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Immortality and Chaos #1
Wreckers Gate
"Author Eric T Knight masterfully combines both religion and tradition, clashing the two with magic and nature by building a world that is beautiful and unique, yet familiar and captivating. His powerful imagery of what is real and imaginary enthralls the reader, sucking them into each of the characters’ heads and letting them empathize with each of their perspectives. Wreckers Gate has a fascinating plot, unforgettable characters, and a vast world that readers can immerse themselves in ... if you like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, you will love this novel." -- B. Smart, We Said It Literary Reviews (McWood Publishing)
Survivors of an ambush flee into a lifeless desert, where they are lured underground and find a strange relic embedded in a massive, ancient wall. One removes the relic, not realizing that he has just cracked a prison built to hold something even the gods fear.
Now something poisonous is leaking into the world. Diseases and monsters ravage the land. In the midst of the chaos an immortal stranger appears, claiming that only he can save the world.
With nowhere else to turn, they accept his help, but the weapons he offers are dangerous and uncontrollable and his motives may not be what they seem.
And even he is not prepared for what will emerge from the prison…
Survivors of an ambush flee into a lifeless desert, where they are lured underground and find a strange relic embedded in a massive, ancient wall. One removes the relic, not realizing that he has just cracked a prison built to hold something even the gods fear.
Now something poisonous is leaking into the world. Diseases and monsters ravage the land. In the midst of the chaos an immortal stranger appears, claiming that only he can save the world.
With nowhere else to turn, they accept his help, but the weapons he offers are dangerous and uncontrollable and his motives may not be what they seem.
And even he is not prepared for what will emerge from the prison…
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2011
1065 people are currently reading
1034 people want to read
About the author
Eric T. Knight
34 books118 followersBorn in 1965, I grew up on a working cattle ranch in the desert thirty miles from Wickenburg, Arizona, which at that time was exactly the middle of nowhere. Work, cactus and heat were plentiful, forms of recreation were not. The TV got two channels when it wanted to, and only in the evening after someone hand cranked the balky diesel generator to life. All of which meant that my primary form of escape was reading.
At 18 I fled to Tucson where I attended the University of Arizona. A number of fruitless attempts at productive majors followed, none of which stuck. Discovering I liked writing, I tried journalism two separate times, but had to drop it when I realized that I had no intention of conducting interviews with actual people but preferred simply making them up.
After graduating with a degree in Creative Writing in 1989, I backpacked Europe with a friend and caught the travel bug. With no meaningful job prospects, I hitchhiked around the U.S. for a while then went back to school to learn to be a high school English teacher. I got a teaching job right out of school in the middle of the year. The job lasted exactly one semester, or until I received my summer pay and realized I actually had money to continue backpacking.
The next stop was Australia, where I hoped to spend six months, working wherever I could, then a few months in New Zealand and the South Pacific. However, my plans changed irrevocably when I met a lovely Swiss woman, Claudia, in Alice Springs. Undoubtedly swept away by my lack of a job or real future, she agreed to allow me to follow her back to Switzerland where, a few months later, she gave up her job to continue traveling with me. Over the next couple years we backpacked the U.S., Eastern Europe and Australia/New Zealand, before marrying and settling in the mountains of Colorado, in a small town called Salida.
In Colorado we starved and froze, started our own electronics business, and had a couple of sons, Dylan and Daniel. In 2005 we shut the business down and moved back to Tucson.
I am currently working on finishing The Devastation Wars fantasy series and attending graduate school.
At 18 I fled to Tucson where I attended the University of Arizona. A number of fruitless attempts at productive majors followed, none of which stuck. Discovering I liked writing, I tried journalism two separate times, but had to drop it when I realized that I had no intention of conducting interviews with actual people but preferred simply making them up.
After graduating with a degree in Creative Writing in 1989, I backpacked Europe with a friend and caught the travel bug. With no meaningful job prospects, I hitchhiked around the U.S. for a while then went back to school to learn to be a high school English teacher. I got a teaching job right out of school in the middle of the year. The job lasted exactly one semester, or until I received my summer pay and realized I actually had money to continue backpacking.
The next stop was Australia, where I hoped to spend six months, working wherever I could, then a few months in New Zealand and the South Pacific. However, my plans changed irrevocably when I met a lovely Swiss woman, Claudia, in Alice Springs. Undoubtedly swept away by my lack of a job or real future, she agreed to allow me to follow her back to Switzerland where, a few months later, she gave up her job to continue traveling with me. Over the next couple years we backpacked the U.S., Eastern Europe and Australia/New Zealand, before marrying and settling in the mountains of Colorado, in a small town called Salida.
In Colorado we starved and froze, started our own electronics business, and had a couple of sons, Dylan and Daniel. In 2005 we shut the business down and moved back to Tucson.
I am currently working on finishing The Devastation Wars fantasy series and attending graduate school.
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September 19, 2017I definitely have mixed feelings about this book. It mainly follows the story of Wulf Rome & Quyloc as they work together with the deific figure, Lowellin, to try and contain a spirit of evil in its supposedly unbreakable prison.
The story began on a promising note, with Rome taking up the mantel of the strong-willed & just ruler and Quyloc as the silent, but wise best friend. There are a couple other perspectives thrown in, but the story centralizes around these two as Rome assumes power in the kingdom & Quyloc becomes his royal advisor.
Initially, I was excited about the story as it seemed to harken back to all the things I love in Fantasy & was written well enough to keep my attention. However, as I progressed the plot started to feel very tropey & overdone. Nothing incredibly new was brought to the table, and so I felt like I was ingesting a slightly different version of a story I've read many times.
Some of this could have maybe been made up for had the pace not been so dreadfully slow. The story ambled along & did not really catch my interest again until the end.
I also wasn't a huge fan of how the relationships between the central characters progressed. It felt as though everyone was constantly acting out of spite. Especially with Lowellin. Quyloc & Rome rightfully question his motives for most of the novel, but his responses are vague & unconvincing. I'm not sure I would've been a willing protagonist to this story with such a cruel & ambiguous character to guide me.
There was some interesting hints at the magic in this world, but I couldn't quite find myself invested with what was going on. Like Lowellin, it too was a bit too vague for too long.
I must say though that this story is written well. Despite the pace, I didn't mind the writing & had no issues with imagining events of the book.
Not a bad story, but personally Wreckers Gate wasn't my cup of tea. As my reading of this novel is part of the SPFBO contest, I will not be giving it a rating.
This review and other reviews of mine can be found on Book Nest!
The story began on a promising note, with Rome taking up the mantel of the strong-willed & just ruler and Quyloc as the silent, but wise best friend. There are a couple other perspectives thrown in, but the story centralizes around these two as Rome assumes power in the kingdom & Quyloc becomes his royal advisor.
