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When Mark Seaton's father disappears and his mother is murdered, he becomes a pawn in a deadly world of nobles, masked courtiers, and mysterious beings that whisper in his mind.
The only way a pawn can survive is to gain position and power.
The only way Mark Seaton can be free, is to become a player.
"Prazeman has crafted a magnificent, credible fantasy where noble lords symbiotically bond with masked jesters whose machinations and assassinations further their ambitions without imperiling their souls. She does a uniquely wonderful job of honoring her readers' intelligence, parsing out little hints and nibbles, barely enough information to figure out what is going on as her hero navigates the intrigue. The result is a swift and satisfying read that leaves us begging for a sequel. Whole-heartedly recommended!" – Lawrence Kane, ForeWord Magazine
"Prazeman's jesters dance fine lines through a world of byzantine politics. Real, fallible people lie behind complex masks. The subtle weave of influences, and the dangers they produce, will keep readers hooked." – Sara Mueller, Endeavor Award Committee Member
"The world of MASKS is a fantasy world unlike any other I've encountered, rich with mystery, intrigue, and danger, and its hero Mark is complex and unusual – a young man trying to solve the riddle of his parents' deaths while concealing dangerous secrets of his own. No one in this book is exactly what they seem, Mark least of all. We all have our masks, and MASKS lifts the façades of its characters and its world to expose the ambiguous truths behind them." – David Levine, Hugo Award Winning Author
The only way a pawn can survive is to gain position and power.
The only way Mark Seaton can be free, is to become a player.
"Prazeman has crafted a magnificent, credible fantasy where noble lords symbiotically bond with masked jesters whose machinations and assassinations further their ambitions without imperiling their souls. She does a uniquely wonderful job of honoring her readers' intelligence, parsing out little hints and nibbles, barely enough information to figure out what is going on as her hero navigates the intrigue. The result is a swift and satisfying read that leaves us begging for a sequel. Whole-heartedly recommended!" – Lawrence Kane, ForeWord Magazine
"Prazeman's jesters dance fine lines through a world of byzantine politics. Real, fallible people lie behind complex masks. The subtle weave of influences, and the dangers they produce, will keep readers hooked." – Sara Mueller, Endeavor Award Committee Member
"The world of MASKS is a fantasy world unlike any other I've encountered, rich with mystery, intrigue, and danger, and its hero Mark is complex and unusual – a young man trying to solve the riddle of his parents' deaths while concealing dangerous secrets of his own. No one in this book is exactly what they seem, Mark least of all. We all have our masks, and MASKS lifts the façades of its characters and its world to expose the ambiguous truths behind them." – David Levine, Hugo Award Winning Author
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2012
42 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Prazeman
11 books34 followersEM Prazeman came to the United States as a refugee. Her family settled in the Pacific NW after moving frequently across the US, so EM got a lot of practice being the new kid at school. Super shy? Check. Reclusive? You bet.
In third grade, her father suggested she learn an instrument. She picked violin, because harps are expensive (she was frugal-minded, even as a kid) and the piano looked hard. Well, turns out the violin is super-hard, and kids think you're weird (or in her case, it only made her weirder). But, bonus, she learned to love all kinds of music, and her involvement in orchestra and theater led to a love of history. Those things eventually connected her to some incredible people. EM was no longer alone!
For love of history she wanted to learn archery and karate, and joined the SCA. For love of imagination she became part of a community of writers whose accomplishments continue to grow. A lust for knowledge drew her to physics and engineering in college. Then she married and through her husband befriended adventurers, law enforcement officers and soldiers, world travelers, genius intelligence specialists, scientists and many other remarkable people that defy description. Their remarkable lives and warm friendships inspire her.
EM writes fantasy novels, travels, gardens, works a small farm, paints, and loves wine. She's been paragliding and scuba diving, sailing, canoeing, fishing and all kinds of other fun stuff. She's hiked over a hundred miles from the city to the coast on logging roads. She's been to Europe, the tropics, and many places in the US and Canada. Best of all, she continues to live in the Pacific NW with her exceptional husband, author and lecturer Rory Miller, three dogs, eight goats, a flock of chickens, and her beloved children and extended family close by.
In third grade, her father suggested she learn an instrument. She picked violin, because harps are expensive (she was frugal-minded, even as a kid) and the piano looked hard. Well, turns out the violin is super-hard, and kids think you're weird (or in her case, it only made her weirder). But, bonus, she learned to love all kinds of music, and her involvement in orchestra and theater led to a love of history. Those things eventually connected her to some incredible people. EM was no longer alone!
