguing. I don't think the author was planning on having just one villain, maybe one idiot in the entire book, yes, but not one villain. It seemed to me that every character was a hero/heroine in their own life with their burning passion that they want to fulfil. This only makes the characters more memorable.
Thomas Granger plays the antihero role so well that I feel like I was transported to those Wild Wild West movies where Clint Eastwood used to act in. But the thing about him is, he's got grace in actions and honour with his comrades. Saying that he was courageous and strong-willed is just a gist of it. The dude was a total BAD-ASS!
Ianthe was lovable, for a spoiled brat, like one can honestly understand the place that she comes from. Her character definitely grew and had quite an impact. I am glad to see that the author didn't fixate on her where the world revolves around her and her alone. She suffered, she broke and she found herself. I daresay that she is still finding her place in that messy system. She was resilient and stubborn, which can't be blamed, given her heritage.
Maskelyne is someone I have mixed feelings about, I both loved and hated him. He was lovable when he was humane towards his family and crew but he had something which grew alongside his loving character, pain, torture and brutality, close enough to a monster. He was some sort of bipolar psychotic dude who is also a genius. The thing about him is that he is a world-renowned bad guy but when he starts spewing knowledge about the universe and science I can't help but gasp in awe. Like I was in shock.
World building: Everything from the air they breathe to the water they drink and the history was purely melded with the genre Steampunk. It took me awhile to perceive the world building because it was not my cup of tea but 60 pages later I got a complete grasp of the entirety. I was practically like “Oh no you didn’t just drop the Unmer bomb!”
Yes, it was that good. The author made me feel as if such world existed. I actually wanted to live in the world so badly regardless of the anarchy. The setting of this entire universe was practically one with the plot of this book, it coexists at the same time. Mind you that this book is not set in the Victorian era.
My favourite would've to be the historical events with the Unmer beings and their magical properties, also how Maskylene was constantly trying to find a reasonable explanation. Where the author invented an entire universe from scratch and he succeeded. He didn't even leave a single stone unturned. I can only sit and hope for a prequel of this book to devour.
There were so many things in this books that actually threw me off guard, I expect one to happen but something else happens, and I am left speechless most of the time. There was certainly a lot of emotions in this book that was so relatable. The author managed to hold on to my short attention span and never let go. This is definitely a must-read for ardent fans of the Steampunk genre. I started this book with a very negative thought but finished wanting to read more of not only this author’s work but also this genre.
I don't have much experience with the genre Steampunk, heck I daresay that this was only my second book, after Clockwork Angel. So I was sceptical to read this book. Though Clockwork Angel was great, the author didn't give much insight into the world itself. I am sure the series was good but sadly I didn't continue with it since it was not my cup of tea.
This book reintroduced me to this amazing genre and I was blissfully swept off my feet. I had serious concerns about this book because I don't know what I was reading until I decided to check out the genre and google about it, only then I had a sense of clarity. Yes, I didn't really know what I was getting into and it was a happy surprise indeed.
The story basically had everyone's point of view in it even the villain which was interesting because you get to actually see how he perceives the world. I daresay that this book had both the character and the author's narration in it which was slight and it was still good to read.
Characters: They were mind-blowing and I loved them all! So very different from one another, and each had their own logic or moral explanation which was intriguing. I don't think the author was planning on having just one villain, maybe one idiot in the entire book, yes, but not one villain. It seemed to me that every character was a hero/heroine in their own life with their burning passion that they want to fulfil. This only makes the characters more memorable.
Thomas Granger plays the antihero role so well that I feel like I was transported to those Wild Wild West movies where Clint Eastwood used to act in. But the thing about him is, he's got grace in actions and honour with his comrades. Saying that he was courageous and strong-willed is just a gist of it. The dude was a total BAD-ASS!
Ianthe was lovable, for a spoiled brat, like one can honestly understand the place that she comes from. Her character definitely grew and had quite an impact. I am glad to see that the author didn't fixate on her where the world revolves around her and her alone. She suffered, she broke and she found herself. I daresay that she is still finding her place in that messy system. She was resilient and stubborn, which can't be blamed, given her heritage.
Maskelyne is someone I have mixed feelings about, I both loved and hated him. He was lovable when he was humane towards his family and crew but he had something which grew alongside his loving character, pain, torture and brutality, close enough to a monster. He was some sort of bipolar psychotic dude who is also a genius. The thing about him is that he is a world-renowned bad guy but when he starts spewing knowledge about the universe and science I can't help but gasp in awe. Like I was in shock.