Initially, I was excited about the story as it seemed to harken back to all the things I love in Fantasy & was written well enough to keep my attention. However, as I progressed the plot started to feel very tropey & overdone. Nothing incredibly new was brought to the table, and so I felt like I was ingesting a slightly different version of a story I've read many times.
Some of this could have maybe been made up for had the pace not been so dreadfully slow. The story ambled along & did not really catch my interest again until the end.
I also wasn't a huge fan of how the relationships between the central characters progressed. It felt as though everyone was constantly acting out of spite. Especially with Lowellin. Quyloc & Rome rightfully question his motives for most of the novel, but his responses are vague & unconvincing. I'm not sure I would've been a willing protagonist to this story with such a cruel & ambiguous character to guide me.
There was some interesting hints at the magic in this world, but I couldn't quite find myself invested with what was going on. Like Lowellin, it too was a bit too vague for too long.
I must say though that this story is written well. Despite the pace, I didn't mind the writing & had no issues with imagining events of the book.
Not a bad story, but personally Wreckers Gate wasn't my cup of tea. As my reading of this novel is part of the SPFBO contest, I will not be giving it a rating.
This review and other reviews of mine can be found on Book Nest!
March 9, 2018
Wreckers Gate is the start of an epic fantasy, a style of fiction I don't often read these days. Too many such tales are little more than endless reiterations of epic fantasies I've read in the past. This one is different, and easily held my attention. It has plenty of the standard heroic fantasy tropes that makes the genre what it is, but the characters stray (in a good way) from the usual stereotypes and are often more believable as people as the story develops. I found the world building especially pleasing, as the author draws on the realities of the American Southwest for the details involving land forms, plants, and animals. There's even ( I believe) a touch of Meso-American mythology rolled into the mix. I'm impressed, and will read on.
February 17, 2022
This surprised me by being nothing like I thought I was getting into and in honesty I have mixed feelings about it. Whilst it is certainly written well and there are some really thoughtful and poignant moments here, the pace is often so slow that it felt like a battle to work my way through it. That said, there is a huge amount of potential in both the premise and the world building here and I am honestly intrigued by where it's going... it's just that it did feel like hard work.
The novel starts with Wolf Rome and his small company of men being sent on a suicide mission, but quickly changed to a rulers problems in holding a country. Whilst it was an odd change of tone, I was intrigued, but the first half of the tale moves very slowly from thereon in. The characters are interesting; Romes's rough and ready demeanour is completely at odds with his friend and advisor's far more careful and political approach. I enjoyed the interactions between them and even the snippets of flashback back story that built up their relationship, but I didn't feel it really went anywhere.
It isn't until the second half and a complete character and location change that things really then seem to get moving. I suspect if more time had been spent on Rome's rise to glory, then conversely the pacing would have felt quicker and more natural. As it stands though, we get a first sprint and then a slow meander to nowhere. This does change in the second half of the novel, and I felt myself truly engage again to the tale of a forgotten country band of Tenders. These reclusive religious hermits were once the leading power across the lands but are now reviled in society. They played a minor part in the first half, but Knight pulls them to the forefront in the second.
The threat to the world suddenly becomes prominent here and not only did I find the characters fascinating, the introspective writing worked really well here. It's strange that a bunch of what are essentially nuns hooked my attention far more closely than the warrior king, but it is as it is. It's also here that the mystical elements start to come together, and they are built into the world beautifully. The religious background is really needed to understand the build up of tensions and Knight excels himself to the point that I was left wondering why the entire novel didn't start and end here.
All in all, a strong - if slow paced - beginning to what could be an epic series. I found the less run of the mill second half far stronger than the first and I hope to see more of that in the coming instalments.
The novel starts with Wolf Rome and his small company of men being sent on a suicide mission, but quickly changed to a rulers problems in holding a country. Whilst it was an odd change of tone, I was intrigued, but the first half of the tale moves very slowly from thereon in. The characters are interesting; Romes's rough and ready demeanour is completely at odds with his friend and advisor's far more careful and political approach. I enjoyed the interactions between them and even the snippets of flashback back story that built up their relationship, but I didn't feel it really went anywhere.
It isn't until the second half and a complete character and location change that things really then seem to get moving. I suspect if more time had been spent on Rome's rise to glory, then conversely the pacing would have felt quicker and more natural. As it stands though, we get a first sprint and then a slow meander to nowhere. This does change in the second half of the novel, and I felt myself truly engage again to the tale of a forgotten country band of Tenders. These reclusive religious hermits were once the leading power across the lands but are now reviled in society. They played a minor part in the first half, but Knight pulls them to the forefront in the second.
The threat to the world suddenly becomes prominent here and not only did I find the characters fascinating, the introspective writing worked really well here. It's strange that a bunch of what are essentially nuns hooked my attention far more closely than the warrior king, but it is as it is. It's also here that the mystical elements start to come together, and they are built into the world beautifully. The religious background is really needed to understand the build up of tensions and Knight excels himself to the point that I was left wondering why the entire novel didn't start and end here.
All in all, a strong - if slow paced - beginning to what could be an epic series. I found the less run of the mill second half far stronger than the first and I hope to see more of that in the coming instalments.
February 26, 2018
Hmm? Four stars or five stars? Let's go with five. The limitations of the Amazon/Goodreads book review system favours the brave. This is part of a five book series (all complete but only the first three released), and I think I'm going to like the total package, based on my limited experience (i.e. the first book).
Wulf Rome is a soldier's soldier, the kind of man you want to fight for, but his superiors hate. After surviving a suicide mission, Wulf returns with a strange weapon, overthrows the king and takes his place. So far, so epic fantasy. This is when things go pear-shaped. A strange man appears with a good old' 'end of the world' prophecy, which 'king for five minutes' Wulf has to sort out. As someone who doesn't waste a lot of time thinking about things, Rome sets about keeping up his end of the bargain.
Then:
Halfway (or so) through the book, there's a complete shift in location and cast of characters. Wulf and his city are forgotten, and we travel north to visit the reviled Tenders (essentially nuns) who live in a broken down monastery in the desert. The Tenders were key players in the original 'end of the world' scenario, but now hide in their monastery as they are treated with disgust by the people. Step forward Netra, a Tender who doesn't approve of their hiding away, and discovers the "end of the world' scenario while on a random recruiting mission. She also discovers her latent "magic" (it's not called magic in the story), while dodging evil minions.
To be fair I haven't really given a complete rundown on Wreckers Gate. It's a nice take on the standard epic fare, and the characters are well-drawn out, the setting interesting, and the fact that you are reading what is basically a fifth of a much larger book helps. I'll get to book two "Landsend Plateau" in a couple of weeks, and I look forward to see where the series takes us.