For love of history she wanted to learn archery and karate, and joined the SCA. For love of imagination she became part of a community of writers whose accomplishments continue to grow. A lust for knowledge drew her to physics and engineering in college. Then she married and through her husband befriended adventurers, law enforcement officers and soldiers, world travelers, genius intelligence specialists, scientists and many other remarkable people that defy description. Their remarkable lives and warm friendships inspire her.
EM writes fantasy novels, travels, gardens, works a small farm, paints, and loves wine. She's been paragliding and scuba diving, sailing, canoeing, fishing and all kinds of other fun stuff. She's hiked over a hundred miles from the city to the coast on logging roads. She's been to Europe, the tropics, and many places in the US and Canada. Best of all, she continues to live in the Pacific NW with her exceptional husband, author and lecturer Rory Miller, three dogs, eight goats, a flock of chickens, and her beloved children and extended family close by.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 7, 2017
The author lost me in the middle of the book to some weird religion-induced trance. I wish she spent that time and effort on world building.
Finished the book and I still have no clue what the masks really are.
No idea what's with the voices in Mark's head, it came as a total surprise when first mentioned and sent me looking for missing pages.
Not the faintest why Mark's patron and his jester are referred to as the absolute villains in the beginning. Show me an example of that horrible life Mark was living. Show. it. to me. But there is nothing, except for a creepy butler's occasional beatings off page, yet butler was not the reason why Mark bolted in the middle of the winter. To the contrary, it's mentioned several times in the book, how kind and caring Mark's patron and Jester were. @.@
There is a lot of strolling around, having talks and pleasantries (or nastieses, whatever), many of which don't even contribute to the story line. Like what a marvelous horse Mark had. It even tried to sniff a snake. WTH?
Sorry for this weird review. My brain is seriously messed up after finishing this book. I think I need a drink. (⊙_◎)
1.5 stars on Booklikes, but GR is not so generous, so 1 star it is.
Finished the book and I still have no clue what the masks really are.
No idea what's with the voices in Mark's head, it came as a total surprise when first mentioned and sent me looking for missing pages.
Not the faintest why Mark's patron and his jester are referred to as the absolute villains in the beginning. Show me an example of that horrible life Mark was living. Show. it. to me. But there is nothing, except for a creepy butler's occasional beatings off page, yet butler was not the reason why Mark bolted in the middle of the winter. To the contrary, it's mentioned several times in the book, how kind and caring Mark's patron and Jester were. @.@
There is a lot of strolling around, having talks and pleasantries (or nastieses, whatever), many of which don't even contribute to the story line. Like what a marvelous horse Mark had. It even tried to sniff a snake. WTH?
Sorry for this weird review. My brain is seriously messed up after finishing this book. I think I need a drink. (⊙_◎)
1.5 stars on Booklikes, but GR is not so generous, so 1 star it is.
August 10, 2014
DNF at 25%
If you've read a quarter of a book you should have a vague idea what is going on but I still have no clue what is happening and why.
Mark, the main-character, is a servant (or perhaps rather slave) in a rich household. Suddenly he decides to flee even though he knows that if he's caught it might cost him his life. Why does he do it? Because after a conversation with Gutter, his master's jester, he is suddenly convinced that Gutter is incredibly evil and his life is in even more danger if he stays. That's fine except that the conversation didn't sound terribly ominous to me and Marc never really talked about Gutter's earlier behaviour which might have given some indication on why he suddenly suspects him of murder and arson...
Additionally I also didn't understand the world in general. Apparently jesters can bond with nobles and then...something happens? Except I still don't know if that is something magical or just symbolical.
I don't need every piece of information on a silver-tablet and I'm more than happy if authors don't infodump all the time but the opposite is just as bad. If I have no idea what's going on I also don't feel like reading the book.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you've read a quarter of a book you should have a vague idea what is going on but I still have no clue what is happening and why.
Mark, the main-character, is a servant (or perhaps rather slave) in a rich household. Suddenly he decides to flee even though he knows that if he's caught it might cost him his life. Why does he do it? Because after a conversation with Gutter, his master's jester, he is suddenly convinced that Gutter is incredibly evil and his life is in even more danger if he stays. That's fine except that the conversation didn't sound terribly ominous to me and Marc never really talked about Gutter's earlier behaviour which might have given some indication on why he suddenly suspects him of murder and arson...
