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The Gryphon Clerks #0
Beastheads
When the old shaman took Berry away from her home and family, she expected to become a shaman in turn. But after her oath shatters, she finds a new place as a Gryphon Clerk, helping negotiate a treaty with the beasthead people.
A beasthead shaman stands against her, fearing the loss of his people’s way of life and the corruption of their youth. As the Human Purity movement gains power in a nearby realm, though, the beasthead and the clerk must find a way through their differences before war destroys everything they value.
Place in the series: This is "Book 0" of the Gryphon Clerks series because, although it was published fourth, it was drafted first and comes first chronologically, partially overlapping in time with Realmgolds and Hope and the Clever Man. Like all the books in the series, though, it can be read as a standalone.
A beasthead shaman stands against her, fearing the loss of his people’s way of life and the corruption of their youth. As the Human Purity movement gains power in a nearby realm, though, the beasthead and the clerk must find a way through their differences before war destroys everything they value.
Place in the series: This is "Book 0" of the Gryphon Clerks series because, although it was published fourth, it was drafted first and comes first chronologically, partially overlapping in time with Realmgolds and Hope and the Clever Man. Like all the books in the series, though, it can be read as a standalone.
- GenresFantasy
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2014
6 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Mike Reeves-McMillan
46 books194 followersFor someone with an English degree, Mike Reeves-McMillan has spent a surprising amount of time wearing a hard hat.
He lives in Auckland, New Zealand, the setting of his Auckland Allies contemporary urban fantasy series; and also in his head, where the weather is more reliable, and there are a lot more wizards.
He lives in Auckland, New Zealand, the setting of his Auckland Allies contemporary urban fantasy series; and also in his head, where the weather is more reliable, and there are a lot more wizards.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 22, 2017
I don't know whether this was the best book in the series or if my appreciation for this world has just grown, but I loved this. This is the kind of gentle low conflict, thoughtful story that I'm always looking for.
If character based fantasy is your thing then I highly recommend giving this a read.
If character based fantasy is your thing then I highly recommend giving this a read.
January 14, 2015
What About The Ordinary People
Most fantasy is about heroes. Big muscly barbarian heroes perhaps or wimpy longing but incredibly powerful sorcerors. The point is they are heroes and they do amazing, world changing things. What the author Mike Reeves-McMillan sets out to do with his novel Beastheads is tell the story of the ordinary people in his fantasy world.
The group of characters he gathers are not heroes by the usual definitions. They're not really particularly brave. They're not doing anything incredibly out of the ordinary. They won't be changing the world single handed. But just because they are ordinary does not mean they are boring.
Fantasy (and most genres) tends to be more plot and action based than anything else. Character exploration may well happen, but it is not the driving force of the story. Beastheads reverses that.
There are larger events playing out in this fantasy world and the characters do play a role, it's just not the pivotal one we have come to expect. Rather we are asked to consider the plight of a race that might form part of the background in most fantasy novels.
Okay That's What It's Not About, What Is It About?
Well after the disparate group of characters comes together they have a mission and that mission is to facilitate the negotiation of a treaty. But the negotiations are not what the author focuses on. Instead we follow these various characters (all of them damaged in some fashion by their life to date). We see how they interact with each other, how they interact with the Beastheads themselves and we see how this mission gives them a purpose and enriches both them and those around them.
The Beastheads are a loosely knit grouping of clans comprising of various peoples with different heads (dogheads, catheads, cattleheads). These clans were created by the former Elvish empire for the elves own selfish reasons and have evolved a complex system of rules (vel) to guide their behavior and keep the peace. They exist as an independent entity, but are threatened by the Human Purity movement which is developing in one of the neighboring countries. The treaty would give them protection, but it will also radically alter their way of life.
This is the background to the personal stories that play out. There are several viewpoint characters in the book, but the one we spend the most time with is the former apprentice Shaman Berry and as a result hers was the story I most connected with. Her struggle to find her identity and role in life having broken her bond with her Shaman is an easy one to relate to.
She is also the one who has the most visible opponent in the form of a rather angry and conservative Cattlehead Shaman who speaks out against her. That dynamic gives her story and energy that some of the other stories lack.
No Drama Without Conflict
Conflict can take many forms of course. In fantasy it's most commonly simply battle. But it doesn't have to be as Berry's story shows. The verbal opposition she faces up to gives her story a conflict. That element is somewhat lacking or incomplete for some of the other characters.