World building: Everything from the air they breathe to the water they drink and the history was purely melded with the genre Steampunk. It took me awhile to perceive the world building because it was not my cup of tea but 60 pages later I got a complete grasp of the entirety. I was practically like “Oh no you didn’t just drop the Unmer bomb!”
Yes, it was that good. The author made me feel as if such world existed. I actually wanted to live in the world so badly regardless of the anarchy. The setting of this entire universe was practically one with the plot of this book, it coexists at the same time. Mind you that this book is not set in the Victorian era.
My favourite would've to be the historical events with the Unmer beings and their magical properties, also how Maskylene was constantly trying to find a reasonable explanation. Where the author invented an entire universe from scratch and he succeeded. He didn't even leave a single stone unturned. I can only sit and hope for a prequel of this book to devour.
There were so many things in this books that actually threw me off guard, I expect one to happen but something else happens, and I am left speechless most of the time. There was certainly a lot of emotions in this book that was so relatable. The author managed to hold on to my short attention span and never let go. This is definitely a must-read for ardent fans of the Steampunk genre. I started this book with a very negative thought but finished wanting to read more of not only this author’s work but also this genre.
June 20, 2021
This was a fantastic read but before I say why I have to warn any potential reader that although two books have been released it looks very unlikely that the series will be completed - a huge length of time has elapsed since book two's release so don't hold your breath. There's more chance of book 3 of Patrick Rothfuss Kingkiller chronicles being released and we all know how long the wait has been for that one and still ongoing.
But all that said, perhaps we should just enjoy the books we have here and now and this book is available and well worth your time.
What makes this so good is the world building. Alan Campbell has created an incredible, bleak, beautiful, dangerous and alien world. A world that is drowning. The former ruling race - The Unmer - knowing defeat was inevitable opened millions of bottles that spill never ending brine into the seas and oceans. This brine is a toxic acid that deforms and alters people into creatures known as 'the drowned' and it makes for a hard and grim existence.
We follow Granger; a disgraced and wronged army captain turned prison warden as he tries to scrape some kind of life in this unforgiving world. His world is turned upside down by the arrival of a new prisoner - a mysterious sixteen year old girl called Ianthe - who has the uncanny ability to find treasure known as 'trove' which has been left behind by the defeated Unmer and again the author's imagination runs wild here as he describes the weird, wonderful and downright creepy items that the humans are struggling to understand.
One human trying to understand them is Maskeyne (our third main protagonist) An absolutely fantastic character - he's technically the bad guy as he's a ruthless psychopath who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants - but he's also a loving father, a genius and seems to genuinely want to save the world through knowledge of the trove. Well rounded complex characters are just a joy and he's one of them.
Overall this was brilliant but I now have a second word of warning: the author has a very strong knowledge of physics and he uses it to as exposition and to explain the fantastical things happening. It is very detailed. I studied A-Level physics and even so I was hanging on a by a thread at times...but don't let this put you off the book entirely, it was just that it was a little heavy at times.
8/10
But all that said, perhaps we should just enjoy the books we have here and now and this book is available and well worth your time.
What makes this so good is the world building. Alan Campbell has created an incredible, bleak, beautiful, dangerous and alien world. A world that is drowning. The former ruling race - The Unmer - knowing defeat was inevitable opened millions of bottles that spill never ending brine into the seas and oceans. This brine is a toxic acid that deforms and alters people into creatures known as 'the drowned' and it makes for a hard and grim existence.
We follow Granger; a disgraced and wronged army captain turned prison warden as he tries to scrape some kind of life in this unforgiving world. His world is turned upside down by the arrival of a new prisoner - a mysterious sixteen year old girl called Ianthe - who has the uncanny ability to find treasure known as 'trove' which has been left behind by the defeated Unmer and again the author's imagination runs wild here as he describes the weird, wonderful and downright creepy items that the humans are struggling to understand.
One human trying to understand them is Maskeyne (our third main protagonist) An absolutely fantastic character - he's technically the bad guy as he's a ruthless psychopath who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants - but he's also a loving father, a genius and seems to genuinely want to save the world through knowledge of the trove. Well rounded complex characters are just a joy and he's one of them.
Overall this was brilliant but I now have a second word of warning: the author has a very strong knowledge of physics and he uses it to as exposition and to explain the fantastical things happening. It is very detailed. I studied A-Level physics and even so I was hanging on a by a thread at times...but don't let this put you off the book entirely, it was just that it was a little heavy at times.