Wulf Rome is a soldier's soldier, the kind of man you want to fight for, but his superiors hate. After surviving a suicide mission, Wulf returns with a strange weapon, overthrows the king and takes his place. So far, so epic fantasy. This is when things go pear-shaped. A strange man appears with a good old' 'end of the world' prophecy, which 'king for five minutes' Wulf has to sort out. As someone who doesn't waste a lot of time thinking about things, Rome sets about keeping up his end of the bargain.
Then:
Halfway (or so) through the book, there's a complete shift in location and cast of characters. Wulf and his city are forgotten, and we travel north to visit the reviled Tenders (essentially nuns) who live in a broken down monastery in the desert. The Tenders were key players in the original 'end of the world' scenario, but now hide in their monastery as they are treated with disgust by the people. Step forward Netra, a Tender who doesn't approve of their hiding away, and discovers the "end of the world' scenario while on a random recruiting mission. She also discovers her latent "magic" (it's not called magic in the story), while dodging evil minions.
To be fair I haven't really given a complete rundown on Wreckers Gate. It's a nice take on the standard epic fare, and the characters are well-drawn out, the setting interesting, and the fact that you are reading what is basically a fifth of a much larger book helps. I'll get to book two "Landsend Plateau" in a couple of weeks, and I look forward to see where the series takes us.
July 17, 2019
I like the one main idea if the story, but honestly I struggled to get through the whole story. There were parts where there was some good action, but them it would slow way down. The book is separated into two stories one where it focuses on Wulf Rome who was a general and his best friend Quyloc and then suddenly following a young Tender named Netra.
The first part shows how Melekath comes to be freed and how Wulf ends up acquiring some type of super weapon in axe form. The Protector shows up to warn them of the inevitable escape of Melekath who is bent on destroying all living things. Along with the Protector forcing Quyloc to discover a mythical weapon in the veil. Just has things begin to to up suddenly their story ends with the close of part 1.
Then out of nowhere part 2 is there which is now the beginning of the story of one of Xochitl or the Mother who was responsible for the imprisoning of Melekath thousands of years prior. The Tenders (as her followed are referred to) have lost the favor of the Mother and in turn have lost their powers over Lifesong. Netra seems to be an exception when compared to her sisters, and we follow along her journey from a firm believer to someone who can no longer follow along due to recent events in her life. She strikes out on her own.
I feel like maybe these should have been two different books, and nit just two different parts in the same book. I felt like the first part ended abruptly just as things we were ramping up, and then her story seemed a little "rushed".
Please don't go strictly off of my review to form an opinion on this book. You may thoroughly enjoy the story and concept
The first part shows how Melekath comes to be freed and how Wulf ends up acquiring some type of super weapon in axe form. The Protector shows up to warn them of the inevitable escape of Melekath who is bent on destroying all living things. Along with the Protector forcing Quyloc to discover a mythical weapon in the veil. Just has things begin to to up suddenly their story ends with the close of part 1.
Then out of nowhere part 2 is there which is now the beginning of the story of one of Xochitl or the Mother who was responsible for the imprisoning of Melekath thousands of years prior. The Tenders (as her followed are referred to) have lost the favor of the Mother and in turn have lost their powers over Lifesong. Netra seems to be an exception when compared to her sisters, and we follow along her journey from a firm believer to someone who can no longer follow along due to recent events in her life. She strikes out on her own.
I feel like maybe these should have been two different books, and nit just two different parts in the same book. I felt like the first part ended abruptly just as things we were ramping up, and then her story seemed a little "rushed".
Please don't go strictly off of my review to form an opinion on this book. You may thoroughly enjoy the story and concept
February 3, 2018
An excellent Story , keep with it
As this is book 1 then we find outselves at the beginning of a new war when an ancient evil is released. The characters i found very appealing and some especially the main 2 males i soon find myself thinking back to David Gemmel books. Although it does slow down a bit stick with it as theirs a few hints at the end this is ready to surprise. I think this is going to be in book 2 as it feels like events are being lined up for a good bit. As i have read other books based on this world in his chaos and retribution series , this feels very simliar and turned out great so i have expectations from book 2 i hope.
As this is book 1 then we find outselves at the beginning of a new war when an ancient evil is released. The characters i found very appealing and some especially the main 2 males i soon find myself thinking back to David Gemmel books. Although it does slow down a bit stick with it as theirs a few hints at the end this is ready to surprise. I think this is going to be in book 2 as it feels like events are being lined up for a good bit. As i have read other books based on this world in his chaos and retribution series , this feels very simliar and turned out great so i have expectations from book 2 i hope.
June 29, 2019
An interesting take on classic epic fantasy, filled with mystery, magic, and intriguing characters. The plot is continuously building toward something much larger and begs the reader to continue on to other books in the series (which I intend to do sometime soon).
My only complaint is how unsatisfying this first book concludes, without any sense of plot resolution. For those who purchase the full boxed set, this should be no problem as they will be compelled to go on and read book two immediately.
My only complaint is how unsatisfying this first book concludes, without any sense of plot resolution. For those who purchase the full boxed set, this should be no problem as they will be compelled to go on and read book two immediately.
August 16, 2022
A lot of detailed character interaction
This book had a lot of detailed character interaction. There is a lot of world generation backstory mixed in as well. This book also looks to set up a lot of future action based on what occurred in this book 1. If you like a lot of detailed characters and character interaction, this could be the book for you.
This book had a lot of detailed character interaction. There is a lot of world generation backstory mixed in as well. This book also looks to set up a lot of future action based on what occurred in this book 1. If you like a lot of detailed characters and character interaction, this could be the book for you.
August 15, 2019
Great book
I like the character descriptions and the scenery descriptions as well. Very well done. The storyline of being able to feel the life force of the land around you was very good. Now to the second book!
I like the character descriptions and the scenery descriptions as well. Very well done. The storyline of being able to feel the life force of the land around you was very good. Now to the second book!
February 10, 2018
I have sat on this little review for almost a week. Why? The first 12 reviews were 5 stars. So first the great stuff in this book.
Wreckers Gate is the name of the main gate at Ankha del’Ath, the ancestral home of the Takare. Wulf Rome is the leader of Qarath, and a great main character. Quyloc – (KWY-lock) Macht Rome’s chief advisor and best friend. Lowellin is a strange godman who shows up in Qarath claiming to be the Protector spoken of in the Book of Xochitl. Then at the 51% point of the book, you never hear from them again, What!
Now the story shifts to Melanine the FirstMother in Qarath when Lowellin first shows up. This is the bridge between the first half and second. Nalene FirstMother in Qarath after Melanine abdicates. Okay a new phase until we come to a dead stop with Part Two: Rane Haven at 58%.