For example Breeze and Wave are an interesting pair. Driven out of the university where they studied by the human purity movement they are sympathetic to the beastheads, even though they can pass as human. But while there is a moment of tension where Breeze almost loses control of his wolf-self, it is not followed up on and so their story remains incomplete.
Stone and Vigilant also get some viewpoint time. Their story is simpler, though certainly one people will be able to relate to given that this fantasy world is about as homophobic as our own. But while Vigilant does work through some internal conflict the end result never really seems in doubt.
If I'm going to point to one significant weakness in the story it's that while the author does a great job of presenting all these characters to us and showing us their lives, he doesn't give most of them enough of a challenge to strive against. They've all had worse things happen to them in their past than are happening to them right now.
Structural Passivity
The other thing that I noticed was that because of the way the story is told, there's a strange sense of passivity to many of the events that happen. We are told about them happening, but we don't directly connect with a lot of them.
In some places I think this a deliberate style choice. For example each of the characters is introduced at the very start of their story (generally near the beginning of their life in fact) and their story is told up until they all meet as Gryphon Clerks. As a result the early chapters are in some sense back story. They are relevant because it's the story of what makes these characters who they are. But it's all stuff that happens before the meat of this story, if you see what I mean.
While I'm not a huge fan of relying on the flashback as a storytelling device I do wonder if in this case starting in the present and flashing back when necessary rather than starting in the past might have produced a more dynamic story.
Another area where the book feels passive is that it is actually taking place in a time where big events are happening. These events are, from the afterward, apparently detailed more in some of the other Gryphon Clerks books. Here, however, this stuff comes in as reportage and our characters don't really have an opportunity to react to most of it until near the end.
It's Good to Read About People Doing Good
For all that I may have some issues with the structure of the book, there is a lot to like about it. But perhaps the thing I enjoyed the most is that these are fundamentally decent people. Flawed, sure, but they mean while. And these decent people are trying to do good things here.
It's a fine line to walk between showing people doing good and preaching about that good, but I think Beastheads pulls it off. Yes there are certainly some obvious parallels. Homophobia is touched on, as is rape. Clearly the beastheads themselves are the victims of extreme racism. And the alcohol abuse element immediately made me flash to stories about Native Americans in colonial times.
But the characters don't lecture, or at least not very much. It's more a case of leading by example which stops things from getting too preachy. And the characters are likeable enough that you are rooting for them to improve things.
Fundamentally I think its much more difficult to tell this type of story well than it is to do an action based piece and so while I think there's room for improvement, there's also a lot to like about it.
Is This For Me?
- Do you like fantasy stories but are bored of elves and traditional settings?
- Does the idea of yet another traditional quest fantasy have you rolling your eyes?
- Do you like stories that are driven by emotional stakes rather than battles?
- Are you more interested in character exploration than physical exploration or action?
This one is for you.
Did You Like It?
Yes I did. Sometimes I have to slog through books just so I can give a fair review. In this case I was happy to pick it up and read the next few chapters each night. At less than three dollars for 283 pages it's a bargain and while there are things that I think could be improved it's a fun read.
My review system insists on whole stars only otherwise I would probably have gone with 3.5 out of 5
Most fantasy is about heroes. Big muscly barbarian heroes perhaps or wimpy longing but incredibly powerful sorcerors. The point is they are heroes and they do amazing, world changing things. What the author Mike Reeves-McMillan sets out to do with his novel Beastheads is tell the story of the ordinary people in his fantasy world.
The group of characters he gathers are not heroes by the usual definitions. They're not really particularly brave. They're not doing anything incredibly out of the ordinary. They won't be changing the world single handed. But just because they are ordinary does not mean they are boring.
Fantasy (and most genres) tends to be more plot and action based than anything else. Character exploration may well happen, but it is not the driving force of the story. Beastheads reverses that.
There are larger events playing out in this fantasy world and the characters do play a role, it's just not the pivotal one we have come to expect. Rather we are asked to consider the plight of a race that might form part of the background in most fantasy novels.
Okay That's What It's Not About, What Is It About?