Additionally I also didn't understand the world in general. Apparently jesters can bond with nobles and then...something happens? Except I still don't know if that is something magical or just symbolical.
I don't need every piece of information on a silver-tablet and I'm more than happy if authors don't infodump all the time but the opposite is just as bad. If I have no idea what's going on I also don't feel like reading the book.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2020
This had such a cool concept, I'm so mad that everything else about it ended up disappointing me.
Content warnings include: death of parents, murder and death, robbery, poisoning, homophobia, fire, graphic violence and gore, semi-explicit sex on-page; graphic mentions of pedophilia and child abuse.
Masks is a book I totally love on paper. In a historical fantasy setting there are jesters, who are bound to nobles and act as entertainers, spies, assassins, political councils, advisors and general companions. Mark got trained to become a jester after his mother's murder and his father's disappearance. As such he excells at manipulation and intrigue, but it's not what he truly wants in life. He never chose this path himself, yet over the course of the book, even as he makes the conscious decision to run away from everything he's ever known, he ends up getting pushed back into that mold.
My biggest problem with the book was how it lacked and sort of exposition and explanations. It was extremely confusing from beginning to end.
The very first scene is about 11-year old Mark, sitting next to the corpse of his mother, while the church and several noblemen talk about what to do with him. It's extremely bureaucratic, and none of the debts or indentures and how those work in combination with this world's church, laws and nobility are explained. His mother apparently owned a wine shop, yet that is never mentioned again, while the ship his father was in charge of but didn't own comes up again and again with two different names, and I could never figure out if the ship has two names or if it's two different ships. It gets even worse when later the history of various countries is brought up, complete with war and treaties and various cities involved, and it all gets more political with a ton of players that Mark or other characters are familiar with, but who are never properly introduced to the reader.
There was also so much subtext. Mark, and particularly his Jester-alter-ego Lark, is a master manipulator who notices and remarks on other people's microexpressions and their implications all the time. But none of that is explained to the reader. It was so frustrating knowing that something was being implied, yet I could never figure out what, and it was usually never brought up again afterwards.
Maybe that means I'm not smart enough for the book. I know having everything spelled out might have ruined some parts and would even be called bad writing by some, but there needs to be a certain baseline of (in this case political) knowledge established in order for the reader (or less general: me) to be able to figure it all out on my own, but there just wasn't. I was struggling to stay afloat in this world from the very first page and could never catch the stream, and that just doesn't make for a pleasant reading experience.
And it was like this not just in all the political intrigue plot, but every single part of the book. Personal relationships and their historyand nuances, how the country's faith and church worked, tons of bureaucratic background that was apparently super important, norms and values within this world's society.... just urgh.
Additionally, for the most part I wasn't too fond of the plot decisions. I just plain didn't like what happened almost all of the time. I mostly had no idea where things were heading, and Mark changed his mind countless times, often from page-to-page, that it was hard keeping up with where he personally was standing too.
One choice I particularly resented was the homophobia and some surrounding details. Mark was given to a known pedophile as a child, and thus grew up and lived in a household where he was sexually (and in other ways) abused, to the knowledge of everyone in the city. When asked or hinted at this, he himself denies being abused or raped, though he is also aware that this is a defense mechanism for himself. What's worse though is that Mark, who is aware that he is gay, believes he deserves the abuse due to internalized homophobia and the hostility he regularly experiences when out, since he does not pass as straight even to people don't know who he lives with. There are other nuances that make all this even more messy and sad.
He eventually removes himself from his living situation, but even when he is in a whole other country the homophobia doesn't stop. I particularly hated a few decisions around the best friend he makes along the way and homophobia, and how the book treats it.
I just did no like that homophobia was made part of this world, it doesn't seem to serve a purpose other than make Mark even more miserable than he already is.
I also want to mention that this book has no romance. Mark loves quite a lot of people over the course of the book, but none of his relationships qualify as romance.
Relationships in this book are everchanging, and while some do develop romantically... yeah, no, no romance.
There were also some weird paranormal/magical touches that might-or-might-not be related to the religion, but it was never explained or really mentioned aside from weird voices speaking in bold letter that in no way related to what was going on around them at the time. Just another thing that added to the general confusion and frustration.
Generally this book just wasn't a pleasant reading experience despite my love for the concept. Not only did I struggle with the lack of exposition and didn't like a lot of the plot choices, it was just so miserable due to the characters being miserable, and it made me feel miserable as well.