Now we get the tale of Netra a young Tender(like a nun) of Rane Haven. Netra goes on several adventures until the book ends. I felt like I had read two different stories, the transitions were absolute with no explanations.
I am going to read the next book because it brings back all of the above characters.
Wreckers Gate is the name of the main gate at Ankha del’Ath, the ancestral home of the Takare. Wulf Rome is the leader of Qarath, and a great main character. Quyloc – (KWY-lock) Macht Rome’s chief advisor and best friend. Lowellin is a strange godman who shows up in Qarath claiming to be the Protector spoken of in the Book of Xochitl. Then at the 51% point of the book, you never hear from them again, What!
Now the story shifts to Melanine the FirstMother in Qarath when Lowellin first shows up. This is the bridge between the first half and second. Nalene FirstMother in Qarath after Melanine abdicates. Okay a new phase until we come to a dead stop with Part Two: Rane Haven at 58%.
Now we get the tale of Netra a young Tender(like a nun) of Rane Haven. Netra goes on several adventures until the book ends. I felt like I had read two different stories, the transitions were absolute with no explanations.
I am going to read the next book because it brings back all of the above characters.
March 21, 2018
UPDATE: Changed my mind after I realized how much more content there is in the next books. it's more like one big book, not possible to look at them separately. And they cost as much as one book anyway...
OLD REVIEW: The three stars are for the story and the world, they seem to be great. All else though... It's not a story about Rome, in fact he's less than a background for most of the book. The dialogues are abysmall, reactions like "That's horrible!". From half of the book onward ypu'll be reading about the Tenders, and the author failed to even strongly imply they consider killing another human (or being, they don't eat meat too) profoundly wrong. Imagine not being able to relate to the unfolding drama when that eventually happened, as you didn't know and you were like "wth is she so upset?".
OLD REVIEW: The three stars are for the story and the world, they seem to be great. All else though... It's not a story about Rome, in fact he's less than a background for most of the book. The dialogues are abysmall, reactions like "That's horrible!". From half of the book onward ypu'll be reading about the Tenders, and the author failed to even strongly imply they consider killing another human (or being, they don't eat meat too) profoundly wrong. Imagine not being able to relate to the unfolding drama when that eventually happened, as you didn't know and you were like "wth is she so upset?".
July 4, 2018
Wreckers Gate is effectively two different books, one is the story of two warriors stumbling about, and the other is the tale of a young priestess coming to learn about her religion and her world. Of the two, I think the latter is better written.
Given that this is apparently the author's first book, it is entirely possible that he was just feeling his way along in the first chapters. The writing gets stronger, and the storytelling better, as the book goes along. He seems to have a better connection to Netra and her sisters than he does to Rome (bad choice of names, by the way. I found it distracting every time I encountered it) and his cohort.
The latter half of the book is very strong and indicates that the second book may be better overall.
Given that this is apparently the author's first book, it is entirely possible that he was just feeling his way along in the first chapters. The writing gets stronger, and the storytelling better, as the book goes along. He seems to have a better connection to Netra and her sisters than he does to Rome (bad choice of names, by the way. I found it distracting every time I encountered it) and his cohort.
The latter half of the book is very strong and indicates that the second book may be better overall.
October 13, 2016
From the first page of this story, I was immediately teleported into another world. The characters were personable and exciting. The landscapes were harsh and unforgiving. The fight scenes were epic! This is a must read for any lover of fantasy books. I found myself cheering for the tenders! Reading parts of the fight scenes out loud to my kids. I completely loved this book. Looking forward to the next book.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review, I just happen to be a fantasy geek.*
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review, I just happen to be a fantasy geek.*
November 2, 2018
The Narrator: 2/5 for emotionless, over-condensed, and bland—but unquestionably clear and sure--writing.
The Narrative: 4/5 for an enticing, mysterious plot that weaves through otherwise disconnected subplots and a beautiful but chilling magical system. Mediocre national worldbuilding but strong history.
The Narrated: 3/5 for gripping and meaningful character arcs to which the narration does not give the proper justice or emotional weight; and for complex, though static, characters
Average: 3/5, with hope and interest.
The Narrator
Mr. Knight's writing is very clear, telling you exactly what happens and all the most important details, but it leaves too much to the imagination and it is a taxing effort to construct scenes and really understand what his characters are going through. His writing does little justice to the unclearly rich depth of his world and its people.
The blandness of his writing style comes from its sheer simplicity—it is extremely condensed, composed of several short sentences per paragraph that are constructed as if out of a book for very young children. This is not to say that any of his writing is actually childish—but in any other context, it would sound quite like it. His eloquence, analogy, and vocabulary are ultimately lacking and it is safe to say that I learned nothing new about prose from his style. Because of such deficiencies, we are given little sensory description, only enough to form a concrete image of a setting. The rest I had to construct on my own, and though I had fun with that, I probably missed the feel of his scenes.
I felt the same loss as I watched his characters grow and change. Quyloc and Netra grew richly over the course of their short segments, but I only knew that because it was deducible from the context. Quyloc's flashback could have presented one of his most moving scenes and brought even more life to a quickly growing character, but its emotional description was extremely bland and I had to piece together the true implications of the change before I understood what was happening. The same travesty occurred with Netra's crisis. Knight failed to hammer in the depth of the situations he had well crafted, and that almost turned me away from the book. His gripping story, however, saved the day.
The Narrative
Knight's worldbuilding shines brightest in this book—bright enough to disperse the shadows of his ineloquence. Though his scenery and topography are limited and hard to visualise concretely, his nations and politics are enticing, his history concrete, and his magic, above these others, is endlessly fascinating.
Though Knight's movements on the political scale are fairly few in this book, they hint at something complex and exciting, something that I am certain he will expand on in the upcoming books. There is a wealth of potential just waiting to be actualised, and he and his character have the powers to accomplish it. Backed by a rich history of which we are fed only hors d'ouevres, the various nations and groups that Knight just barely discloses promise endless extrapolation.
The magic is most alluring of all these aspects. I could gush about it for a while—but let it suffice for me to say some of that at which he hints: parallel, multifaceted dimensions that underlie reality; malleable expressions of life that can be seen and manipulated; controllable, invisible spirits slightly reminiscent of Stormlight's spren; visions, dreams, and spirit guides; and the shadows of further wonders. I can't wait to learn more.
The Narrated
I will briefly underscore my remarks on the characters in The Narrator. Their actions speak louder than words, if you are listening very, very carefully. The blandness of their thoughts belies the implications of their inner monologues, and if you keep close attention to detail, the crises that come into your view will seem to have been extremely well crafted and foreshadowed. Do not let the simplicity of the language fool you—even the static characters are full of depth just waiting to be unpacked by the invested reader. But you must invest yourself.
The Narrative: 4/5 for an enticing, mysterious plot that weaves through otherwise disconnected subplots and a beautiful but chilling magical system. Mediocre national worldbuilding but strong history.
The Narrated: 3/5 for gripping and meaningful character arcs to which the narration does not give the proper justice or emotional weight; and for complex, though static, characters
Average: 3/5, with hope and interest.
The Narrator
Mr. Knight's writing is very clear, telling you exactly what happens and all the most important details, but it leaves too much to the imagination and it is a taxing effort to construct scenes and really understand what his characters are going through. His writing does little justice to the unclearly rich depth of his world and its people.
The blandness of his writing style comes from its sheer simplicity—it is extremely condensed, composed of several short sentences per paragraph that are constructed as if out of a book for very young children. This is not to say that any of his writing is actually childish—but in any other context, it would sound quite like it. His eloquence, analogy, and vocabulary are ultimately lacking and it is safe to say that I learned nothing new about prose from his style. Because of such deficiencies, we are given little sensory description, only enough to form a concrete image of a setting. The rest I had to construct on my own, and though I had fun with that, I probably missed the feel of his scenes.
I felt the same loss as I watched his characters grow and change. Quyloc and Netra grew richly over the course of their short segments, but I only knew that because it was deducible from the context. Quyloc's flashback could have presented one of his most moving scenes and brought even more life to a quickly growing character, but its emotional description was extremely bland and I had to piece together the true implications of the change before I understood what was happening. The same travesty occurred with Netra's crisis. Knight failed to hammer in the depth of the situations he had well crafted, and that almost turned me away from the book. His gripping story, however, saved the day.
The Narrative
Knight's worldbuilding shines brightest in this book—bright enough to disperse the shadows of his ineloquence. Though his scenery and topography are limited and hard to visualise concretely, his nations and politics are enticing, his history concrete, and his magic, above these others, is endlessly fascinating.
Though Knight's movements on the political scale are fairly few in this book, they hint at something complex and exciting, something that I am certain he will expand on in the upcoming books. There is a wealth of potential just waiting to be actualised, and he and his character have the powers to accomplish it. Backed by a rich history of which we are fed only hors d'ouevres, the various nations and groups that Knight just barely discloses promise endless extrapolation.
The magic is most alluring of all these aspects. I could gush about it for a while—but let it suffice for me to say some of that at which he hints: parallel, multifaceted dimensions that underlie reality; malleable expressions of life that can be seen and manipulated; controllable, invisible spirits slightly reminiscent of Stormlight's spren; visions, dreams, and spirit guides; and the shadows of further wonders. I can't wait to learn more.
The Narrated
I will briefly underscore my remarks on the characters in The Narrator. Their actions speak louder than words, if you are listening very, very carefully. The blandness of their thoughts belies the implications of their inner monologues, and if you keep close attention to detail, the crises that come into your view will seem to have been extremely well crafted and foreshadowed. Do not let the simplicity of the language fool you—even the static characters are full of depth just waiting to be unpacked by the invested reader. But you must invest yourself.
February 4, 2018
As this is the first in a series, don't expect a real closure - we are just setting off on a journey that will take us around the world created by Eric T. Knight.
I have already admitted several times that I like Eric's style of writing, the way he weaves his plots, the way he takes us on real journeys into the unknown, uncovering the paths and trails as we take them, leaving some hints here and there on the way before revealing the big picture. I love the way he portrays his characters: with a few words they utter, through their deeds, actions and decisions rather than descriptions readily provided by the writer himself. What is even more precious, they are often ambiguous, rarely simply black and white, they are capable of great deeds but with flaws running equally deep. You can never be sure that whatever you think of them at the beginning of a tale will be what you will be thinking of them when the tale comes to its end... That's one of the greatest strenghts of Eric Knight's books.
All this is true about "Wreckers Gate". It introduces us to a handful of characters whom we will undoubtedly meet in the next books and who will play important parts in the storyline to come. So, there are Rome Wulf and Quylock - a man of action and his loyal friend, the wise man of the story, the one who seeks knowledge. But won't their ambitions lead them astray? Miles away there lives Netra, a Tender of unusal powers she only starts to discover. Will she be strong enough to overcome the doubts that seem to weaken her faith? And there is Lowellin, a mysterious character, a thousand-year-old Protector of humans who is supposedly trying to prepare the world for the return of Melekath, an evil god who wants to destroy all living creatures... but is Lowellin a friend or a foe? I still really don't know if I would be willing to trust him completely... And there are many other characters you fall in love with or hate, and they find themselves in situations in which they have to make grave decisions that will have an impact not only on their lives but on the fate of the whole world...
As this is only the beginning of the journey, we do not get answers to any of our questions, not yet anyway; but I'm already sure "Wreckers Gate" (and the whole "Immortality and Chaos" series) will be one of those journeys you will never forget - and a book you will be coming back to.
I have already admitted several times that I like Eric's style of writing, the way he weaves his plots, the way he takes us on real journeys into the unknown, uncovering the paths and trails as we take them, leaving some hints here and there on the way before revealing the big picture. I love the way he portrays his characters: with a few words they utter, through their deeds, actions and decisions rather than descriptions readily provided by the writer himself. What is even more precious, they are often ambiguous, rarely simply black and white, they are capable of great deeds but with flaws running equally deep. You can never be sure that whatever you think of them at the beginning of a tale will be what you will be thinking of them when the tale comes to its end... That's one of the greatest strenghts of Eric Knight's books.
All this is true about "Wreckers Gate". It introduces us to a handful of characters whom we will undoubtedly meet in the next books and who will play important parts in the storyline to come. So, there are Rome Wulf and Quylock - a man of action and his loyal friend, the wise man of the story, the one who seeks knowledge. But won't their ambitions lead them astray? Miles away there lives Netra, a Tender of unusal powers she only starts to discover. Will she be strong enough to overcome the doubts that seem to weaken her faith? And there is Lowellin, a mysterious character, a thousand-year-old Protector of humans who is supposedly trying to prepare the world for the return of Melekath, an evil god who wants to destroy all living creatures... but is Lowellin a friend or a foe? I still really don't know if I would be willing to trust him completely... And there are many other characters you fall in love with or hate, and they find themselves in situations in which they have to make grave decisions that will have an impact not only on their lives but on the fate of the whole world...
As this is only the beginning of the journey, we do not get answers to any of our questions, not yet anyway; but I'm already sure "Wreckers Gate" (and the whole "Immortality and Chaos" series) will be one of those journeys you will never forget - and a book you will be coming back to.
February 3, 2018
This book starts off with a bang as the two friends Wulf Rome and Quyloc are sent by King Rix on a mission destined to fail, to fight a massively overwhelming army and are driven into what is possibly the most dangerous piece of land anywhere… The Gur al Krin desert, where searing sands are the least of their troubles.