Well after the disparate group of characters comes together they have a mission and that mission is to facilitate the negotiation of a treaty. But the negotiations are not what the author focuses on. Instead we follow these various characters (all of them damaged in some fashion by their life to date). We see how they interact with each other, how they interact with the Beastheads themselves and we see how this mission gives them a purpose and enriches both them and those around them.
The Beastheads are a loosely knit grouping of clans comprising of various peoples with different heads (dogheads, catheads, cattleheads). These clans were created by the former Elvish empire for the elves own selfish reasons and have evolved a complex system of rules (vel) to guide their behavior and keep the peace. They exist as an independent entity, but are threatened by the Human Purity movement which is developing in one of the neighboring countries. The treaty would give them protection, but it will also radically alter their way of life.
This is the background to the personal stories that play out. There are several viewpoint characters in the book, but the one we spend the most time with is the former apprentice Shaman Berry and as a result hers was the story I most connected with. Her struggle to find her identity and role in life having broken her bond with her Shaman is an easy one to relate to.
She is also the one who has the most visible opponent in the form of a rather angry and conservative Cattlehead Shaman who speaks out against her. That dynamic gives her story and energy that some of the other stories lack.
No Drama Without Conflict
Conflict can take many forms of course. In fantasy it's most commonly simply battle. But it doesn't have to be as Berry's story shows. The verbal opposition she faces up to gives her story a conflict. That element is somewhat lacking or incomplete for some of the other characters.
For example Breeze and Wave are an interesting pair. Driven out of the university where they studied by the human purity movement they are sympathetic to the beastheads, even though they can pass as human. But while there is a moment of tension where Breeze almost loses control of his wolf-self, it is not followed up on and so their story remains incomplete.
Stone and Vigilant also get some viewpoint time. Their story is simpler, though certainly one people will be able to relate to given that this fantasy world is about as homophobic as our own. But while Vigilant does work through some internal conflict the end result never really seems in doubt.
If I'm going to point to one significant weakness in the story it's that while the author does a great job of presenting all these characters to us and showing us their lives, he doesn't give most of them enough of a challenge to strive against. They've all had worse things happen to them in their past than are happening to them right now.
Structural Passivity
The other thing that I noticed was that because of the way the story is told, there's a strange sense of passivity to many of the events that happen. We are told about them happening, but we don't directly connect with a lot of them.
In some places I think this a deliberate style choice. For example each of the characters is introduced at the very start of their story (generally near the beginning of their life in fact) and their story is told up until they all meet as Gryphon Clerks. As a result the early chapters are in some sense back story. They are relevant because it's the story of what makes these characters who they are. But it's all stuff that happens before the meat of this story, if you see what I mean.
While I'm not a huge fan of relying on the flashback as a storytelling device I do wonder if in this case starting in the present and flashing back when necessary rather than starting in the past might have produced a more dynamic story.
Another area where the book feels passive is that it is actually taking place in a time where big events are happening. These events are, from the afterward, apparently detailed more in some of the other Gryphon Clerks books. Here, however, this stuff comes in as reportage and our characters don't really have an opportunity to react to most of it until near the end.
It's Good to Read About People Doing Good
For all that I may have some issues with the structure of the book, there is a lot to like about it. But perhaps the thing I enjoyed the most is that these are fundamentally decent people. Flawed, sure, but they mean while. And these decent people are trying to do good things here.
It's a fine line to walk between showing people doing good and preaching about that good, but I think Beastheads pulls it off. Yes there are certainly some obvious parallels. Homophobia is touched on, as is rape. Clearly the beastheads themselves are the victims of extreme racism. And the alcohol abuse element immediately made me flash to stories about Native Americans in colonial times.
But the characters don't lecture, or at least not very much. It's more a case of leading by example which stops things from getting too preachy. And the characters are likeable enough that you are rooting for them to improve things.
Fundamentally I think its much more difficult to tell this type of story well than it is to do an action based piece and so while I think there's room for improvement, there's also a lot to like about it.
Is This For Me?
- Do you like fantasy stories but are bored of elves and traditional settings?
- Does the idea of yet another traditional quest fantasy have you rolling your eyes?
- Do you like stories that are driven by emotional stakes rather than battles?
- Are you more interested in character exploration than physical exploration or action?
This one is for you.
Did You Like It?
