Necromancer

by Graeme Ing

A primeval fiend is loose in the ancient metropolis of Malkandrah, intent on burning it to a wasteland. The city's leaders stand idly by and the sorcerers that once protected the people are long gone.

Maldren, a young necromancer, is the only person brave enough to stand against the creature. Instead of help from the Masters of his Guild, he is given a new apprentice. Why now, and why a girl? As they unravel the clues to defeating the fiend, they discover a secret society holding the future of the city in its grip. After betrayals and attempts on his life, Maldren has reason to suspect everyone he thought a friend, even the girl.

His last hope lies in an alliance with a depraved and murderous ghost, but how can he trust it? Its sinister past is intertwined in the lives of everyone he holds dear.

Can only evil defeat evil?

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia, Horror, Magic, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction

323 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 9, 2014

About the author

Graeme is a writer of speculative fiction. He probably won't fall into existing pigeonholes, but hang around and you'll get to read tales of fantasy, science-fiction, paranormal, cyberpunk, steampunk and who knows what.

Born in England, Graeme now lives in San Diego, California. His career as a software engineer and development manager spans 30 years, including the development of a dozen computer games for consoles, home computers and online. Graeme is also an avid armchair mountaineer, astronomer, mapmaker, pilot and general geek. He and his wife, Tamara, share their house with six crazy cats.

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Avid Reviews: www.avidfantasyreviews.wordpress.com

In Necromancer author Graeme Ing captures the reader’s attention from the very first chapter. The novel begins in the chaos of a battle with the undead, and the plot manages to stay consistently fast paced and action packed throughout the rest of the story. Though I did not find the protagonist to be an exceedingly sympathetic character, it is the monsters that Maldren faces that make Necromancer truly memorable and captivating. It is refreshing to see an author start with common fantasy/horror elements like necromancers, wights, and walking corpses, and use this theme to create original and imaginatively chilling creatures. The horrors that Maldren faces are diverse, and only grow more grisly and disturbingly imaginative as the plot progresses.

Ing takes a “show not tell” approach to world building that slowly reveals its intricacies to the reader. I tend to enjoy this method of world building as it allows the story to keep its quick pacing and avoids the dreaded information dump in which the plot is halted while the setting and particulars of a culture are described. There are some readers that would rather have everything explained up front, and may feel disoriented by a world that is not immediately described in detail. Luckily, I really enjoyed how the glimpses Ing showed of the workings of Maldren’s world became a mystery that made me more engaged in the story. I found myself wanting to know more about religious beliefs, the city’s many guilds, and the nature of Ing’s magic system.

I was also impressed by Ing’s character development throughout the story. At the beginning of the novel Maldren could often be arrogant, but he grows into a more likeable protagonist by the story’s end. I also really enjoyed the Ing’s balance of Maldren’s personality with that of his young apprentice Ayla. Though Ayla is also flawed in some ways, she is overall a sympathetic character and I really enjoyed the rapport between her and Maldren.

I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone that likes fantasy filled with dark imaginative creatures, a little mystery, and a lot of adventure. Necromancer is an entertaining and fun read that the reader will find hard to put down. It is packed full of action and innovative world, and plenty of awesome magic. Ing’s novel is definitely my favorite portrayal of necromancers to date, and I will certainly be reading more of his work in the future.

My rating: 7/10

Thank you to Fire and Ice Book Tours and the author for giving me a copy for review and allowing me to be a part of Necromancer’s book tour!

[megHan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won't lie - this is another one of those "Wow what a cover!" moments. I read the email, saw the cover, read the first few lines of the description ... and went on to take care of some other things, leaving the email in my inbox for a couple of hours. I could not get the cover out of my mind.

Having caught my attention in such a big way, I decided to give it a try. And I'm glad I did.

This story had me from the beginning - interesting, different and mysterious, with a fun adventure, a captivating mystery, and two quirky main characters who I really enjoyed reading about. The author did a great job with his descriptions and the book was well written. Even though it is listed as a dark fantasy and horror - and there are some dark parts - I like that the story didn't feel heavy.

The main character, Maldren, is my favorite. I don't know why, but he kind of reminds me of an old PI from the 30s and 40s. Maybe it was his smart-allick attitude. Not sure. But definitely an enjoyable read.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. No other consideration was offered, expected or received.