Content warnings include: death of parents, murder and death, robbery, poisoning, homophobia, fire, graphic violence and gore, semi-explicit sex on-page; graphic mentions of pedophilia and child abuse.
Masks is a book I totally love on paper. In a historical fantasy setting there are jesters, who are bound to nobles and act as entertainers, spies, assassins, political councils, advisors and general companions. Mark got trained to become a jester after his mother's murder and his father's disappearance. As such he excells at manipulation and intrigue, but it's not what he truly wants in life. He never chose this path himself, yet over the course of the book, even as he makes the conscious decision to run away from everything he's ever known, he ends up getting pushed back into that mold.
My biggest problem with the book was how it lacked and sort of exposition and explanations. It was extremely confusing from beginning to end.
The very first scene is about 11-year old Mark, sitting next to the corpse of his mother, while the church and several noblemen talk about what to do with him. It's extremely bureaucratic, and none of the debts or indentures and how those work in combination with this world's church, laws and nobility are explained. His mother apparently owned a wine shop, yet that is never mentioned again, while the ship his father was in charge of but didn't own comes up again and again with two different names, and I could never figure out if the ship has two names or if it's two different ships. It gets even worse when later the history of various countries is brought up, complete with war and treaties and various cities involved, and it all gets more political with a ton of players that Mark or other characters are familiar with, but who are never properly introduced to the reader.
There was also so much subtext. Mark, and particularly his Jester-alter-ego Lark, is a master manipulator who notices and remarks on other people's microexpressions and their implications all the time. But none of that is explained to the reader. It was so frustrating knowing that something was being implied, yet I could never figure out what, and it was usually never brought up again afterwards.
Maybe that means I'm not smart enough for the book. I know having everything spelled out might have ruined some parts and would even be called bad writing by some, but there needs to be a certain baseline of (in this case political) knowledge established in order for the reader (or less general: me) to be able to figure it all out on my own, but there just wasn't. I was struggling to stay afloat in this world from the very first page and could never catch the stream, and that just doesn't make for a pleasant reading experience.
And it was like this not just in all the political intrigue plot, but every single part of the book. Personal relationships and their historyand nuances, how the country's faith and church worked, tons of bureaucratic background that was apparently super important, norms and values within this world's society.... just urgh.
Additionally, for the most part I wasn't too fond of the plot decisions. I just plain didn't like what happened almost all of the time. I mostly had no idea where things were heading, and Mark changed his mind countless times, often from page-to-page, that it was hard keeping up with where he personally was standing too.
One choice I particularly resented was the homophobia and some surrounding details. Mark was given to a known pedophile as a child, and thus grew up and lived in a household where he was sexually (and in other ways) abused, to the knowledge of everyone in the city. When asked or hinted at this, he himself denies being abused or raped, though he is also aware that this is a defense mechanism for himself. What's worse though is that Mark, who is aware that he is gay, believes he deserves the abuse due to internalized homophobia and the hostility he regularly experiences when out, since he does not pass as straight even to people don't know who he lives with. There are other nuances that make all this even more messy and sad.
He eventually removes himself from his living situation, but even when he is in a whole other country the homophobia doesn't stop. I particularly hated a few decisions around the best friend he makes along the way and homophobia, and how the book treats it.
I just did no like that homophobia was made part of this world, it doesn't seem to serve a purpose other than make Mark even more miserable than he already is.
I also want to mention that this book has no romance. Mark loves quite a lot of people over the course of the book, but none of his relationships qualify as romance.
Relationships in this book are everchanging, and while some do develop romantically... yeah, no, no romance.
There were also some weird paranormal/magical touches that might-or-might-not be related to the religion, but it was never explained or really mentioned aside from weird voices speaking in bold letter that in no way related to what was going on around them at the time. Just another thing that added to the general confusion and frustration.
Generally this book just wasn't a pleasant reading experience despite my love for the concept. Not only did I struggle with the lack of exposition and didn't like a lot of the plot choices, it was just so miserable due to the characters being miserable, and it made me feel miserable as well.
October 10, 2016
An interesting world with intriguing ethics. The Jesters are a curious and fascinating lot. Educated, poised, and eventually bonded to a lord to do the things that the lord can't do themselves. Sort of like a secret (or not so secret) society of super skilled and intelligent personal assistants only about ten times better. And posher. Very unique and an enjoyable and entertaining read.