The duo find themselves in the middle of the Krin in a deep place they’d rather not be and just being there might lead to the worst decision ever.
The second part of the story is about Netra, a young Tender from Rane Haven who is just discovering who she is and how to manage her budding powers. This part of the book has a tidal feel to the emotional tumult throughout, but also has some good action to balance it out.
Wreckers gate deserves 5 stars, two thumbs up, a fanatics dance of merriment and all the praise I can muster…and a bag of chips (as the cool kids say) It’s blend of action, mayhem, interpersonal connections and raw emotion (had me crying like a baby in its crib) made for a potent cocktail that still has me reeling from the ‘whoa’ effect.
I absolutely LOVE the imagery in this book, especially with the creatures. It’s as if they were painted directly into my brain! (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt) So that goes a long way in transporting you right into the story.
Eric T. Knight does something amazing in this book, in that even though you are reading it for the first time it feels like coming back to an old friend you haven’t seen in years and at the same time it packs the wonder and awe of a brand new adventure and all the mystery that entails, making it what I consider to be an instant classic that will endure for generations to come.
Epic Fantasy just got better because this book is pure genius!
The duo find themselves in the middle of the Krin in a deep place they’d rather not be and just being there might lead to the worst decision ever.
The second part of the story is about Netra, a young Tender from Rane Haven who is just discovering who she is and how to manage her budding powers. This part of the book has a tidal feel to the emotional tumult throughout, but also has some good action to balance it out.
Wreckers gate deserves 5 stars, two thumbs up, a fanatics dance of merriment and all the praise I can muster…and a bag of chips (as the cool kids say) It’s blend of action, mayhem, interpersonal connections and raw emotion (had me crying like a baby in its crib) made for a potent cocktail that still has me reeling from the ‘whoa’ effect.
I absolutely LOVE the imagery in this book, especially with the creatures. It’s as if they were painted directly into my brain! (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt) So that goes a long way in transporting you right into the story.
Eric T. Knight does something amazing in this book, in that even though you are reading it for the first time it feels like coming back to an old friend you haven’t seen in years and at the same time it packs the wonder and awe of a brand new adventure and all the mystery that entails, making it what I consider to be an instant classic that will endure for generations to come.
Epic Fantasy just got better because this book is pure genius!
April 16, 2018
This book starts off with a bang as the two friends Wulf Rome and Quyloc are sent by King Rix on a mission destined to fail, to fight a massively overwhelming army and are driven into what is possibly the most dangerous piece of land anywhere… The Gur al Krin desert, where searing sands are the least of their troubles.
The duo find themselves in the middle of the Krin in a deep place they’d rather not be and just being there might lead to the worst decision ever.
The second part of the story is about Netra, a young Tender from Rane Haven who is just discovering who she is and how to manage her budding powers. This part of the book has a tidal feel to the emotional tumult throughout, but also has some good action to balance it out.
Wreckers gate deserves 5 stars, two thumbs up, a fanatics dance of merriment and all the praise I can muster…and a bag of chips (as the cool kids say) It’s blend of action, mayhem, interpersonal connections and raw emotion (had me crying like a baby in its crib) made for a potent cocktail that still has me reeling from the ‘whoa’ effect.
I absolutely LOVE the imagery in this book, especially with the creatures. It’s as if they were painted directly into my brain! (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt) So that goes a long way in transporting you right into the story.
Eric T. Knight does something amazing in this book, in that even though you are reading it for the first time it feels like coming back to an old friend you haven’t seen in years and at the same time it packs the wonder and awe of a brand new adventure and all the mystery that entails, making it what I consider to be an instant classic that will endure for generations to come.
Epic Fantasy just got better because this book is pure genius!
The duo find themselves in the middle of the Krin in a deep place they’d rather not be and just being there might lead to the worst decision ever.
The second part of the story is about Netra, a young Tender from Rane Haven who is just discovering who she is and how to manage her budding powers. This part of the book has a tidal feel to the emotional tumult throughout, but also has some good action to balance it out.
Wreckers gate deserves 5 stars, two thumbs up, a fanatics dance of merriment and all the praise I can muster…and a bag of chips (as the cool kids say) It’s blend of action, mayhem, interpersonal connections and raw emotion (had me crying like a baby in its crib) made for a potent cocktail that still has me reeling from the ‘whoa’ effect.
I absolutely LOVE the imagery in this book, especially with the creatures. It’s as if they were painted directly into my brain! (don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt) So that goes a long way in transporting you right into the story.
Eric T. Knight does something amazing in this book, in that even though you are reading it for the first time it feels like coming back to an old friend you haven’t seen in years and at the same time it packs the wonder and awe of a brand new adventure and all the mystery that entails, making it what I consider to be an instant classic that will endure for generations to come.
Epic Fantasy just got better because this book is pure genius!
July 15, 2017
Wreckers Gate is where it all started, the fight between good and evil so that Xochitl ended up entrapping Melekath and his followers forever in the abyss however it seems there are always two sides to good and evil! The Windwalkers believed that the followers of Melekath just wanted peace and questioned what the followers of Xochitl believed in! Questioning was seen as blasphemous by the tenders, women followers of Xochitl. When Natra, a tender, meets Dorn, a windwalker and asks if the Aranti are Gods he replies 'Forget about Gods. The term is only a restrictive word for what is beyond our understanding' but total belief is all the Tenders knew. However this meeting gets Netra questioning. The author writes so well about the female tenders and their ability to hear Lifesong and see the Akirma which changes this into Selfsong that it seems as though a woman is writing and this from me is a compliment! Netra is more than she seems and more than she knows even. Will she be strong enough to go on questing and fighting the evil which is being unleashed on the world? Will she meet up with Lowellin, the protector who was leading Quyloc to enter Pente Akka and what is the connection between Wulf Rome, Quyloc and Natra? Dying to find out in what i am sure will be the next fantastic book! This series is one of the big epic fantasy series up at the top with all the other greats!! Epic saga lovers, enjoy.
March 2, 2023
This book is a mixed batch. There's a lot of things to like, which is why I kept reading to the end. I'm happy to DNF books, so it had enough intrigue to keep me going all the way.
However, it also had a lot of flaws. The writing itself is rather bland and the dialogues at times just didn't feel very natural.
The characters are very much tropes and a bit two dimensional.
This didn't really feel like one book so much, as two novellas. It starts with a older warrior in a desert, and how he and his friend kind of learn to rule the world. Then we switch to a different POV, that of a young girl who grows up in a sort of monastery, as a tender. This second part seemed to be written much better character wise, and felt smoother. However we just never go back to the first POV, and it feels a bit like a weird break. Especially as the book seems to just end at some point, which caught me totally by surprise (I really do hate sample chapters at the end of books). Not so much as end, as simply a break.