[Brittany McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Necromancer is written by Graeme Ing and features a man by the name of Maldren, who is from the detested guild of necromancers. He proudly wears his robes and valiantly works to save the people from things they don’t even know exist. In his attempt to obtain the title of Master from his guild, he is given an apprentice to train. This apprentice happens to be a girl, which is rare in a mainly male field of work.

Necromancer hits the ground running, and although it is action-packed, Graeme introduces many new elements in a world of his creation. He has a different religious structure and throws around different names in curses (such as Kristach) that have no bearing on a new reader. A prologue would be a welcome addition to give the reader a frame of reference and some background information.

When an unknown terror threatens people's lives in his city, Maldren must go deep into the underground below the city to try to find the source. It seems left up to him to fight this darkness with a young apprentice by his side.

Graeme did a superb job of creating monstrous terrors of the dark. These creatures were very imaginative and worked as great extensions of the villainous element of the book. The created world of Necromancer is a pleasure to visit, and the suspense and secrets make for an enjoyable read.

I enjoyed getting to know Maldren and his apprentice, Ayla. Ayla was spunky and brave and a great woman-empowering character. Out of everyone in the book, I would have to say that I was most intrigued by the character of Pyxia and wished there was more of her in the novel.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars. It was definitely an entertaining story, and I loved getting to know each character and element of the story. My main complaint is the lack of explanation for basic elements that make up the story that could give the leader a better background of the information. I feel that the religious makeup could be more effective. Usually, a slight explanation of the religion behind the story and where someone stands is an additional way to understand a character’s motives and way of thinking as they go about their journey from both the hero and the villain aspects. If you enjoy fantasy, paranormal, dark fantasy, fiction, woman-empowering, mystery, suspense, horror, or thrillers, you will definitely enjoy this book.

[T.B. Markinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun ride! This dark fantasy kept me on the edge of my seat. It’s full of action, twists and turns, and great characters, good, bad, and in between. Highly recommended.

[L.K. Evans]

I REALLY LIKED IT

Okay, so I might be a bit more into this because I just came off a really heavy read—you know, the kind that follows you around for days—and I was in need of something light. I saw an advertisement for this book and decided to pick it up. It was short, and hey, who doesn’t love a little magic and dead things? I honestly had no expectations. Matter of fact, I already had it in my head that I wasn’t going to love it. After all, the world didn’t seem (based on the cover) to be set in a truly medieval type setting. And while I did not end up loving it, I found myself really enjoying it.

I read somewhere that it was a darker book, but I’d have to disagree a bit. I’ve read Prince of Thorns, and let me tell you, that was a dark book. This did have a lot of deaths, but it wasn’t so horrible that you had to put it down and a take a breather. There was a light humor to the book that made those scenes less dark. That’s not to say some stuff wasn’t messed up. For me, the deaths weren’t... intimate enough to be dark, if that makes any sense.

I’ve been wanting a book that was focused on necromancy, which is why I picked this up in the first place. In the beginning, I really thought I had found it. Some of the spells were wickedly fun—calling forth all the bugs of the dead so they rise up, inhabiting a skeleton—but others fell terribly short. I wish the main battle at the end had more spells and elaborated on the ability of necromancers. I wish our main character's talents had grown, maybe branched out to new spells. Simply said, I just wanted more necromancy stuff.

Another fun thing about the book was the sheer number of things that happened and that our main character had to battle. It boiled down to be just a fun read—fast and entertaining.

The world wasn’t completely mundane, or I should say the city. They never left it, but it had so many places that it sure felt like they did. Graveyards, sewers, weird tunnel systems, gondola type devices, and the guilds. Political or religious factions were barely touched upon and the story was more focused on our main character (this is a 1st person PoV) and his struggles. So while the city was great, there wasn’t enough of an overall world picture for me to comment.

Now, the characters were just fine. Nothing that captivated, but nothing that turned me completely away. I will say that our main character, Maldren, is slightly sexist. He kinda teeter-totters on that character flaw throughout the book—and it is something that Maldren calls to attention himself, albeit in a round about way. However, if he would have come around a bit more, I would have liked him better. Comments like the following soured the read for me: “Promise a woman a proper bed and take her shopping for new clothes, and life becomes easier all around.” Not only is this an annoying statement, but the girl in reference is painted as one who doesn’t care if she gets dirty and seems uninterested in stuff like shopping or fancy meals. So it kinda undermined the female character. If the story wasn’t moving so quickly, I probably would have been completely put off. Or if I hadn’t been coming off a heavy read where my mind needed a break, I might have noticed more that I surely missed.