8/10
September 18, 2023
Der ehemalige Elitesoldat Granger versteckt sich als Gefängniswärter getarnt in der überfluteten Stadt Ethugra vor seinem Kaiser. Doch Ethugra ist alles andere als sicher. Nicht nur die zahlreichen verruchten Gestalten, sondern auch das Wasser selbst sind gefährlich. Wenn ein Mensch das Wasser berührt, verwandelt sich seine Haut in haiähnliche Haut und es droht sogar die Verwandlung in einen verachteten Drowned. Trotz allem konnte Granger bisher unbeschädigt überleben, doch dann nimmt er zwei neue Gefangene in seinem Gefängnis auf: eine Frau und ihre Tochter, die über besondere Fähigkeiten verfügt. Dann überschlagen sich die Ereignisse geradezu.
Sea of Ghosts ist der erste Teil der Gravedigger Chronicles, auf die ich bei meiner Suche nach Fantasy-Büchern, die unter Wasser spielen, über Reddit kommen bin. Zwar spielt das Buch tatsächlich nicht unter Wasser, doch einzigartige Prämisse von verzaubertem Wasser sowie das angepriesene außergewöhnliche Worldbuilding konnten mich sofort davon überzeugen, das Buch zu lesen. Zum Glück, Sea of Ghosts ist ein außergewöhnliches Buch, das – wie so oft – viel zu wenig Aufmerksamkeit bekommt.
Die Story ist – zumindest von der Grundidee her – eher schwach. Ein ehemaliger Soldat, der sich aus Gründen vor seinem Herrscher verstecken muss und nun durch sich verändernde Umstände wieder in Gefahr gerät? Tausend Mal gehört. Doch auch, wenn die Story inhaltlich nicht viel hergibt, erzählt Campbell sie so spannend, dass es mir kaum möglich war, das Buch wegzulegen.
Auch Granger als Charakter besitzt keinerlei außergewöhnliche Tiefe. Er ist eben der typische Fantasy-Exsoldat. Ebenso 0815 ist der Hauptantagonist. Gegenüber den restlichen Charakteren wirken diese beiden jedoch noch gut. Denn der restliche Cast des Buchs erhält praktisch keinerlei Charakterisierung.
Doch das Worldbuilding ist so gut, dass es – jedenfalls für mich – die Schwächen des Buchs aufwiegt. Durch das verzauberte Wasser, diverse Steampunk-Elemente sowie einer Hintergrundgeschichte, die ein wenig an Lovercrafts Horrorgeschichten erinnert, entsteht eine einzigartige Welt. Das Worldbuild ist dabei vollkommen natürlich in die Geschichte eingebunden, sodass es nie zu größeren Infodumps kommt – zumindest einen Zweck erfüllt die Geschichte also.
Insgesamt hatte ich unheimlich Spaß beim Lesen von Sea of Ghosts. Wer eher nach ungewöhnlichem Worldbuilding und einer spannenden, relativ kurzen Geschichte sucht, sollte Sea of Ghosts definitiv eine Chance geben.
Sea of Ghosts ist der erste Teil der Gravedigger Chronicles, auf die ich bei meiner Suche nach Fantasy-Büchern, die unter Wasser spielen, über Reddit kommen bin. Zwar spielt das Buch tatsächlich nicht unter Wasser, doch einzigartige Prämisse von verzaubertem Wasser sowie das angepriesene außergewöhnliche Worldbuilding konnten mich sofort davon überzeugen, das Buch zu lesen. Zum Glück, Sea of Ghosts ist ein außergewöhnliches Buch, das – wie so oft – viel zu wenig Aufmerksamkeit bekommt.
Die Story ist – zumindest von der Grundidee her – eher schwach. Ein ehemaliger Soldat, der sich aus Gründen vor seinem Herrscher verstecken muss und nun durch sich verändernde Umstände wieder in Gefahr gerät? Tausend Mal gehört. Doch auch, wenn die Story inhaltlich nicht viel hergibt, erzählt Campbell sie so spannend, dass es mir kaum möglich war, das Buch wegzulegen.
Auch Granger als Charakter besitzt keinerlei außergewöhnliche Tiefe. Er ist eben der typische Fantasy-Exsoldat. Ebenso 0815 ist der Hauptantagonist. Gegenüber den restlichen Charakteren wirken diese beiden jedoch noch gut. Denn der restliche Cast des Buchs erhält praktisch keinerlei Charakterisierung.
Doch das Worldbuilding ist so gut, dass es – jedenfalls für mich – die Schwächen des Buchs aufwiegt. Durch das verzauberte Wasser, diverse Steampunk-Elemente sowie einer Hintergrundgeschichte, die ein wenig an Lovercrafts Horrorgeschichten erinnert, entsteht eine einzigartige Welt. Das Worldbuild ist dabei vollkommen natürlich in die Geschichte eingebunden, sodass es nie zu größeren Infodumps kommt – zumindest einen Zweck erfüllt die Geschichte also.
Insgesamt hatte ich unheimlich Spaß beim Lesen von Sea of Ghosts. Wer eher nach ungewöhnlichem Worldbuilding und einer spannenden, relativ kurzen Geschichte sucht, sollte Sea of Ghosts definitiv eine Chance geben.
Read
January 4, 2021Een elite eenheid wordt ter dood veroordeeld door de keizer (een slappe sadistische sukkel) omdat ze niet voldoende eerbied zouden hebben betoond. Het keizerrijk dat hij ‘bestuurd’ is ontstaan na een overwinning op de Unmer, dat zijn een soort alchemisten, die de mensheid lange tijd in slavernij hebben gehouden. Ze hebben een chaos achtergelaten. De oceanen zijn met opzet zwaar vergiftigd en de zeespiegel blijft stijgen. Je kunt niet op zee varen zonder zware beschermende pakken. Als je in het water valt en je verdrinkt, dan leef je daarna onder water verder. Verder zijn er nog draken en telepaten. Je zou kunnen zeggen, dat wordt ook aan het eind gesuggereerd, dat het een ander universum is. Granger is de leider van de groep en ook de hoofdpersoon. Hij neemt de gevangenis van iemand over. Gevangenisbedrijven zijn lucratief. De keizer zet veel mensen gevangen maar wil daar niet voor betalen. Dat mogen de bedrijven zelf doen. Op een dag krijgt Granger zijn dochter (waarvan hij het bestaan niet wist) en haar moeder in zijn gevangenis. Dan begint het verhaal vaart te krijgen. Het is een origineel universum wat geschetst wordt, maar ook erg deprimerend. Er zijn 3 delen, ik heb alleen het eerste. Ik vind het wel een aanrader.
December 26, 2020
I continue with my resolution of not to buy a single new book till i finish with all the old books which has been with me so this was another such book which i had picked in one of those big "old book" stack which i had seen in one of the book fair!
The book starts real slow as it takes couple of chapters to understand the "mysterious world" and the characters so i was almost tempted to discard it but my patience paid off as it became real exciting after it. This is like a real fantasy world with all kind of things happening which catches you completely and you get immersed in it :) In one line- Sea of Ghosts follows the misadventures of a disgraced military hero as he navigates through a grim and relentless world with all sort of magic around!
The only problem here was when i realised it is a "series" so have to get hold of other books but thankfully i picked the first book of the series so that was a saving grace :)!!
The book starts real slow as it takes couple of chapters to understand the "mysterious world" and the characters so i was almost tempted to discard it but my patience paid off as it became real exciting after it. This is like a real fantasy world with all kind of things happening which catches you completely and you get immersed in it :) In one line- Sea of Ghosts follows the misadventures of a disgraced military hero as he navigates through a grim and relentless world with all sort of magic around!
The only problem here was when i realised it is a "series" so have to get hold of other books but thankfully i picked the first book of the series so that was a saving grace :)!!
April 25, 2021
This is a difficult book to sum up in a few paragraphs. It's as much syfy as it's swords and magic. And there are dragons!
The main character is nicely grim, ugly and deadly, Disgraced and hunted by a foolish Emperor for his insults, he manages many clever escapes. His laser focus is on the rescue of his recently discovered daughter who has a rare psychic talent.
The conquered race who once enslaved humans have left advanced artifacts that are as much science as magic. Their poisoning of the world's oceans is a major influence to this world. Humans exposed to the poisoned water turn into a weird aquatic being called the Drowned. It's also a world with little mercy and constant war.
This author is new to me. I'm pleased to add him to a follow list. Kept my interest with some very imaginative world building, villains to see brought low and excellent writing.
The main character is nicely grim, ugly and deadly, Disgraced and hunted by a foolish Emperor for his insults, he manages many clever escapes. His laser focus is on the rescue of his recently discovered daughter who has a rare psychic talent.
The conquered race who once enslaved humans have left advanced artifacts that are as much science as magic. Their poisoning of the world's oceans is a major influence to this world. Humans exposed to the poisoned water turn into a weird aquatic being called the Drowned. It's also a world with little mercy and constant war.
This author is new to me. I'm pleased to add him to a follow list. Kept my interest with some very imaginative world building, villains to see brought low and excellent writing.
February 23, 2017
An extremely atmospheric description of a dystopian world. The setting is very well realised, the environment nicely described and the pace enjoyable and filled with well spaced and constructed plot turns. I like the characters, the depth of their strengths and flaws is refreshing and unusual. I could barely put it down and couldn't wait to read the sequel. Lost one star for slightly overwhelming bleakness.
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