Yes I did. Sometimes I have to slog through books just so I can give a fair review. In this case I was happy to pick it up and read the next few chapters each night. At less than three dollars for 283 pages it's a bargain and while there are things that I think could be improved it's a fun read.
My review system insists on whole stars only otherwise I would probably have gone with 3.5 out of 5
June 12, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this book and have moved onto Realmgolds, Book 1 in the series (this one is "Book 0" and they don't have to be read in order, but I like to). It has the same feel, to me, as Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. The Gryphon Clerks are a lot like Harpers, but without the dragons or music. And that's one of the reasons I enjoy it. The story begins by spending a couple of chapters on each character, kind of like a movie would, before moving onto the story. I liked getting to know the characters this way, but some of those introductory chapters were a tad clunky. Sometimes they felt too much like they were written to be a "montage" in a movie, but once the story got started, I was hooked. And now I'm onto Realmgolds and I was late to work because I didn't want to put my Kindle down.
December 31, 2021
An okay story
This book was pretty okay. It has a plot and some decent twists. The author seems to have had trouble keeping track of character names in a few places (someone hands himself an object at one point and there’s an assault attempt where it’s not entirely clear who was actually assaulted because the name and gender of the character involved keeps getting mixed up). This is definitely more of a telling book than a showing book. The narration occasionally breaks for dialogue rather than the other way around. Nothing specifically wrong with that, it’s just not my preference in storytelling.
This book was pretty okay. It has a plot and some decent twists. The author seems to have had trouble keeping track of character names in a few places (someone hands himself an object at one point and there’s an assault attempt where it’s not entirely clear who was actually assaulted because the name and gender of the character involved keeps getting mixed up). This is definitely more of a telling book than a showing book. The narration occasionally breaks for dialogue rather than the other way around. Nothing specifically wrong with that, it’s just not my preference in storytelling.
October 2, 2014
A thoughtful political fantasy
Beastheads is an interesting blend of classic fantasy tropes (dwarves, elves, gnomes), steampunk, and a lot invented by the author himself. Ancient magic comes to life in a carefully thought out and well-handled political epic, which brings together contemporary themes and great visuals.
It's a really cool blend of old school with ideas and possibilities from science fiction: the beastheads are a race of genetically modified humans, worked into being by lost Elven life magic experimentation. Other clans of humans have the souls of different animals intertwined with their human sides.
The political intrigue set up by the author: that of a remarkable group of Gryphon Clerks playing ambassadors in the splintered lands of the clannish Beastheads, attempting to annex the territory in a peaceable manner, or at least sign a treaty of alliance. On the other side, a movement for racial purity is fomenting in the lands of Denning and the Isle of Turfrae. The unique group of clerks race to learn the beasthead ways and their trust before the political situation comes to a boil. And the group encounters no little resistance from within the beasthead people, both their clan civilians and their shamans.
The steampunk technology, the cultures of the various belief systems of the city folk or the country folk, and the international political tensions are all woven together in a fascinating way that really turns the pages for the reader once the story gets going.
The book is not without drawbacks, however. As the book opens, the reader is carried through the various origin stories of the main group of Gryphon Clerks, and how such a diverse group could indeed come together. It's full of narrative where the reader could really get involved in if drawn out into specific, detailed scenes. As they are, thick paragraphs lead to years passing. In addition, by the time we get the band together, it can be a bit confusing as to who is how old, and even who is who. The naming conventions of the world don't help this any.
The chief issue in the book, strangely enough, are the confusing names. At a glimpse, this might seem a small thing, but the names are repeated so often that they are impossible to get away from for any length of time.
The first broad group of odd names, Victory, Courageous, Glorious, and other virtues, appeared alongside other words that held a confusing double meaning, like Realmgold or Countygold. And Captain Courageous’ silly alliteration jarred heavily with the tone of the book. Though alone they aren’t horrid names, lumped together they are awkward and off-putting.
The second batch of names was the Earthist set. The confusion here came because of the Bird profusion: Bird, Tiny Bird, Bird Big Shoulders, and Redbird. Yet several dozen other bird’s names could have been used with a great deal less confusion: owl, eagle, crane, sparrow, lark, meadowlark, kingfisher, heron, and on.
Other names seemed lazy and unimaginative: beasthead, cattlehead, cathead, doghead, countygold and Realmgold. The latter two were confusing at a time, early in the book, when confusion can cause a reader to put the book down and find something else to read.