As you might have guessed from the previous paragraph, the female character starts off rather strong. She doesn’t mind getting dirty and seems quite adventurous. Though I think her independence did wane a bit towards the end, she never stopped fighting. If she could, she helped.

So overall, for me, this was simply fun. Nothing moving, sage, or thought provoking about it. Just fun.

You can see this and other reviews on my website: http://booksbylkevans.com

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the Author in exchange for an unbiased review. Read more of my reviews on my new blog!

Now, onto the good stuff! Before you read any further, I need you to scroll back up and take a look at the cover of this book. Go ahead, go look at it. Did you look? This is probably one of my favorite book covers. It is not only beautiful, but really kind of sums up the book well. It gives the reader a great image of Maldren in his robes (he was never really described so it was nice to have a good visual) and Ayla.I really can’t say it enough – I love this cover.

This book is very unique. As a reader of fantasy books, it is rare to stumble upon a good book with a Necromancer protagonist. Maldren’s wold is well crafted and interesting – the spells, the different creatures he encountered and the inner workings of the Guild were all entertaining to read about.

Do you ever find yourself wishing a book character was real? I found myself wishing that Maldren and I were friends so that I could meet him for a beer. He really was an easy character to like and relate to. His inner dialogue kept me interested and entertained throughout the book. His relationship with Ayla, his young apprentice, was refreshing as well. It wasn’t a typical romance. Neither character seemed instantly attracted and this was certainly not a case of insta-love. The characters developed as people over the course of the book and their feelings seemed to develop with them. It was a natural progression and very well written. I even found myself invested in the secondary characters. I would love to learn more about Maldren’s mother and his family history. I especially loved his nose-picking mentor, Kolta.

The only part of this book that was difficult for me at first, was that Graeme Ing took more of a show, not tell, approach to world building. As someone used to everything being explained, it was a a little strange to get used to. While I did appreciate that the author didn’t waste pages explaining every little detail, I kind of wish that the spells had been explained a bit more. I feel like Maldren explaining them in the context of teaching Ayla would have been fun to read.

My Takeaway: Graeme Ing brings to life a captivating and unique world that I would love to read more about. Although the book appears to have been written as a stand-alone, I really hope that the author brings back Ayla and Maldren in a sequel (hint hint).

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've said for a long time that I don't like "dark" fantasy, but I'm in the middle of re-reading the Abhorsen series, so that doesn't really hold up. Accordingly, when I saw this on the Fussy Librarian, I thought I'd give it a go.

As a result, I figured out that what I don't like isn't so much dark as grimdark. It's not necessarily the death and destruction (though I don't go looking for it), but the nihilism and the lack of heroes. In this book, heroes are not lacking, and accordingly I enjoyed it.

I thought at first that it was going to make my "well-edited" shelf, but did notice a number of issues as I read further. The nature of the issues suggests to me that the manuscript had a great many more, and that a very good copy editor had caught most but, inevitably, not all of them. (For example, "millenia" as the singular, "Magi" as the singular, "bracken water" for "brackish water" twice, "poo-pooing" instead of "pooh-poohing", and one "your" for "you're".) For the most part, though, it now reads smoothly and well.

As I mentioned, there's an unequivocal hero, the protagonist, narrator and title character. He uses his necromantic powers for good, in the service and defence of the city he loves. It's a sword-and-sorcery world, but the story, I realised partway through, is detective noir. The hero gets beaten up and knocked out a lot, is susceptible to getting caught up with untrustworthy dames, and can't hold back from sassing powerful men who don't respond well to being sassed.

Speaking of the setting, I do question the decision to have a lot of unfamiliar animals, plants, foods, drinks and so forth with made-up names, rather than using Earth names. I know it's more "realistic" worldbuilding, but it doesn't convey a clear impression to the reader of what these incidental things are like when they're called by an unfamiliar name. One of the drinks is also called something very similar to one of the characters (the hero's apprentice), and that was also confusing each time it was mentioned.

It does feel like a rich and well-thought-through world, though, and I'd definitely read another book set there, or other books by the author in general. The plot made sense and moved at a good pace, the characters were likeable and relatable, the mystery was well handled, and apart from the issues already mentioned the writing and worldbuilding worked well.

[Catherine Stine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been getting more into dark fantasy and was quite curious about the particulars of a necromancer's world. In reading Necromancer, I feel as if I've taken a college course in dark beings and all things undead without feeling schooled. Rather I was purely entertained and on the edge of my seat.

The city of Malkandrah was expertly portrayed and painted in rich, earthy colors. I found myself as compelled by the setting as I was by the characters, though I became very fond of Maldren as I read on. His mother had been a powerful necromancer, who he'd had some misunderstandings with that were never resolved, since she passed on. And Maldren was plagued with an inexperienced apprentice that he never asked for. Nevermind that Ayla was young, beautiful and brave. Maldren had his heart set on an older woman, Phixia, who was out of his league and out of reach. His pain of not being able to get any respect as a necromancer was visceral, since the superstitious townsfolk all too easily blamed death and destruction on the necromancers and their guild.

The town was besieged by terrifying, supernatural fires. The big question? Would Maldren be up to the task of figuring out who or what was causing the fires, and more importantly, why? You'll have to read to find out.

Ing is a masterful writer, who really understands wordlbuilding and character development. Oh, and there's a compelling romance blooming, plus tons of really intense action. I highly recommend Necromancer.

[Christine Rains · Rating 5 out of 5]

Necromancers are feared and viewed with contempt in Malkandrah. Yet the only person willing to stand up to the primeval monster threatening the city is a young necromancer named Maldren. With no help coming from his elders and friends, he must learn to trust the apprentice he never wanted. But even then, he begins to suspect her. Can Maldren find a way to defeat the nightmare burning his city to the ground or will he slip into one of the many webs of deceit and be consumed himself?

This incredibly well-written dark fantasy has a Lovecraftian edge. The terror it provokes is deep and beyond understanding, and the hero himself is part of that darkness. Yet there is a bright ray of hope in Maldren's honor and heart. The reader clings to it in the chill of the night when who-knows-what is crawling around.

Maldren is brave and stubborn, and while he wears the black robes, his heart is pure. Ayla is his eager young apprentice and a fascinating little ball of mysteries herself. Each character has layers of secrets that unravel in the most unexpected ways. Great characterization is paired with a twisted plot and delectable details. Beautiful and horrific. There's a touch romance to raise the stakes even further.

I highly recommend NECROMANCER to lovers of dark fantasy.

[Katherine Dell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Necromancer by Graeme Ing

Dark Fantasy is not my usual genre of choice, but I’m so glad I took the chance on this book!
Where do I start …

The main characters, Maldren (love the name) and Ayla, aren’t your ‘A’ typical heroes. Maldren, is a bit of a buck the tides, head strong, Necromancer. He has ambitions for promotion in his guild, but keeps getting passed over. For those of you who don’t know what a Necromancer is, it ‘s – in general, a magic practiced by a witch or sorcerer. This magic centers on being able to communicate and/or conjure magic in regards to the dead.

Ayla, is Maldren’s new apprentice. She’s young, from a rich family, inexperienced … everything that gets on Maldren’s “got-to-go” list. But – things change, the story develops, and you can’t help falling in love with both these characters.

Each scene is vividly written, taking the reader there; to the battles, to the sewers, and back to places a little less rough around the edges. Many times when reading this book, I found myself glancing back at the cover. Graeme Ing couldn’t have picked a better image for this story!

I give this book a 4 out 5! And would recommend it to any fantasy loving reader.

[T.F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a massive fan of dark fantasy stories, especially if they involve necromancers, and Graeme Ing delivers that and more. Necromancer is a gritty, action-packed story about Maldren and his brave attempt to save the city of Malkandrah from a terrifying monster. If that isn’t difficult enough, no one in the city seems to like necromancers or want to help him, but they’re nice enough (cough) to offer him Ayla, an apprentice to help him tackle the growing danger in the city. I completely adored Ayla and her feisty personality. She’s a perfect match for Maldren as he attempts to unravel the mystery of who’s trying to kill him while dealing with a horrendous beast.

The rich tapestry of characters and layers of sub-plots in this story made it a superb read. The fight scenes with the undead were fantastic, and I loved watching Maldren and Ayla grow closer. It took Ayla being thrown into grave peril for Maldren’s feelings toward her to start changing, but I won't give away too much more. I’d highly recommend Necromancer to all dark fantasy and fantasy readers. Graeme Ing an author to watch. Now to dive into his next novel.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up and couldn't read it fast enough it's that good! If you have things that need to be done make sure you do them first because every moment away from the conclusion of this story is torturous as all you want to do will be find out what happens!

The story line is simply amazing in all it's dizzying twists and turns as you wait with held breath to find out who the bad guys are and who will stand forward to be counted among the good. At every step of the way you think you have the plot fixed in stone then something else twists into the picture and you're left on yet more tenterhooks. The characters beg to be either loved or hated with a depth that catches you totally unawares and the frustrations when plans are thwarted resound in the readers imagination.

I heartily recommend this book for mid teens upwards.

I was given an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

[Cathrina Constantine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read hundreds of books, but I believe it's my first bout with a Necromancer. And I was hooked by the first sentence: 'The stench of undead in the street was palpable.' The author, Graeme Ing appears to be quite the expert at writing dark fantasy, which captivated me with each swipe of the page.

The action sequences where the young Necromancer, Maldren battles unmentionable beings that inhabit the earth are fascinating, grisly, and spellbinding. Mr. Ing writes with such passion I could almost smell the stench and feel the fiery flames. I loved the main character, Maldren, who is strong, stubborn, harsh, and underneath it all, has a soft heart. He fights and casts spells to save people from evil, even though the people dislike Necromancers, and show it often.

There are many twists and turns and a sprinkling of romance. If you like dark fantasy, you'll love Necromancer!!!

[Raymond Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll admit I haven't read a lot of fantasy books besides Tolkien and GRRM, so I was pleasantly surprised by this offering being my first e-book as well. I found the world of Malkandrah well-crafted and the story well-paced and edited. While there wasn't an in-depth history which could bog down some books, I did like the smatterings of phrases and words like 'Lak and all his demons', 'Kristach' and 'Belaya' which lent a deeper untapped history of the pantheons and religiousity of the world. I also liked the spell-names which gave the reader a sense of reality to the magical structure rather than magic being dispensed at whim. Having read the book my main quibble concerned the disappearance of the character Hallum who started but didn't figure much more in the book. But all in all this is a very enjoyable read and I would recommend it to you!

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely recommend reading this book if you love fantasy! Very great emotionally fired characters. You don't often read about a good necromancer, it was refreshing. In the beginning the main character, Malden, is a little socially rough around the edges but throughout the book you start to see his more personable side that he doesn't show too many people. I loved the developing love in this book between two characters who are different but the same on some levels, it was interesting to see them butt heads at first even though you knew there was a spark between them. I loved this book and I really recommend you read it.

[L.X. Cain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a thrilling and imaginative Dark Fantasy filled with monsters, black magic, and a hero who’s witty and courageous.

Life is hard when you’re a Necromancer and the townspeople you’re sworn to protect don’t like or trust you. Maldren is used to being unappreciated but not used to being the sole member of his guild fighting to protect his city—and his beloved—from attacks by deadly horrors. Someone within his own guild is wielding evil and Maldren must find out who it is and stop them before it’s too late.

A very well-written, entertaining, and fast-paced read. Very highly recommended! Get this book NOW!

[Leo Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book that I have read by this author and in each one he builds a magnificent world that I get the pleasure of traipsing around in with his characters. I particularly like the main character in this book, Maldren. You'd think that it would be a downer to hang with a guy who is preoccupied with the dead, but this isn't so. This is a great read and somehow Mr. Ing is turning me into a fantasy fan.

[Angela Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The evil of my evil is my friend...

I am thoroughly impressed with this novel. The dark nature of the fantasy, the moments that tugged at my heart, the way I truly grew to adore this Necromancer and his apprentice.

Graeme Ing has penned a story that could and should rival fantasy classics. Necromancer can stand the test of time, deservedly so. I can't wait to see what else Ing has penned so I can sink my reading teeth into it.

[Alisa Gillis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a lot longer to finish this book than I would have liked. It a very well written book, the descriptions are great!! It is a very vivid, and unique world that Mr. Ing has created. I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.

[Doris Vandruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read that take you to new realms. Magical beings are suppised to be protecting the city. However events prove that some thing or some one us trying to cause chaos throughout. a great read hold your interest and the characters are phenomenal.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's incredibly refreshing to read about a hero who doesn't have it all figured it out. This book might belong in the fantasy genre, but the characters' both internal and external struggles in it are more real and human than what can be found in most fiction works these days.

[Bobby Treat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, new take on magic

I loved the slow, sometimes halting but all the more realistic development of Maldren’s relationship with Ayla. Necromancy is new and vibrant in Ing’s capable hands, and the action never lags - without being gratuitous or gimmicky. Very well done.

[Tobias Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story

Very good variation on the usual fantasy tropes.

Would recommend, I'd love to see more stories set in this world.