The world on the other side was interesting, and I liked learning more about the backstory and hidden mysteries in the past! I quite enjoyed the magic and how is intertwined with politics, religion, society and just life.
I know this sounds overly critical, so I again want to point to me enjoying it enough to read it all. It's also the authors debut, which shows a good deal of promise, so I guess the sequels will likely be a step up.
However, it also had a lot of flaws. The writing itself is rather bland and the dialogues at times just didn't feel very natural.
The characters are very much tropes and a bit two dimensional.
This didn't really feel like one book so much, as two novellas. It starts with a older warrior in a desert, and how he and his friend kind of learn to rule the world. Then we switch to a different POV, that of a young girl who grows up in a sort of monastery, as a tender. This second part seemed to be written much better character wise, and felt smoother. However we just never go back to the first POV, and it feels a bit like a weird break. Especially as the book seems to just end at some point, which caught me totally by surprise (I really do hate sample chapters at the end of books). Not so much as end, as simply a break.
The world on the other side was interesting, and I liked learning more about the backstory and hidden mysteries in the past! I quite enjoyed the magic and how is intertwined with politics, religion, society and just life.
I know this sounds overly critical, so I again want to point to me enjoying it enough to read it all. It's also the authors debut, which shows a good deal of promise, so I guess the sequels will likely be a step up.
March 1, 2018
This was the first book in the series, Wrecers Gate I found to be divided into to sections that seem to be a male section dealing with war and General Wulfgar Rome and his friend from childhood, Qualcomm, a very unusual man from most others who doesn’t quite fit in. They find out the evil God is breaking free from the prison he was put in thousands of years ago and these are the only men that can stop him according to a strange a man that appears suddenly. Lowellin is there to help them save the world.
Also the second section deals with the wome The belong to a group called the Tenders dedicated to a long gone female god that help lock away the evil god. She disappeared thousands of years ago after the way the human tenders badly behaved which caused her to turn against them. They know their is a problem in the world but have not discusses it. Lowellin appears to assist on of the Tenders groups in Qarath. All the while a very strong tender emerges in Rane Haven who has abilities that none of
the present day tenders have. Netra is very different and after several life changing events occur involving her she decides she does belong there.
The book became more interesting once the second section started. It was a little one dimensional for me before that. I’m hoping the second ties the groups together and develop the characters a little more.
Also the second section deals with the wome The belong to a group called the Tenders dedicated to a long gone female god that help lock away the evil god. She disappeared thousands of years ago after the way the human tenders badly behaved which caused her to turn against them. They know their is a problem in the world but have not discusses it. Lowellin appears to assist on of the Tenders groups in Qarath. All the while a very strong tender emerges in Rane Haven who has abilities that none of
the present day tenders have. Netra is very different and after several life changing events occur involving her she decides she does belong there.
The book became more interesting once the second section started. It was a little one dimensional for me before that. I’m hoping the second ties the groups together and develop the characters a little more.
August 21, 2019
Wreckers Gate (Immortality and Chaos Book 1)
By: Eric T. Knight
5 out of 5 stars
The story Wreckers Gate (Immortality and Chaos Book 1) by Eric T. Knight is a wonderful fantasy book. It is a story that has action and adventure. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and didn’t let go until I had read the final page. I enjoyed reading about the character of Wulf Rome. He has found an ancient axe. It wins him a throne. Wulf is a man that is popular with the people. He stands up to those who act and believe they are better than others. The Guardians are causing chaos and destruction. Melekath must be stopped. There is a stranger who calls himself Lowellin. He tells Wulf that he is an immortal and is the world’s only hope. I found Lowellin a character that is mysterious. Does he have his own agenda? Read this book and begin a journey that is interesting and intriguing. When reading this story, I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. There is wonderful world-building and the story has a lot of details. I felt like I was right there with the characters. I also enjoyed how there are legends and stories told. There are other characters that you are introduced to. I enjoyed reading about their part in the story. This book is a wonderful start to a series and one I would recommend reading.
By: Eric T. Knight
5 out of 5 stars
The story Wreckers Gate (Immortality and Chaos Book 1) by Eric T. Knight is a wonderful fantasy book. It is a story that has action and adventure. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and didn’t let go until I had read the final page. I enjoyed reading about the character of Wulf Rome. He has found an ancient axe. It wins him a throne. Wulf is a man that is popular with the people. He stands up to those who act and believe they are better than others. The Guardians are causing chaos and destruction. Melekath must be stopped. There is a stranger who calls himself Lowellin. He tells Wulf that he is an immortal and is the world’s only hope. I found Lowellin a character that is mysterious. Does he have his own agenda? Read this book and begin a journey that is interesting and intriguing. When reading this story, I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. There is wonderful world-building and the story has a lot of details. I felt like I was right there with the characters. I also enjoyed how there are legends and stories told. There are other characters that you are introduced to. I enjoyed reading about their part in the story. This book is a wonderful start to a series and one I would recommend reading.
March 17, 2018
I'm not really sure what to say about this book. I had a hard time finishing it. It seems to me like this should have been a very interesting story, but I just couldn't get all that much enjoyment out of it. The book was a bit wheel of time, mixed with some shanara, and while it was a decent story, it's severely lacking in actual content. It kind of felt like I was reading one of those old history books, you know the ones that have all the facts anyone could ever want, but present them in such a way that only other historians ever get excited about its content? Yeah, it was a lot like that. Good story ( I think), just didn't appeal to me with its presentation. I don't know who to recommend it to, because I can't tell who would like it in its current encarnation. But if you liked the wheel of time series, you might like this one, as they have a lot in common as far as plotlines go. Perhaps if you take one of the second half of the WOT books, then slowed it down by a factor of 2, you might get a book like this one.
I'm not likely to continue with this series.
I'm not likely to continue with this series.
February 6, 2019
Part 1 of Eric T. Knight's pentalogy gets off to a thunderously dramatic start, with more action than many books have in their finale. It tells the tale of two friends who started their lives on the streets and have slowly risen in fame and glory. However, the book is essential split into two, and I have mixed feelings about this. The first part held my attention, made me laugh with the banter between the two main characters who, despite being friends, couldn't have been more different. Then the second part took me away from that. Far away. It could have been another story entirely. It was still well written, but I think after having been enjoying the characters so much, I didn't connect to the cast in the second part as endearingly. That said, there are four more books in the series, so I'm sure both sides of the story will be brought together. Overall I enjoyed it (the first half more than the second) and I think Knight did a great job in setting up what promises to be an enjoyable series!
May 11, 2017
Please read my full review here: http://www.morebooksthantime.com/wrec...
Wreckers Gate is author Eric T. Knight’s first novel and it is pretty good . He creates an interesting back story that may come out more in the sequels with hints tehre is more to the Xochitl-Melkath story that will come out in sequels.
Knight is at his best describing the settings. The city had smells and noise; the desert had wind and scorching heat and bitter cold; the Tenders’ home was shabby and poor.
The overall writing quality was good. The story was clear even when switching among viewpoints and Knight sketches in the back story without spending undue time rehashing the forgotten past. Pacing was pretty good although I thought it bogged down a bit when we were with the Tenders.
Wreckers Gate is author Eric T. Knight’s first novel and it is pretty good . He creates an interesting back story that may come out more in the sequels with hints tehre is more to the Xochitl-Melkath story that will come out in sequels.
Knight is at his best describing the settings. The city had smells and noise; the desert had wind and scorching heat and bitter cold; the Tenders’ home was shabby and poor.
The overall writing quality was good. The story was clear even when switching among viewpoints and Knight sketches in the back story without spending undue time rehashing the forgotten past. Pacing was pretty good although I thought it bogged down a bit when we were with the Tenders.
July 11, 2019
Overall rating: 4.3
First all the positives. My curiosity was hooked into this storyline swiftly and easily. The characters sprang to life immediately and I immersed myself along their sides through their ordeal. This author did a wonderful job keeping my curiosity peaked. This epic fantasy is much bigger than the initial two main characters struggling to survive.
Which leads to .....as more facets of this epic tale unfolds, as a reader I almost found myself being distracted and slipping in interest. The writing is perfect, so it was more me not understanding why these other scenarios were brought to life. Stick with it for it will all glue together and even though I felt a bit of a wanderlust, I still want to move onto book two. This is a build up book so be prepared! All my reviews are always voluntarily written.
First all the positives. My curiosity was hooked into this storyline swiftly and easily. The characters sprang to life immediately and I immersed myself along their sides through their ordeal. This author did a wonderful job keeping my curiosity peaked. This epic fantasy is much bigger than the initial two main characters struggling to survive.
Which leads to .....as more facets of this epic tale unfolds, as a reader I almost found myself being distracted and slipping in interest. The writing is perfect, so it was more me not understanding why these other scenarios were brought to life. Stick with it for it will all glue together and even though I felt a bit of a wanderlust, I still want to move onto book two. This is a build up book so be prepared! All my reviews are always voluntarily written.
July 24, 2019
I enjoyed this book and struggled with the number of stars to assign (4.5). I particularly liked the writing style. Eric has an elegant way of describing even mundane things, people and events. Just like in real life, there were characters I liked and ones that didn't appeal to me. The two, seemingly disparate, story lines in this book made me feel like it could/should have been 2 books, but I can understand why the author chose to combine them...which would he start with and how to merge them into one series? By following two different streams, he lets you know that they will converge at some point into a cohesive whole. I plan to continue on this journey and read more of this series and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy at its finest!
April 22, 2020
Read this series!
I am a book snob, I will not read a book that is less than four and a half stars. This is a FIVE star book! I have read other things by this author and enjoyed them but he has really upped his game. Great story, great characters -- LOVED IT! The trait I look for in a book I enjoy is that it is readable, the people and dialogue are are believable and flow easily. I very much appreciate that there is no bad language and sexual content. Can't wait to finish the series. I wish Mr Knight was a hundred years old so he would have a hundred books for me to read, selfish but true (it's part of being a snob). Thank you for contributing something worthwhile to the world of reading.
I am a book snob, I will not read a book that is less than four and a half stars. This is a FIVE star book! I have read other things by this author and enjoyed them but he has really upped his game. Great story, great characters -- LOVED IT! The trait I look for in a book I enjoy is that it is readable, the people and dialogue are are believable and flow easily. I very much appreciate that there is no bad language and sexual content. Can't wait to finish the series. I wish Mr Knight was a hundred years old so he would have a hundred books for me to read, selfish but true (it's part of being a snob). Thank you for contributing something worthwhile to the world of reading.
March 31, 2018
Very interesting
I wasn't expecting to enjoy the book so much. Whilst the genre heroic fantasy is enjoyable, it's often the most well known. The world created in the book was different, but good different. The characters intriguing and the premise subverts the more well known tropes. One of the few criticisms is that the book follows several characters, but that the pov of Netra dominated the second part of the book and I would have liked her to be introduced earlier and likewise the character of Rome should have, I feel, had a chapter in the second part of the book. All in all, highly recommend this book
I wasn't expecting to enjoy the book so much. Whilst the genre heroic fantasy is enjoyable, it's often the most well known. The world created in the book was different, but good different. The characters intriguing and the premise subverts the more well known tropes. One of the few criticisms is that the book follows several characters, but that the pov of Netra dominated the second part of the book and I would have liked her to be introduced earlier and likewise the character of Rome should have, I feel, had a chapter in the second part of the book. All in all, highly recommend this book
June 8, 2018
Too many characters, not enough action
Clearly the author is thinking long game and very expansive vision in this book. We're introduced to dozens of characters who all appear to play a roll in upcoming cataclysmic world events.
A cosmology full of forgotten gods, some imprisoned for all time, but apparently the prison had a flaw. A lot of exposition from various players on the history and whether current events are as foretold.
And then the book ends very abruptly, just as one of the characters, presumably our heroine, decides to act.
I guess I'll read the next book in the series, but probably not right away.
Clearly the author is thinking long game and very expansive vision in this book. We're introduced to dozens of characters who all appear to play a roll in upcoming cataclysmic world events.
A cosmology full of forgotten gods, some imprisoned for all time, but apparently the prison had a flaw. A lot of exposition from various players on the history and whether current events are as foretold.
And then the book ends very abruptly, just as one of the characters, presumably our heroine, decides to act.
I guess I'll read the next book in the series, but probably not right away.
June 19, 2018
Weak beginning; strong finish
It took me a little while to finish this book. The beginning and the introduction to characters started off what felt surface level and rushed. At times, the characters did not seem as if they had much difference, and it was difficult to remember them. But then, Mr. Knight found a groove halfway through the book. Suddenly I felt enraptured by the Tender's existence and the revealing of a nemesis. The writing became real. Character differences popped out. By the end, I was ready to look for Book 2. Great finish Mr. Knight! I believe I'll be continuing the journey!
It took me a little while to finish this book. The beginning and the introduction to characters started off what felt surface level and rushed. At times, the characters did not seem as if they had much difference, and it was difficult to remember them. But then, Mr. Knight found a groove halfway through the book. Suddenly I felt enraptured by the Tender's existence and the revealing of a nemesis. The writing became real. Character differences popped out. By the end, I was ready to look for Book 2. Great finish Mr. Knight! I believe I'll be continuing the journey!
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