The worst name is Gryphon Clerk. The name is so wrong that the author even has to tell me 'no, the Gryphon Clerks aren't what you think.' Why not just call them something else?
There is a lot to like about this book, and the author has a great talent in keeping a nice pace, bringing some interesting characters to life, and building up well to a really great set of final scenes. Awesome Indies awards four stars for material you'd find published out of a major company, and Beastheads comes close based on its merits, but not close enough. I give it 3.5 stars, with a very green light for epic fantasy and steampunk enthusiasts who are into character-driven plotting.
I received this book free of charge from the author in return for an honest review.
Beastheads is an interesting blend of classic fantasy tropes (dwarves, elves, gnomes), steampunk, and a lot invented by the author himself. Ancient magic comes to life in a carefully thought out and well-handled political epic, which brings together contemporary themes and great visuals.
It's a really cool blend of old school with ideas and possibilities from science fiction: the beastheads are a race of genetically modified humans, worked into being by lost Elven life magic experimentation. Other clans of humans have the souls of different animals intertwined with their human sides.
The political intrigue set up by the author: that of a remarkable group of Gryphon Clerks playing ambassadors in the splintered lands of the clannish Beastheads, attempting to annex the territory in a peaceable manner, or at least sign a treaty of alliance. On the other side, a movement for racial purity is fomenting in the lands of Denning and the Isle of Turfrae. The unique group of clerks race to learn the beasthead ways and their trust before the political situation comes to a boil. And the group encounters no little resistance from within the beasthead people, both their clan civilians and their shamans.
The steampunk technology, the cultures of the various belief systems of the city folk or the country folk, and the international political tensions are all woven together in a fascinating way that really turns the pages for the reader once the story gets going.
The book is not without drawbacks, however. As the book opens, the reader is carried through the various origin stories of the main group of Gryphon Clerks, and how such a diverse group could indeed come together. It's full of narrative where the reader could really get involved in if drawn out into specific, detailed scenes. As they are, thick paragraphs lead to years passing. In addition, by the time we get the band together, it can be a bit confusing as to who is how old, and even who is who. The naming conventions of the world don't help this any.
The chief issue in the book, strangely enough, are the confusing names. At a glimpse, this might seem a small thing, but the names are repeated so often that they are impossible to get away from for any length of time.
The first broad group of odd names, Victory, Courageous, Glorious, and other virtues, appeared alongside other words that held a confusing double meaning, like Realmgold or Countygold. And Captain Courageous’ silly alliteration jarred heavily with the tone of the book. Though alone they aren’t horrid names, lumped together they are awkward and off-putting.
The second batch of names was the Earthist set. The confusion here came because of the Bird profusion: Bird, Tiny Bird, Bird Big Shoulders, and Redbird. Yet several dozen other bird’s names could have been used with a great deal less confusion: owl, eagle, crane, sparrow, lark, meadowlark, kingfisher, heron, and on.
Other names seemed lazy and unimaginative: beasthead, cattlehead, cathead, doghead, countygold and Realmgold. The latter two were confusing at a time, early in the book, when confusion can cause a reader to put the book down and find something else to read.
The worst name is Gryphon Clerk. The name is so wrong that the author even has to tell me 'no, the Gryphon Clerks aren't what you think.' Why not just call them something else?
There is a lot to like about this book, and the author has a great talent in keeping a nice pace, bringing some interesting characters to life, and building up well to a really great set of final scenes. Awesome Indies awards four stars for material you'd find published out of a major company, and Beastheads comes close based on its merits, but not close enough. I give it 3.5 stars, with a very green light for epic fantasy and steampunk enthusiasts who are into character-driven plotting.
I received this book free of charge from the author in return for an honest review.
April 9, 2015
I liked this story enough that I felt vaguely disappointed when it was over. The characters and story line are certainly intriguing.
There were times that it felt like too much time was being spent on background and/or world building, which made the story drag a little. I also had difficulty with imagining the "beastheads" even with the descriptions.
If you like fantasy with a bit of a political twist, you'll probably like this story.
There were times that it felt like too much time was being spent on background and/or world building, which made the story drag a little. I also had difficulty with imagining the "beastheads" even with the descriptions.
If you like fantasy with a bit of a political twist, you'll probably like this story.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews