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The Barbed Coil
When Izgard of Garizon put on the Coil and crowned himself King, he set in train a course of tumultuous events that would reverberate around the continent. For the Coil must have blood. And the first blood to flow is that of Berick of Thorn, the legendary conqueror of Garizon. His son, Camron, wants revenge and knows that Izgard can only be stopped by force of arms. He seeks out the man who knows most about Izgard's murderous hordes - Lord Ravis, a ruthless mercenary with a dark and secret past. And Tessa McCamfrey is about to become caught up in this dangerous and exotic world - with the piratical Ravis, a beautifully patterned gold ring and a role to play in the momentous events that unfold.
667 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
47 people are currently reading
1409 people want to read
About the author
J.V. Jones
29 books866 followersJulie Victoria Jones was born in Liverpool, England. She has been writing for years, and is currently working The End Lords. She lives in San Diego, California.
All three books in The Book Of Words Trilogy are #1 national bestsellers, and have been bought for publication in England, Poland, Russia, Germany, France and Holland. Her fifth book, A Cavern of Black Ice, is the first in a new series.
J.V. enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, playing RPG's, watching old black-and-white movies, and pottering around the house!
All three books in The Book Of Words Trilogy are #1 national bestsellers, and have been bought for publication in England, Poland, Russia, Germany, France and Holland. Her fifth book, A Cavern of Black Ice, is the first in a new series.
J.V. enjoys cooking, gardening, reading, playing RPG's, watching old black-and-white movies, and pottering around the house!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
November 10, 2017
This is a really great example of a fantasy standalone. The characters are fundamentally changed by the events in the novel, and the book does not outstay its welcome by trying to stretch out what is a rather basic storyline into more than one novel. JV Jones is one of the under-appreciated authors of the fantasy genre, I feel. She has a deft touch with characterisation, and at times a really stunning turn of phrase. She builds a sense of place and builds a world with subtle touches and beautiful descriptions.
As I said, the story was a little thin and the ending wrapped up rather too quickly for my liking, but I was overall very impressed by what was on display here. I'm super glad that Jones is writing again, and am looking forward to picking up her other works.
As I said, the story was a little thin and the ending wrapped up rather too quickly for my liking, but I was overall very impressed by what was on display here. I'm super glad that Jones is writing again, and am looking forward to picking up her other works.
July 13, 2019
I came across this little-known story at a library book sale. I would have passed it by except for the cover. A young woman was pointing a metal rod at something while a man was fighting off a nasty creature. It was the guy’s anxious, suffering face watching the woman that caused me to open the book and read the prologue.
~~~~~
The World of the Barbed Coil was comprised of several countries. The citizens had been without a king for over 50 years. There was an important reason for that. The setting took place in an alternate reality with a medieval vibe and gritty overtones. Nothing was pretty here. The smells, insects and dominant masculine insinuations whispered through the pages. For the most part, women were chattel.
And, surprisingly, I enjoyed this fantastical adventure.
Our heroine, Tessa McCamfrey, was from present-day California. At the age of 26, she suffered from tinnitus. It ruled her life. I never thought of this as a time travel story but call it kismet, karma or fate when circumstances pulled Tessa to a different crossroad. A harsh existence. A hierarchy with a truly awful would-be king.
Lord Ravis of Burano was none other than a mercenary. For the right price, you could buy his ‘services’. He came upon Tessa in an unfortunate circumstance and saved her before anything awful could happen. Their first impressions were cautious but I expected them to stick together.
The Barbed Coil was an interesting adventure with well-developed characters. I was on page 107 when a thought popped up: I didn’t want this story to end. The narrative was over 600 pages and some form of violence lashed out in most chapters but the characters with their secretive plot drew me in. Literally.
The result of this twist was a creditable quest with doses of magic. The medieval ambience was a vivid, tangible background. The various scenes were almost overwhelming at times; I felt I was there smelling, seeing, and feeling all the darkness, light, and nature.
I read The Barbed Coil slowly and skimmed over some of the battles; the graphic vehemence wore me down. I looked forward when Tessa and Ravis were together. I was endeared with Emith and his mother, empathized with the innocently sweet Angeline and her no-good dog, Snowy, and despised Izgard. All the secondary characters including the long-suffering Camron served a purpose. Though I am giving it four stars, if you enjoy this genre I recommend Ms. Jone’s intense action-packed stand-alone.
P.S. It is available on Open Library.
~~~~~
The World of the Barbed Coil was comprised of several countries. The citizens had been without a king for over 50 years. There was an important reason for that. The setting took place in an alternate reality with a medieval vibe and gritty overtones. Nothing was pretty here. The smells, insects and dominant masculine insinuations whispered through the pages. For the most part, women were chattel.
And, surprisingly, I enjoyed this fantastical adventure.
Our heroine, Tessa McCamfrey, was from present-day California. At the age of 26, she suffered from tinnitus. It ruled her life. I never thought of this as a time travel story but call it kismet, karma or fate when circumstances pulled Tessa to a different crossroad. A harsh existence. A hierarchy with a truly awful would-be king.
Lord Ravis of Burano was none other than a mercenary. For the right price, you could buy his ‘services’. He came upon Tessa in an unfortunate circumstance and saved her before anything awful could happen. Their first impressions were cautious but I expected them to stick together.
The Barbed Coil was an interesting adventure with well-developed characters. I was on page 107 when a thought popped up: I didn’t want this story to end. The narrative was over 600 pages and some form of violence lashed out in most chapters but the characters with their secretive plot drew me in. Literally.
The result of this twist was a creditable quest with doses of magic. The medieval ambience was a vivid, tangible background. The various scenes were almost overwhelming at times; I felt I was there smelling, seeing, and feeling all the darkness, light, and nature.
I read The Barbed Coil slowly and skimmed over some of the battles; the graphic vehemence wore me down. I looked forward when Tessa and Ravis were together. I was endeared with Emith and his mother, empathized with the innocently sweet Angeline and her no-good dog, Snowy, and despised Izgard. All the secondary characters including the long-suffering Camron served a purpose. Though I am giving it four stars, if you enjoy this genre I recommend Ms. Jone’s intense action-packed stand-alone.
P.S. It is available on Open Library.
May 21, 2020
This is probably a 3 or 3.5 book, but nostalgia is kicking it up to 4. Review soon!
July 3, 2008
My favorite fantasy book. Has more war in it than I typically like, but I thought the characters were very well-developed, and the crossover fantasy bit was wonderful. Not too much emphasis on our world. The antagonist was just crazy enough to be believable without being ridiculous, and I loved the way he was eventually defeated. The best bit was the way magic was handled, because it was completely different from anything I'd ever read before.
October 11, 2018
It's been a few years since I last read The Barbed Coil. The landscape of the fantasy genre has altered massively since then, steering decisively towards grimdark tones, and demanding greater levels of inclusion, representation, and diversity, both in characterisation and in world-building. The Barbed Coil was first published back in 1997, and it really was a different age (it wasn't quite all fields round here back then, but it wasn't far off...).
First: it's a portal fantasy. You are probably cringing away already, but don't. Portal fantasies were still reasonably fashionable, and it would be fair to say that writers like Foz Meadows and Seanan Maguire have helped bring them back again in the last few years. Our protagonist, Tessa McCamfrey (is that a sly nod to Anne McCaffrey there? Maybe?) is drawn to a strange new world by means of a bait, an ephemera that hooks into her and won't let go. Now she must navigate a dangerous world, and find out why she was summoned.
Second: it's nearly medieval Europe, but not quite. There are knights, monks, scribes, infidels, and hints of a renaissance buried deep under the Barbed Coil's demand for bloodshed. But look deeper under the surface - all of the main characters are vulnerable, in one form or another. They all struggle with disabilities. Until now Tessa has been severely impacted by tinnitus; Izgard has no sense of taste. Scribe's assistant Emith, although it is never clearly stated, appears to have autistic traits. Angeline, Izgard's trophy wife, might have been no more than an airhead in less capable hands, but Jones brings her to life in every chapter with such skill that her eventual bravery becomes even more realistic.
The separation of the characters stands out on a re-read - Izgard and his pet scribe Ederius never actually physically encounter any of the good guys, and only at the very end does Angeline's arc dovetail with Tessa's. While Ravis and Camron fight more physical battles against the harras Izgard sends against them, it's up to Tessa, almost alone, to learn magic and the history of the Coil. This separation juxtaposes sudden grim violence against vivid details and descriptions of paints and illuminations.
When those two collide – in Ederius’s chapters, for example, as he transforms the harras that are sent to attack Thorn and Castle Bess – The Barbed Coil really comes into its own. The magic Jones employs is astoundingly written, wonderfully researched and realised. It throws lesser magic systems into a cocked hat. The power of Jones’s writing will drive you to read these parts again and again.
For a standalone novel to achieve this, to tell a story and know when to leave the stage – that’s the icing on the cake. There’s no heavy series investment here, but you’ll wish there was when you hit the last chapters. Jones is as much a magician as Ederius, Ilfaylen, and Tessa, and The Barbed Coil, twenty years on, remains a true work of art.
First: it's a portal fantasy. You are probably cringing away already, but don't. Portal fantasies were still reasonably fashionable, and it would be fair to say that writers like Foz Meadows and Seanan Maguire have helped bring them back again in the last few years. Our protagonist, Tessa McCamfrey (is that a sly nod to Anne McCaffrey there? Maybe?) is drawn to a strange new world by means of a bait, an ephemera that hooks into her and won't let go. Now she must navigate a dangerous world, and find out why she was summoned.
Second: it's nearly medieval Europe, but not quite. There are knights, monks, scribes, infidels, and hints of a renaissance buried deep under the Barbed Coil's demand for bloodshed. But look deeper under the surface - all of the main characters are vulnerable, in one form or another. They all struggle with disabilities. Until now Tessa has been severely impacted by tinnitus; Izgard has no sense of taste. Scribe's assistant Emith, although it is never clearly stated, appears to have autistic traits. Angeline, Izgard's trophy wife, might have been no more than an airhead in less capable hands, but Jones brings her to life in every chapter with such skill that her eventual bravery becomes even more realistic.
The separation of the characters stands out on a re-read - Izgard and his pet scribe Ederius never actually physically encounter any of the good guys, and only at the very end does Angeline's arc dovetail with Tessa's. While Ravis and Camron fight more physical battles against the harras Izgard sends against them, it's up to Tessa, almost alone, to learn magic and the history of the Coil. This separation juxtaposes sudden grim violence against vivid details and descriptions of paints and illuminations.
When those two collide – in Ederius’s chapters, for example, as he transforms the harras that are sent to attack Thorn and Castle Bess – The Barbed Coil really comes into its own. The magic Jones employs is astoundingly written, wonderfully researched and realised. It throws lesser magic systems into a cocked hat. The power of Jones’s writing will drive you to read these parts again and again.
For a standalone novel to achieve this, to tell a story and know when to leave the stage – that’s the icing on the cake. There’s no heavy series investment here, but you’ll wish there was when you hit the last chapters. Jones is as much a magician as Ederius, Ilfaylen, and Tessa, and The Barbed Coil, twenty years on, remains a true work of art.
April 28, 2012
I'm not one that easily gives four and five star reviews, but this book definitely deserves it. The writing is excellent, and even though there are a lot of descriptive parts in the book, it's not boring, tedious, or too wordy, which are pet peeves of mine with heavy description. The story itself flows well, and the characters are very well developed and deepened throughout the book, keeping the reader not only interested in the story but the players as well. What I'm most impressed with is the fact that the author manages to juggle many converging story arcs without getting tangled up or leaving lose ends, which really makes this novel stand out. I've read this book a handful of times over the years and I keep coming back to it for these reasons.
The fact this this is a complete, stand alone fantasy novel is just icing on the cake. I've found it quite hard to find single books that don't fall flat or fall into the 'easy read' category. This is a book that keeps your attention, and keeps you guessing as well. This book's story is like a long thread that you pull forth little by little, totally engrossed with the section you are looking at right in the moment. It holds your attention so fully that you don't have time to think about what will happen next - you just turn the page and are drawn forward into the next section with nary a bump in the road. If you haven't read this book - go pick it up now. You won't regret in the least!
The fact this this is a complete, stand alone fantasy novel is just icing on the cake. I've found it quite hard to find single books that don't fall flat or fall into the 'easy read' category. This is a book that keeps your attention, and keeps you guessing as well. This book's story is like a long thread that you pull forth little by little, totally engrossed with the section you are looking at right in the moment. It holds your attention so fully that you don't have time to think about what will happen next - you just turn the page and are drawn forward into the next section with nary a bump in the road. If you haven't read this book - go pick it up now. You won't regret in the least!
December 8, 2016
Disappointed in this book...I absolutely love J.V. Jones' Cavern of Black Ice series, but this book was so cheesy, and the main character was infuriating. And if I had to read another line where Ravis chewed on his lip scar, I was going to scream. The only reason I'm giving it two stars is because Jones can write a world into existence like very few other authors can. The characters were the downfall, here.
July 10, 2008
Someone recommended J.V. Jones... who was that? I liked this book. I also liked that it was a stand-alone so I didn't have to read the next 8 books in a series or whatever. (Actually, I'm not against that, but I wasn't in the mood this time.) This fantasy novel had a refreshing modern element to it.
March 29, 2024
**** 4.3 STARS ****
An excellent stand-alone portal fantasy with a great cast of characters.
I thought the story in The Barbed Coil was excellent. The world felt very fleshed-out. I'm surprised J V Jones didn't expand this into a trilogy. There's so much going on, especially with the lore and the back-story. And the magic felt very unique. The world kinda give me a little Dark Souls feeling at times; if Dark Souls felt lived in, by living people... maybe not so much, but I got that vibe anyway whilst reading. At times the book also felt pretty brutal and I liked that J V Jones didn't hold back at times.
I love me a portal fantasy. I've always been a big fan of the 'fish out of water' set-up. I doesn't matter the genre or scenario that this is in, it's always a great way to follow a character into unknown surroundings whilst world-events are happening around them. Shogun and Michael Palin travel documentaries come to mind.
I did have one issue with The Barbed Coil. With the book being a portal fantasy in the vein of Thomas Covenant, I wanted to feel the reaction of Tessa being flung into this alternate world. Unfortunately, the reaction just wasn't there at all, unlike Thomas Covenant. It should have been a big part of the story early on. Fortunately, the rest of the book was pretty great.
I really look forward to reading more J V Jones books.
An excellent stand-alone portal fantasy with a great cast of characters.
I thought the story in The Barbed Coil was excellent. The world felt very fleshed-out. I'm surprised J V Jones didn't expand this into a trilogy. There's so much going on, especially with the lore and the back-story. And the magic felt very unique. The world kinda give me a little Dark Souls feeling at times; if Dark Souls felt lived in, by living people... maybe not so much, but I got that vibe anyway whilst reading. At times the book also felt pretty brutal and I liked that J V Jones didn't hold back at times.
I love me a portal fantasy. I've always been a big fan of the 'fish out of water' set-up. I doesn't matter the genre or scenario that this is in, it's always a great way to follow a character into unknown surroundings whilst world-events are happening around them. Shogun and Michael Palin travel documentaries come to mind.
I did have one issue with The Barbed Coil. With the book being a portal fantasy in the vein of Thomas Covenant, I wanted to feel the reaction of Tessa being flung into this alternate world. Unfortunately, the reaction just wasn't there at all, unlike Thomas Covenant. It should have been a big part of the story early on. Fortunately, the rest of the book was pretty great.
I really look forward to reading more J V Jones books.
May 11, 2022
JV Jones is a sure fire winner for me. This has a unique magic system and several stand out characters. Including one no good dog.
May 26, 2016
A good book whose flaws don't stop it from being quite enjoyable.
Pros-
good, subtle romance
lots of action/excitement
interesting magic system, even if not fully explained
good writing and prose
good character development
Cons
Action feels Hollywoody / unrealistic
a few parts drag
falls at times into fantasy cliches
This is the only JV Jones Book I've read. Picked it up in a used book store because I recognized her name as someone I'd been meaning to read.
The book is generally action packed with likable main characters. There's a great sense of adventure throughout, a subtle romance plot, and a good amount of introspection where we get to know the characters and see them grow. The villains are bad and the heroes are good, though Jones does give us a splash of grey every now and then.
This book is based heavily on warfare and fighting. However, JV Jones' ideas about tactics, strategy, and combat seem like dated imaginations from someone who really doesn't know much about any of it. The pacing of battles is off, having soldiers fight and take wounds for hours, defending against all sorts of opponents but never being overwhelmed. Jones has an intense dislike for plate armor, seemingly stemming from old misconceptions about it. Her idea of what sorts of weapons soldiers might fight with is off (way too many knives in the story), and the kind of wounds soldiers take from these weapons make warfare seem all but safe (at least for the heroes). Similar patterns are seen with the monsters who are created by the villains, who can kill 10 times their number of armed men, but can't quite seem to kill the lost, young woman who's never seen combat (for a while at least - spoiler or not? ;) )
To be fair, this book was written almost 20 years ago, so the more modern, realistic ideas that we see in grimdark novels and fantasy in general these days probably weren't quite as prevalent. But as combat plays a large part in the book, I found myself not always being entirely absorbed in it, mentally scoffing too often at combat that felt like it came from Hollywood.
Still, the characters are generally quite enjoyable (I wasn't a huge fan of Angeline, but she and her no-good dog grew on me). Ravis and Tessa make great main characters, and Jones balances a healthy amount of introspection with the same amount of action, so you grow to know the characters, but never become annoyed or bored with them.
Some of the minor characters fall into fantasy cliches, but they are written with enough enthusiasm that I never really minded.
Izgard, the villain, I thought started off good, interesting and realistic. And while he didn't totally lose those qualities, he became much more like a stereotypical psychopath towards the end. There are reasons for this, but I liked him better (as a villain) when his actions and thoughts were less magic-inspired rage.
Overall, this book is enjoyable. If you aren't overly-particular about your action and its realism, then you will probably love this book. It certainly feels a bit 'fairy-tale-ish' in parts, like much fantasy does, but it does contain a fair amount of grim moments. Good values like brotherhood, love, and sacrifice are praised, and highly contrasted with the bad values of greed and complacency of the villains. The romance running throughout the book is subtle but pervasive, and really quite enjoyable.
If the above sounds appealing to you / doesn't bother you, would highly recommend.
Pros-
good, subtle romance
lots of action/excitement
interesting magic system, even if not fully explained
good writing and prose
good character development
Cons
Action feels Hollywoody / unrealistic
a few parts drag
falls at times into fantasy cliches
This is the only JV Jones Book I've read. Picked it up in a used book store because I recognized her name as someone I'd been meaning to read.
The book is generally action packed with likable main characters. There's a great sense of adventure throughout, a subtle romance plot, and a good amount of introspection where we get to know the characters and see them grow. The villains are bad and the heroes are good, though Jones does give us a splash of grey every now and then.
This book is based heavily on warfare and fighting. However, JV Jones' ideas about tactics, strategy, and combat seem like dated imaginations from someone who really doesn't know much about any of it. The pacing of battles is off, having soldiers fight and take wounds for hours, defending against all sorts of opponents but never being overwhelmed. Jones has an intense dislike for plate armor, seemingly stemming from old misconceptions about it. Her idea of what sorts of weapons soldiers might fight with is off (way too many knives in the story), and the kind of wounds soldiers take from these weapons make warfare seem all but safe (at least for the heroes). Similar patterns are seen with the monsters who are created by the villains, who can kill 10 times their number of armed men, but can't quite seem to kill the lost, young woman who's never seen combat (for a while at least - spoiler or not? ;) )
To be fair, this book was written almost 20 years ago, so the more modern, realistic ideas that we see in grimdark novels and fantasy in general these days probably weren't quite as prevalent. But as combat plays a large part in the book, I found myself not always being entirely absorbed in it, mentally scoffing too often at combat that felt like it came from Hollywood.
Still, the characters are generally quite enjoyable (I wasn't a huge fan of Angeline, but she and her no-good dog grew on me). Ravis and Tessa make great main characters, and Jones balances a healthy amount of introspection with the same amount of action, so you grow to know the characters, but never become annoyed or bored with them.
Some of the minor characters fall into fantasy cliches, but they are written with enough enthusiasm that I never really minded.
Izgard, the villain, I thought started off good, interesting and realistic. And while he didn't totally lose those qualities, he became much more like a stereotypical psychopath towards the end. There are reasons for this, but I liked him better (as a villain) when his actions and thoughts were less magic-inspired rage.
Overall, this book is enjoyable. If you aren't overly-particular about your action and its realism, then you will probably love this book. It certainly feels a bit 'fairy-tale-ish' in parts, like much fantasy does, but it does contain a fair amount of grim moments. Good values like brotherhood, love, and sacrifice are praised, and highly contrasted with the bad values of greed and complacency of the villains. The romance running throughout the book is subtle but pervasive, and really quite enjoyable.
If the above sounds appealing to you / doesn't bother you, would highly recommend.
October 9, 2017
Gosh I loved this book. I really enjoyed the characters. Emith with his awkward earnestness, Ravis' rakish sarcasm, appealing good looks yet sensitive side, Camron and his courageous need to put things right and Angeline's naive goodness. Add to that Tessa's burgeoning knowledge of her own skills and her own, finally developing character, some creepy harras, and the pitiful yet terrible Igvard and you've got yourself an intriguing, exciting story that stands alone and is satisfying in its completion.
A few things weren't perfect. The magic of the illumination was a bit clunky and hard to follow at times and there was waaaayyy too much mention of Ravis' scar and the myriad ways he could chew on it while worrying but I'll let that slide. Mostly I loved it.
A few things weren't perfect. The magic of the illumination was a bit clunky and hard to follow at times and there was waaaayyy too much mention of Ravis' scar and the myriad ways he could chew on it while worrying but I'll let that slide. Mostly I loved it.
March 26, 2018
I was really disappointed with this book. I have read J. V. Jones's book series "The Sword of Shadows", loving every page of those books, so I had high expectations with "The Barbed Coil".
To cut to the chase, I need only type "Ravis chewed on his scar", as this line recurred every two pages to indicate that Ravis was indecisive/thinking/angry/tense/scared/bloated. Again and again, Jones told the reader what to think and what was happening, rather than giving space for the reader to interpret and fully embrace the world.
There are multiple other flaws, but I'll suffice to say that I am so glad that she has grown in her writing skills and eagerly look forward to the end of "The Sword of Shadows" and other fantastical stories in the future.
To cut to the chase, I need only type "Ravis chewed on his scar", as this line recurred every two pages to indicate that Ravis was indecisive/thinking/angry/tense/scared/bloated. Again and again, Jones told the reader what to think and what was happening, rather than giving space for the reader to interpret and fully embrace the world.
There are multiple other flaws, but I'll suffice to say that I am so glad that she has grown in her writing skills and eagerly look forward to the end of "The Sword of Shadows" and other fantastical stories in the future.
April 18, 2018
The formidable warlord Izgard has crowned himself King of Garizon and donned the Barbed Coil, the symbol of Garizonian rule. As Garizon's armies muster and prepare to invade the neighbouring kingdom of Rhaize, Camron of Thorn takes it upon himself to raise a defending army. Figuring strongly in his plans is Lord Ravis, the mercenary who engineered Izgard's rise to power. No-one knows more about Izgard's plans then Ravis. But the recruitment is complicated by the arrival of a mysterious woman called Tess, who claims to be from a distant land called California...
One-volume epic fantasies are a rare beast. The building of an entire world, the development of not just multiple characters but entire cultures and empires is something that can eat up not just hundreds, but thousands of pages. Commercial factors also convince many fantasy authors to flesh out their worlds for sometimes dozens of books at a time, cashing in long after the magic of the setting has gone.
The Barbed Coil is a rarity, then. It builds up a major military conflict between several nation states, develops an original magic system (based on the idea of painting and illumination) and features an expansive cast of both "good" and "bad" guys, all of whom are painted in some depth. It's a story with quiet moments and also packed with fast-moving action and some impressive magic, all delivered with Jones's formidable skills.
The Barbed Coil was released in 1997, between her debut Book of Words trilogy and it's sort-of sequel series, The Sword of Shadows. Book of Words was decent, with a nice improvement between volumes, but a far cry from Sword of Shadows, which is one of the finest epic fantasy series of the last generation (bearing in mind it's still unfinished). The Barbed Coil is a complete standalone, set in its own world unrelated to the two big series, telling one complete story with a beginning, middle and end. And it's a good one.
The novel delves into the character of Tess, someone who finds herself drifting through life on Earth with no purpose until she is borne off to a fantastical world and discovers that she is a smaller part of a much bigger pattern that goes back before her birth. Tess's journey of discovery is traditional, but well-handled. It's a pleasant surprise that Tess is less traumatised or freaked out by her arrival on this world than relieved, as various illnesses she was suffering from on Earth have disappeared in transit (shades of Thomas Covenant here, to a much less wrought degree). Our two male protagonists, Ravis and Camron, are also well-drawn characters, neither traditional heroes but who are drawn into having to choose whether to stand against Izgard, join him or flee. We also spend significant time with Izgard, his young bride Angeline and his scribe Ederius, who form an exceptionally well-written, monstrously dysfunctional triumvirate.
One of Jones's skills is combining the best elements of high fantasy - good fellowship, a sense of humour and a genuine ability for heroism - with the darkest - war, savagery and betrayal. The Barbed Coil bears comparisons with K.J. Parker, particularly the exacting detail given to the painting and illuminating side of things and the disturbingly complex relationship between Ravis and his brother, although it's not quite as unrelentingly grim as Parker's work. Still, that's not bad company to be in.
The Barbed Coil (****) is J.V. Jones doing what she does best, building an interesting world populated by complicated people, fleshed out with an interesting take on magic. The book is available now in the US but, regrettably, is out of print in the UK (even on Kindle). Hopefully it will become available again at some point.
One-volume epic fantasies are a rare beast. The building of an entire world, the development of not just multiple characters but entire cultures and empires is something that can eat up not just hundreds, but thousands of pages. Commercial factors also convince many fantasy authors to flesh out their worlds for sometimes dozens of books at a time, cashing in long after the magic of the setting has gone.
The Barbed Coil is a rarity, then. It builds up a major military conflict between several nation states, develops an original magic system (based on the idea of painting and illumination) and features an expansive cast of both "good" and "bad" guys, all of whom are painted in some depth. It's a story with quiet moments and also packed with fast-moving action and some impressive magic, all delivered with Jones's formidable skills.
The Barbed Coil was released in 1997, between her debut Book of Words trilogy and it's sort-of sequel series, The Sword of Shadows. Book of Words was decent, with a nice improvement between volumes, but a far cry from Sword of Shadows, which is one of the finest epic fantasy series of the last generation (bearing in mind it's still unfinished). The Barbed Coil is a complete standalone, set in its own world unrelated to the two big series, telling one complete story with a beginning, middle and end. And it's a good one.
The novel delves into the character of Tess, someone who finds herself drifting through life on Earth with no purpose until she is borne off to a fantastical world and discovers that she is a smaller part of a much bigger pattern that goes back before her birth. Tess's journey of discovery is traditional, but well-handled. It's a pleasant surprise that Tess is less traumatised or freaked out by her arrival on this world than relieved, as various illnesses she was suffering from on Earth have disappeared in transit (shades of Thomas Covenant here, to a much less wrought degree). Our two male protagonists, Ravis and Camron, are also well-drawn characters, neither traditional heroes but who are drawn into having to choose whether to stand against Izgard, join him or flee. We also spend significant time with Izgard, his young bride Angeline and his scribe Ederius, who form an exceptionally well-written, monstrously dysfunctional triumvirate.
One of Jones's skills is combining the best elements of high fantasy - good fellowship, a sense of humour and a genuine ability for heroism - with the darkest - war, savagery and betrayal. The Barbed Coil bears comparisons with K.J. Parker, particularly the exacting detail given to the painting and illuminating side of things and the disturbingly complex relationship between Ravis and his brother, although it's not quite as unrelentingly grim as Parker's work. Still, that's not bad company to be in.
The Barbed Coil (****) is J.V. Jones doing what she does best, building an interesting world populated by complicated people, fleshed out with an interesting take on magic. The book is available now in the US but, regrettably, is out of print in the UK (even on Kindle). Hopefully it will become available again at some point.
August 25, 2025
I struggled mightily with The Barbed Coil. This old-school epic fantasy was all over the place for me. A woman from our world dragged into fantasyland, an illuminated-manuscript-based magic system that was equal parts interesting and unintelligible, characters and scenes that I’m really not sure added anything to the book—it all added up to One Hot Mess. And yet J.V. Jones is not a bad writer, and I quite enjoyed A Cavern of Black Ice by her. This one, though, failed to cohere until almost five hundred pages in, and it was with a whimper rather than a bang.
One of the biggest issues I had was how Tessa, the main character and Designated Person of Destiny, is magically summoned from southern California and into a classic high fantasy world in the medieval European mode. Tessa is not nearly as shocked and wrong-footed as I felt she should be, especially considering she never makes it back to her birth world and adjusts suspiciously quickly to both a lack of modern conveniences and a world full of not only magic, but war, monsters, and death. The point is made multiple times how Tessa has no real attachments in her home world, not even to her family, so maybe this is a failure of imagination on my part, but Tessa’s lack of concern struck me as utterly bizarre. She is eventually quite upset when it is revealed that she’s been magically manipulated for many years to get her here, but I expected at least as much distress at the fact that, hello, she’s in a different world with no way to get back home! This doesn’t bother me in books like the Narnia series, where all the characters are children and always go back home eventually (or, you know, die in the last one), but in a book for adults, it was wild to me that Tessa is so chill about this predicament.
And overall, the story never quite gelled as much as I expected it to. Characters like Camron and especially Angeline (oh GOD Angeline) never struck me as being vital enough to the story to justify their presence in the narrative, let alone as POV characters. There’s an entire sequence between Camron and a mysterious woman—who never shows up again, as far as I could tell—who I thought was hypnotizing him to joining the bad guys’ side, maybe? It was deeply unclear, and then it seemed to not matter at all after that scene. Just … why? I feel like this book could have been half its length and probably better for it, if only it sucked in its gut and allowed itself to be tightened up.
There were enough cool details to convince me to give it a three-star passing grade. I genuinely liked the magical illuminated manuscript idea, the research that clearly went into learning about how illuminations are created, the Mont-Saint-Michel-inspired monastery where scribes are trained. The eventual reveal of what the Barbed Coil and Tessa’s magic ring really are was clever and creative, so much so I wish I hadn’t had to slog through the previous several hundred pages to get to it. And I really enjoyed some of the secondary characters, particularly Mother Emith and her love of cooking from scratch and the care and effort it requires. This year I’ve gotten much more into cooking, especially cooking from scratch, and I have a much better understanding of the satisfaction that comes from working hard on a labor- and time-intensive recipe. I’m also extremely glad this was a standalone book, even if the ending came on too fast and furious to be truly satisfying.
This was the fourth of a quartet of old-school fantasy books given to me by a friend, and while I didn’t truly love any of them, I’m glad I took the time away from my usual fare to give them a shot. Maybe this particular style of novel just isn’t quite for me, but there’s no harm in trying something new.
One of the biggest issues I had was how Tessa, the main character and Designated Person of Destiny, is magically summoned from southern California and into a classic high fantasy world in the medieval European mode. Tessa is not nearly as shocked and wrong-footed as I felt she should be, especially considering she never makes it back to her birth world and adjusts suspiciously quickly to both a lack of modern conveniences and a world full of not only magic, but war, monsters, and death. The point is made multiple times how Tessa has no real attachments in her home world, not even to her family, so maybe this is a failure of imagination on my part, but Tessa’s lack of concern struck me as utterly bizarre. She is eventually quite upset when it is revealed that she’s been magically manipulated for many years to get her here, but I expected at least as much distress at the fact that, hello, she’s in a different world with no way to get back home! This doesn’t bother me in books like the Narnia series, where all the characters are children and always go back home eventually (or, you know, die in the last one), but in a book for adults, it was wild to me that Tessa is so chill about this predicament.
And overall, the story never quite gelled as much as I expected it to. Characters like Camron and especially Angeline (oh GOD Angeline) never struck me as being vital enough to the story to justify their presence in the narrative, let alone as POV characters. There’s an entire sequence between Camron and a mysterious woman—who never shows up again, as far as I could tell—who I thought was hypnotizing him to joining the bad guys’ side, maybe? It was deeply unclear, and then it seemed to not matter at all after that scene. Just … why? I feel like this book could have been half its length and probably better for it, if only it sucked in its gut and allowed itself to be tightened up.
There were enough cool details to convince me to give it a three-star passing grade. I genuinely liked the magical illuminated manuscript idea, the research that clearly went into learning about how illuminations are created, the Mont-Saint-Michel-inspired monastery where scribes are trained. The eventual reveal of what the Barbed Coil and Tessa’s magic ring really are was clever and creative, so much so I wish I hadn’t had to slog through the previous several hundred pages to get to it. And I really enjoyed some of the secondary characters, particularly Mother Emith and her love of cooking from scratch and the care and effort it requires. This year I’ve gotten much more into cooking, especially cooking from scratch, and I have a much better understanding of the satisfaction that comes from working hard on a labor- and time-intensive recipe. I’m also extremely glad this was a standalone book, even if the ending came on too fast and furious to be truly satisfying.
This was the fourth of a quartet of old-school fantasy books given to me by a friend, and while I didn’t truly love any of them, I’m glad I took the time away from my usual fare to give them a shot. Maybe this particular style of novel just isn’t quite for me, but there’s no harm in trying something new.
January 19, 2019
In the fantasy genre it's not uncommon for the writer to be overly verbose when describing the setting (George RR Martin, looking at you). JV manages to construct a world in a fashion that allows you to be immersed but not overly bogged down in the minutiae. The plot is unique enough to be refreshing; although there are heroes, sorcery and a smidge of romance, she wrote with a view toward realism as well. No one is indestructible, infallible, or seemingly unbeatable. This presentation allows you to hope with the characters, be a part of the story, as opposed to being along for the ride. As a stand alone story (PTL...everything seems to be part of a series these days), the plot builds at a wonderful pace and the resolution feels complete; a natural extension of the characters and what you, as a reader, have come to expect of them. As Tessa takes her journey, not only through worlds but through skills, I felt as though I was right alongside her. As she learned about illumination, I did too. Really masterful writing. I would recommend without hesitation this book to anyone who enjoys this genre. Apropos of nothing, my favorite quote from the book, "According to her, all men suffered from what she called "old maid's blindness," which meant they simply couldn't see women over a certain age." Easily a book I will re-read in the future.
January 26, 2018
A damn good adventure story! A little slow at first, and the descriptions can go on a bit, but the last 100 pages had great pace.
Tessa is a likeable heroine- that’s the good thing about female fantasy authors; you get real representation. Ravis seemed a bit pushy and angsty at first, but he definitely grew on me. Both Tessa and Ravis made good character development throughout the book, however there’s only one true love in my heart, and that’s for Camron of Thorn. Such a lionhearted hero. I loved reading about such a sweet, caring man, and his loyalty to his men. I thought the romance elements were rushed at the end, and I seriously thought Camron was going to end up with Pax... Also, Emith is a sweet angel.
Finally, am I just suppose to accept the cave of cheese? Is that a thing?
Tessa is a likeable heroine- that’s the good thing about female fantasy authors; you get real representation. Ravis seemed a bit pushy and angsty at first, but he definitely grew on me. Both Tessa and Ravis made good character development throughout the book, however there’s only one true love in my heart, and that’s for Camron of Thorn. Such a lionhearted hero. I loved reading about such a sweet, caring man, and his loyalty to his men. I thought the romance elements were rushed at the end, and I seriously thought Camron was going to end up with Pax... Also, Emith is a sweet angel.
Finally, am I just suppose to accept the cave of cheese? Is that a thing?
April 29, 2020
A different take on magic, although the “how” of what makes some scribes able to imbue their illuminations with power and not others is largely left unexplained, and an interesting story that held my attention all the way to the end.
September 27, 2021
This book was really, really bad.
I wanted to like this novel almost desperately, mind you. I love J.V. Jones's writing, and her Book of Words trilogy sold me on her as an author. While The Barbed Coil contains some of what made her writing so charming, it falls flat in basically every way.
Firstly, the characters. The characters here are so weak, so one-note, and almost in-universe resistant to being anything but the pieces of formula that Jones sets them up to be. Our leading lady, Tessa, is put forth as having been so boring, unreliable, and unlikeable that she could essentially have been described as a blank slate until she is thrust into a fantasy world; therefore, she has no real character traits of her own aside from a fear of a tinnitus problem that never really existed, and as no longer being so flighty and useless. Ravis is presented as a moral-less mercenary, only in pursuit of his next paycheck, but even this is revealed to have been as fake as Tessa's prior personality--so do we even know the character at all? He ends up very solidly being the heroic person that Tessa wants him to be, without much effort toward justifying that or even believably phasing him into it. It just kind of happens.
This isn't even touching Camron, Izgard, Angeline, or Ederius. Any time one of their chapters came up my eyes found themselves jumping full paragraphs just to get through it. Very little of what they did had any real consequence on the characters we were supposed to care about, and basically all of what happened there (aside, perhaps, from some of Angeline's scenes) could have been cut and it would have been purely beneficial to the overall story.
Secondly, the plot. So much of what is actually important is obfuscated behind pages and pages of enumeration on what illumination is as a craft, and on the domestic life of a scribe's assistant and his mother. So much of what we eventually learn is actually important is thrown in as what one would assume to be is worldbuilding until Tessa magically realises that it is actually the key to everything. There is basically no way to unravel the mystery before Tessa does, because any of what we actually need to know seems so banal and throw-away.
Which leads me into the most incriminating thing here: the pacing. Jones clearly didn't want to write combat, and she clearly didn't want to write any sort of questing or journeying. Therefore, as the reader we get maybe a couple pages of anything actually moving forward before the narrative absolutely halts in place so that we can see what Tessa's experience at Emith and his mother's is like. We have to stop so that we can figure out, once again with fervor, that Izgard and Ederius are at his war camp and Izgard is an abusive monster. We must cease all movement to make sure that we talk more about Ravis ruminating and chewing on his stupid lip scar, and find out more about Angeline's no-good dog (who dies horribly, by the way, so if you're not a fan of dog death like I'm not that's another con).
Lastly, though perhaps less importantly, the ending just plain sucks. It is so unbelievably saccharine sweet. Every character gets what they want, Angeline and Camron (who had had absolutely zero interaction beforehand, and whose relationship Jones refers to as like that of a boy and puppy--yuck) somehow end up betrothed, and Emith's mother basically gets straight-up replaced just so Emith can have an old woman to take care of. It's sweet and wish-fulfillment-filled and all the wrong, creepy ways, and gosh I just hate it.
I wanted to like this novel almost desperately, mind you. I love J.V. Jones's writing, and her Book of Words trilogy sold me on her as an author. While The Barbed Coil contains some of what made her writing so charming, it falls flat in basically every way.
Firstly, the characters. The characters here are so weak, so one-note, and almost in-universe resistant to being anything but the pieces of formula that Jones sets them up to be. Our leading lady, Tessa, is put forth as having been so boring, unreliable, and unlikeable that she could essentially have been described as a blank slate until she is thrust into a fantasy world; therefore, she has no real character traits of her own aside from a fear of a tinnitus problem that never really existed, and as no longer being so flighty and useless. Ravis is presented as a moral-less mercenary, only in pursuit of his next paycheck, but even this is revealed to have been as fake as Tessa's prior personality--so do we even know the character at all? He ends up very solidly being the heroic person that Tessa wants him to be, without much effort toward justifying that or even believably phasing him into it. It just kind of happens.
This isn't even touching Camron, Izgard, Angeline, or Ederius. Any time one of their chapters came up my eyes found themselves jumping full paragraphs just to get through it. Very little of what they did had any real consequence on the characters we were supposed to care about, and basically all of what happened there (aside, perhaps, from some of Angeline's scenes) could have been cut and it would have been purely beneficial to the overall story.
Secondly, the plot. So much of what is actually important is obfuscated behind pages and pages of enumeration on what illumination is as a craft, and on the domestic life of a scribe's assistant and his mother. So much of what we eventually learn is actually important is thrown in as what one would assume to be is worldbuilding until Tessa magically realises that it is actually the key to everything. There is basically no way to unravel the mystery before Tessa does, because any of what we actually need to know seems so banal and throw-away.
Which leads me into the most incriminating thing here: the pacing. Jones clearly didn't want to write combat, and she clearly didn't want to write any sort of questing or journeying. Therefore, as the reader we get maybe a couple pages of anything actually moving forward before the narrative absolutely halts in place so that we can see what Tessa's experience at Emith and his mother's is like. We have to stop so that we can figure out, once again with fervor, that Izgard and Ederius are at his war camp and Izgard is an abusive monster. We must cease all movement to make sure that we talk more about Ravis ruminating and chewing on his stupid lip scar, and find out more about Angeline's no-good dog (who dies horribly, by the way, so if you're not a fan of dog death like I'm not that's another con).
Lastly, though perhaps less importantly, the ending just plain sucks. It is so unbelievably saccharine sweet. Every character gets what they want, Angeline and Camron (who had had absolutely zero interaction beforehand, and whose relationship Jones refers to as like that of a boy and puppy--yuck) somehow end up betrothed, and Emith's mother basically gets straight-up replaced just so Emith can have an old woman to take care of. It's sweet and wish-fulfillment-filled and all the wrong, creepy ways, and gosh I just hate it.
December 29, 2016
Much of this book was truly excellent, but the whole is marred by a few unneeded scenes and a number of weak and annoying characters. A unique plot and magic system, along with a few really great characters, give this book huge potential, and keep it mostly entertaining throughout its >700-page length. The basic gist covers the transportation of a modern-age human girl/woman into a brutal fantasy world where she must overcome impossible odds to achieve her destiny of saving the world. During that time, she of course falls in love and comes to find her inner strength and self reliance. Think Tad Williams' The War of the Flowers, although that book is really much better (5-stars).
Jones develops some awesome characters here, some completely like-able, and some completely despicable. Tessa, Ravis, and Cameron are all great characters, each with well-developed personalities and consistent mannerisms and behaviour. Fortunately most of the book is focused directly on them and their struggles against the also-well-done Izgard. Izgard is a power-hungry and completely-insane king on a rampage, and Jones has a definite talent for bringing the deranged to light. She is able to give a glimpse into the mind of evil characters, something that is apparent in her other books as well.
One of the most annoying characters I've ever come across is Angeline. Dim-witted to the point of ridiculousness, the child-like bride of the antagonist takes up way too much of the POV space, and it is painful to see the world through her eyes. Surprising that Jones would create and highlight such a weak female character. Also, the ending of the book feels forced. Every little loose end is neatly tied up, with Emith caring for Gerta, and all the other characters getting married. Add to that the sudden and out-of-nowhere demise of the Bay'Zell banker, and you've got a last chapter that would have been better off never having been written.
All that being said, I am probably overly critical of J.V. Jones because I know what she is capable of. She still maintains her ranking as one of my favorite fantasy authors, mostly due to her spectacular efforts in The Sword of Shadows series.
Jones develops some awesome characters here, some completely like-able, and some completely despicable. Tessa, Ravis, and Cameron are all great characters, each with well-developed personalities and consistent mannerisms and behaviour. Fortunately most of the book is focused directly on them and their struggles against the also-well-done Izgard. Izgard is a power-hungry and completely-insane king on a rampage, and Jones has a definite talent for bringing the deranged to light. She is able to give a glimpse into the mind of evil characters, something that is apparent in her other books as well.
One of the most annoying characters I've ever come across is Angeline. Dim-witted to the point of ridiculousness, the child-like bride of the antagonist takes up way too much of the POV space, and it is painful to see the world through her eyes. Surprising that Jones would create and highlight such a weak female character. Also, the ending of the book feels forced. Every little loose end is neatly tied up, with Emith caring for Gerta, and all the other characters getting married. Add to that the sudden and out-of-nowhere demise of the Bay'Zell banker, and you've got a last chapter that would have been better off never having been written.
All that being said, I am probably overly critical of J.V. Jones because I know what she is capable of. She still maintains her ranking as one of my favorite fantasy authors, mostly due to her spectacular efforts in The Sword of Shadows series.
August 15, 2015
This was the first fantasy novel I ever read, a decade ago now. I honestly didn't expect to like it as much as I did, mostly because the story so heavily revolves around war. It does contain one of my favorite types of fantasy plots--the person from our world sucked into a fantasy world--and that's what drew me to it. Strangely, the "our world" piece of the story is so small that it's insignificant. Tessa's connection to where she starts is minuscule very early on, to the point that I almost forget that story element is even there as I'm reading. None of the pieces should have added up to a book I liked, and yet I've read this book half a dozen times. I love it.
It's difficult to express exactly what draws me to the book, because I think there are a lot of small things that add up to the whole. However, my favorite thing is, without a doubt, the magic system. I've never read anything like it elsewhere. The way Tessa and the other (trained) scribes in the book can draw their patterns and find themselves somewhere else, shaping the way things happen, is absolutely brilliant. I became fascinated by every little detail of the pigments and vellum and all the things involved in the process. By extension, Emith is my second favorite character.
My first favorite is Ravis, naturally. I love that he's the coarse mercenary with a mysterious past who ultimately
I can see how this book wouldn't be for everyone, but it's one of my favorites.
It's difficult to express exactly what draws me to the book, because I think there are a lot of small things that add up to the whole. However, my favorite thing is, without a doubt, the magic system. I've never read anything like it elsewhere. The way Tessa and the other (trained) scribes in the book can draw their patterns and find themselves somewhere else, shaping the way things happen, is absolutely brilliant. I became fascinated by every little detail of the pigments and vellum and all the things involved in the process. By extension, Emith is my second favorite character.
My first favorite is Ravis, naturally. I love that he's the coarse mercenary with a mysterious past who ultimately
I can see how this book wouldn't be for everyone, but it's one of my favorites.
September 21, 2009
Final Thoughts:
- Jones seems to enjoy pushing her characters to the breaking point and beyond, both physically and emotionally. Nobody seems to get through the book without being beaten down to within inches of their lives. At least, nobody who actually lives to the end. I found it compelling if not a little wrenching to read - I really wanted things to get better for these characters, which I guess is a sign of attachment.
- Magic is handled differently than I've seen before and I totally enjoyed the new angle.
- Similarly, I really enjoyed Jones' ideas about 'ephemeras' and objects of power that move from one world to the next. Very nifty.
- This book is surprisingly violent! It was a bit disturbing at times but overall it's good to see an author who rejects the more 'sanitized' violence of other fantasy stories. When these folks swing their swords and axes, you feel the results.
- Jones seems to enjoy pushing her characters to the breaking point and beyond, both physically and emotionally. Nobody seems to get through the book without being beaten down to within inches of their lives. At least, nobody who actually lives to the end. I found it compelling if not a little wrenching to read - I really wanted things to get better for these characters, which I guess is a sign of attachment.
- Magic is handled differently than I've seen before and I totally enjoyed the new angle.
- Similarly, I really enjoyed Jones' ideas about 'ephemeras' and objects of power that move from one world to the next. Very nifty.
- This book is surprisingly violent! It was a bit disturbing at times but overall it's good to see an author who rejects the more 'sanitized' violence of other fantasy stories. When these folks swing their swords and axes, you feel the results.
June 6, 2011
I have owned the book for 11 or 12 years now, and still come back to it when I want a good, compact fantasy to read.
It can be quite refreshing to read a stand-alone fantasy novel (and it's becoming much harder to find them these days). Jones manages to illustrate the characters vividly- especially Tessa, an artist cursed by magic. The mercenary Ravis also has an impressive amount of back-story peppered through the book, all of it fascinating and usually heart-wrenching.
As the book gets underway, the characters (particularly the disturbingly insane Izgard- Ravis' brother-in-law) are soon swept under the influence of The Barbed Coil, a supernatural war-mongering crown, as well as the magic tied to it. There are lots of great battles, both physical and magical, and then the plot is neatly woven together in an action packed climax. In a word, this book is Satisfying.
It can be quite refreshing to read a stand-alone fantasy novel (and it's becoming much harder to find them these days). Jones manages to illustrate the characters vividly- especially Tessa, an artist cursed by magic. The mercenary Ravis also has an impressive amount of back-story peppered through the book, all of it fascinating and usually heart-wrenching.
As the book gets underway, the characters (particularly the disturbingly insane Izgard- Ravis' brother-in-law) are soon swept under the influence of The Barbed Coil, a supernatural war-mongering crown, as well as the magic tied to it. There are lots of great battles, both physical and magical, and then the plot is neatly woven together in an action packed climax. In a word, this book is Satisfying.
January 12, 2013
Kind of torn with this book - the first 75% of the book is soooooo slow, nothing happening, no sense of urgency, no great quest, no sense of anything epic (this is epic fantasy after all), very little description of how magic is happening or if it even is happening - the last 25% was amazing, everything came together, the characters finally started to fill out and although there still was nothing epic about the book there was at last a little sense or urgency and purpose.
First 75% of the book is 2 stars
Last 25% of the book is 4 stars
I'll average it out to 3 stars for the book - recommended but only if you have time to kill.
First 75% of the book is 2 stars
Last 25% of the book is 4 stars
I'll average it out to 3 stars for the book - recommended but only if you have time to kill.
March 12, 2009
This was a great stand alone fantasy book. I loved the characters and the story was engaging. J.V. Jones is an excellent author.
February 5, 2010
Good read. The insane guy was really twisted, I couldn't hardly stand to read his parts, but they were really well done.
July 4, 2013
Really enjoyed this novel. J.V Jones has a great voice.
June 11, 2018
It took me more than a month to finish the book (and I considered not finishing), and I usually read books this size in a few days at most. I just couldn't get into it. I love fantasy books, but this one had some major flaws that prevented me from getting lost in the story.
The plot is interesting enough. The characters are mostly fleshed out and somewhat relatable. The pacing, however... the pacing is simply terrible. Some parts flew, but most dragged on for far too long.
I was constantly pulled from the story by details that should have been cut from the book. The amount of food Tessa doesn't eat is astounding. The amount of sleep Cameron doesn't get is unreal. The amount Ravis drinks instead of doing either of those things should leave him weak as a limp noodle. I get that this is a magical world, but the number of times is excessive and drew me out of the story.
The "villain" perspectives took me out of the story as well. Every time an Izgard or Ederius POV came up, I found myself skimming forward. Angeline's POV annoyed me, but at least I understood her role as a plot device long before she completed her predictable duties as said plot device.
In addition to that, I'm actually kind of a nerd for illuminations, but even I got bored with the unending descriptions of ink and parchment and brushes. Again, I get that we're talking about the great power that will save the world, but it's just... too SLOW.
Ravis is the best character and the most interesting. Tessa was super annoying but at least interesting until the middle of the book where she became... sort of a ghost of herself. Becoming invested in a cause and caring for people shouldn't render a character completely boring. It should give the character life. Unfortunately, Tessa was barely more than a foil by the end of the book. Camron didn't have enough "screen time" to develop his character (could have used those words wasted on Izgard to give us a better look at Camron). I did like him as a character by the end and enjoyed his development, at least.
Overall, characters and plot potential saved this from a one-star review.
The plot is interesting enough. The characters are mostly fleshed out and somewhat relatable. The pacing, however... the pacing is simply terrible. Some parts flew, but most dragged on for far too long.
I was constantly pulled from the story by details that should have been cut from the book. The amount of food Tessa doesn't eat is astounding. The amount of sleep Cameron doesn't get is unreal. The amount Ravis drinks instead of doing either of those things should leave him weak as a limp noodle. I get that this is a magical world, but the number of times is excessive and drew me out of the story.
The "villain" perspectives took me out of the story as well. Every time an Izgard or Ederius POV came up, I found myself skimming forward. Angeline's POV annoyed me, but at least I understood her role as a plot device long before she completed her predictable duties as said plot device.
In addition to that, I'm actually kind of a nerd for illuminations, but even I got bored with the unending descriptions of ink and parchment and brushes. Again, I get that we're talking about the great power that will save the world, but it's just... too SLOW.
Ravis is the best character and the most interesting. Tessa was super annoying but at least interesting until the middle of the book where she became... sort of a ghost of herself. Becoming invested in a cause and caring for people shouldn't render a character completely boring. It should give the character life. Unfortunately, Tessa was barely more than a foil by the end of the book. Camron didn't have enough "screen time" to develop his character (could have used those words wasted on Izgard to give us a better look at Camron). I did like him as a character by the end and enjoyed his development, at least.
Overall, characters and plot potential saved this from a one-star review.
July 19, 2023
The Barbed Coil has the dubious honor of being probably the most forgettable, milquetoast fantasy novel I've ever read. From the bog standard story to the templated characters, there's very little throughout these pages that's going to excite, interest, or wow you. Oh wow a portal fantasy with a ridiculously competent heroine. Oh wow a roguish mercenary who's got a heart of gold. Oh wow the stick in the mud prince who has to learn to bend a little. Oh wow a magical artifact that's going to doom the world. You probably know exactly what book this is from these little descriptions. That's it.
And nothing's done to build on it - like, Tessa the heroine literally has moments where all she does is say "Hey I don't care about my life back on Earth anymore, I kinda never did." - Like the book actively shuts down any interesting rub that might results from it. This happens with every aspect of the book. Countries get blended down into indistinction. Towns and cities aren't vibrant or real. History pertains to one specific war which serves as the background to the main plot. And so on - There's an (fairly unimportant but prominent) character that's infantilized and talked down to by the villain... and then the book does it too. There's one mode, and it's always the obvious one.
There are two standout points that keep this from being an even lower rating. Firstly, the one flavor the setting has is the magic through this meditative application of illuminated manuscripts - I don't quite know that Jones has done deep research into the creation of these illustrations or just fakes it well, but the best handful of standout scenes are those describing the ebb and flow of this painting process. Moreover, there *is* solid writing here. She doesn't use it for a damn thing, but Jones does have a great handle on the prose on occasion - especially descriptions dealing with physicality, texture, substance. There's a lot of great tactile flavor here at least.
Beyond that I really don't have much to say. Days of reading this long tome and I'll have forgotten it in a day or two, I promise.
And nothing's done to build on it - like, Tessa the heroine literally has moments where all she does is say "Hey I don't care about my life back on Earth anymore, I kinda never did." - Like the book actively shuts down any interesting rub that might results from it. This happens with every aspect of the book. Countries get blended down into indistinction. Towns and cities aren't vibrant or real. History pertains to one specific war which serves as the background to the main plot. And so on - There's an (fairly unimportant but prominent) character that's infantilized and talked down to by the villain... and then the book does it too. There's one mode, and it's always the obvious one.
There are two standout points that keep this from being an even lower rating. Firstly, the one flavor the setting has is the magic through this meditative application of illuminated manuscripts - I don't quite know that Jones has done deep research into the creation of these illustrations or just fakes it well, but the best handful of standout scenes are those describing the ebb and flow of this painting process. Moreover, there *is* solid writing here. She doesn't use it for a damn thing, but Jones does have a great handle on the prose on occasion - especially descriptions dealing with physicality, texture, substance. There's a lot of great tactile flavor here at least.
Beyond that I really don't have much to say. Days of reading this long tome and I'll have forgotten it in a day or two, I promise.
May 24, 2017
Though I failed to get into other books by J.V. Jones, this one was just perfect. I'm not huge on novels, but The Barbed Coil is a fantastic exception. Wow!
The premise of the book may sound cliche: a girl in "our" world finds a magic ring that teleports her to some other fantasy world, and now she has to fight the big bad guy and whatnot. But let me tell you: this book is anything but cliche. I related to the main character SO much, it was almost scary. So many cliches were shattered. First of all, this book had absolutely NONE of the "trying to get back home" trope. Seriously. This girl gets teleported to another world, and she's like, "lol good." She settles right in. She spares one thought for her parents somewhere in the middle of the book. No big deal. And that's not the only trope subverted in this book. You know how the prophesied hero in EVERY STORY always goes through that stage of denial? This girl doesn't. In fact, she's the one who ultimately convinces everyone else that she's the Chosen One. Instead of "but I'm just a normal girl!" she's telling people, "the fate of the entire world is totally in my hands." I myself am the awkward loner type, so I couldn't have been more proud.
Additionally, there's a lot of real knowledge to be gleaned from this book. Are you aware of the complex process of making dyes and paints and inks? Of how to make paper and illuminated manuscripts? Well... that's just some of the stuff you'll become a pro on once you read this book.
Oh, also, people die. If you're into that. The romance element is so faint, it's mostly ignored, which is beautiful. There are friendships. There are realistic problems. There are also shadowy demon monster things, and a cave full of cheese. So read it.
The premise of the book may sound cliche: a girl in "our" world finds a magic ring that teleports her to some other fantasy world, and now she has to fight the big bad guy and whatnot. But let me tell you: this book is anything but cliche. I related to the main character SO much, it was almost scary. So many cliches were shattered. First of all, this book had absolutely NONE of the "trying to get back home" trope. Seriously. This girl gets teleported to another world, and she's like, "lol good." She settles right in. She spares one thought for her parents somewhere in the middle of the book. No big deal. And that's not the only trope subverted in this book. You know how the prophesied hero in EVERY STORY always goes through that stage of denial? This girl doesn't. In fact, she's the one who ultimately convinces everyone else that she's the Chosen One. Instead of "but I'm just a normal girl!" she's telling people, "the fate of the entire world is totally in my hands." I myself am the awkward loner type, so I couldn't have been more proud.
Additionally, there's a lot of real knowledge to be gleaned from this book. Are you aware of the complex process of making dyes and paints and inks? Of how to make paper and illuminated manuscripts? Well... that's just some of the stuff you'll become a pro on once you read this book.
Oh, also, people die. If you're into that. The romance element is so faint, it's mostly ignored, which is beautiful. There are friendships. There are realistic problems. There are also shadowy demon monster things, and a cave full of cheese. So read it.
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