April 2, 2022
I found this an uneven read. The concept behind it is fascinating; in an 18th century styled world, noblemen form some kind of spiritual bond (not made very clear in the book) whereby they palm off their sins onto scapegoats called Jesters, who carry out any dirty work they need doing. The Jesters in turn are high ranking in society.
A boy, Mark, is taken into the household of an old paedophile and his jester, Gutter, when his mother is murdered and his father, a ship's captain, go missing. The the book jumps some years to where Mark is older and has received a training in the manipulation essential to life as a Jester and has also been abused by the lord - something which he has internalised so that he doesn't see it as abuse. He is gay, referred to as a 'lean' and other terms - something frowned upon in this society. Since most of the time he gave the old man massages or kept him company rather than having to perform oral sex on him, he views it as a willing 'relationship' rather than abuse and has depended on the affection shown him by Gutter - though Gutter is often away on their lord's business. Then a Jester called Obsidian arrives, entrusting Mark with two objects and asking him to come to a duel he is having to fight that night. This sets in motion a train of events which turn Mark's life upside down and cause him to leave 'home' and embark on a dangerous career.
The problem I had with the book was the obliqueness of some of the essential facets of the society. It's clear that the church have a power of indenture over people - his parents owe money and he ends up as a sort of slave as he has to pay that off, but it isn't clear why this was so, if his mother had a wine shop and his father one or more ships - the point about the ships is also rather muddled. I think the father disappeared with one ship and crew and another was left behind, in theory there for Mark to inherit if he can ever pay off the family debt. There are quite a few places where it seems that something really significant is going on, but it is not explained and some things seem to just be forgotten about such as what was so important about the ring with which Mark is entrusted.
Having said that, some parts of the story are very well done, such as Mark's difficult relationships with two men, one of whom is clearly straight, and for whom he feels a strong attraction. There is some beautiful writing, such as in a scene where he gives one of these men a massage. Secondary characters are well depicted, so that it is sad when quite a few of them don't survive to the end of this first volume. The presence of grammatical mistakes having to do with tenses, especially past tense, and some typos does detract slightly, and the obscurity around key elements of the society and politics are more obvious issues. I feel that a decent editor could have elevated this from 'good with potential' to 'great'. So on balance, I am rating the book at 3 stars.
A boy, Mark, is taken into the household of an old paedophile and his jester, Gutter, when his mother is murdered and his father, a ship's captain, go missing. The the book jumps some years to where Mark is older and has received a training in the manipulation essential to life as a Jester and has also been abused by the lord - something which he has internalised so that he doesn't see it as abuse. He is gay, referred to as a 'lean' and other terms - something frowned upon in this society. Since most of the time he gave the old man massages or kept him company rather than having to perform oral sex on him, he views it as a willing 'relationship' rather than abuse and has depended on the affection shown him by Gutter - though Gutter is often away on their lord's business. Then a Jester called Obsidian arrives, entrusting Mark with two objects and asking him to come to a duel he is having to fight that night. This sets in motion a train of events which turn Mark's life upside down and cause him to leave 'home' and embark on a dangerous career.
The problem I had with the book was the obliqueness of some of the essential facets of the society. It's clear that the church have a power of indenture over people - his parents owe money and he ends up as a sort of slave as he has to pay that off, but it isn't clear why this was so, if his mother had a wine shop and his father one or more ships - the point about the ships is also rather muddled. I think the father disappeared with one ship and crew and another was left behind, in theory there for Mark to inherit if he can ever pay off the family debt. There are quite a few places where it seems that something really significant is going on, but it is not explained and some things seem to just be forgotten about such as what was so important about the ring with which Mark is entrusted.
Having said that, some parts of the story are very well done, such as Mark's difficult relationships with two men, one of whom is clearly straight, and for whom he feels a strong attraction. There is some beautiful writing, such as in a scene where he gives one of these men a massage. Secondary characters are well depicted, so that it is sad when quite a few of them don't survive to the end of this first volume. The presence of grammatical mistakes having to do with tenses, especially past tense, and some typos does detract slightly, and the obscurity around key elements of the society and politics are more obvious issues. I feel that a decent editor could have elevated this from 'good with potential' to 'great'. So on balance, I am rating the book at 3 stars.
April 19, 2018
Overall, I really enjoyed this book despite some flaws that kept me from outright loving it.
The best parts of the book were hands-down in the second half. Without going into spoilers, I'll just say that lots of world building happens in the first half without much accompanying explanation, but the second half takes advantage of that and gives the reader some nice payoff as the nuances of the world start to actually be relevant to the plot.
On that note, the world building and the setting were both amazing! I loved Seven Churches, the ship, the island... it was all really well fleshed out and quite gorgeous. It reminded me a lot of the lushness and warmth of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie (I mean that as a compliment, I always associate that movie with warm, bright, vibrant settings).
As a mm romance: This aspect of the books was very present, but almost always as a background element to the plot intrigues that were happening at any given time. I actually appreciated this, and thought that the subtle hints of romance between various characters was nicely done. There were a few potential love interests for Mark, and I was (and kind of still am) guessing as to which, if any, would pan out.
Ok, so after all that my main gripe with the series is that it's actually just a little bit *too* mysterious. I like when authors withhold information to create a sense of unfolding mystery, generally speaking. But in this case, the super-detailed world building and complicated plotting worked against the momentum of the story. When events unfolded and details were finally revealed I was often so confused about what was even going on that the impact of those twists was completely lost. Hopefully some of this clears up in the next book. I'll definitely continue with the series! The world building and concepts of jesters, demons, and politics is too good to pass up!
The best parts of the book were hands-down in the second half. Without going into spoilers, I'll just say that lots of world building happens in the first half without much accompanying explanation, but the second half takes advantage of that and gives the reader some nice payoff as the nuances of the world start to actually be relevant to the plot.
On that note, the world building and the setting were both amazing! I loved Seven Churches, the ship, the island... it was all really well fleshed out and quite gorgeous. It reminded me a lot of the lushness and warmth of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie (I mean that as a compliment, I always associate that movie with warm, bright, vibrant settings).
As a mm romance: This aspect of the books was very present, but almost always as a background element to the plot intrigues that were happening at any given time. I actually appreciated this, and thought that the subtle hints of romance between various characters was nicely done. There were a few potential love interests for Mark, and I was (and kind of still am) guessing as to which, if any, would pan out.
Ok, so after all that my main gripe with the series is that it's actually just a little bit *too* mysterious. I like when authors withhold information to create a sense of unfolding mystery, generally speaking. But in this case, the super-detailed world building and complicated plotting worked against the momentum of the story. When events unfolded and details were finally revealed I was often so confused about what was even going on that the impact of those twists was completely lost. Hopefully some of this clears up in the next book. I'll definitely continue with the series! The world building and concepts of jesters, demons, and politics is too good to pass up!
July 15, 2014
Right from the start, I felt thrown into the deep end of a world that I did not understand. As things started to come together just a little bit more, I was intrigued, but information is doled out too slowly, in too convoluted a way for a book of this length, and by characters that I didn't find especially compelling or emotionally realistic.
The main impression I got is that this is an incredibly self-indulgent piece of writing. Prazeman has created a world that appeals to the darker senses of Prazeman, but doesn't quite manage the trick of making it appeal to anybody else.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.
(June 2014 Wyrd Goat Press edition)
The main impression I got is that this is an incredibly self-indulgent piece of writing. Prazeman has created a world that appeals to the darker senses of Prazeman, but doesn't quite manage the trick of making it appeal to anybody else.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley.
(June 2014 Wyrd Goat Press edition)
June 15, 2017
This book was stunning. The writing was gorgeous. I found myself underlining passages for no other reason than I found them beautifully written. Poor Mark. He has been through so much and I'm sure he'll be put through just as much in the sequels. I loved this book and didn't want to put it down. Immediately purchased the second book in the series. However, you have to work for this book. The world building is subtle and you can't expect everything to be apparent while you're reading. It's like a beautiful puzzle scroll just waiting to be unlocked.
September 20, 2013
Masks is the very strong start to a trilogy by new author E.M. Prazeman.
The writing is deft and gripping, with a complex, likable and earnest main character whose decisions always seem both logical and driven. Some chapters were literal page-turners, where I could hardly put the book down for needing to know how Mark might escape his increasingly desperate and fraught circumstances.
The unique and alien nature of the world's religious basis is revealed naturally through Mark's perspective without heavy doses of "fantasy back-story," and Prazeman's writing stays fascinating and colorful throughout.
A highly recommended debut.
MILD SPOILERS
The story of Mark, a young, gay man who is orphaned while his father still owes on his indenture, is set in a unique fantasy world in which politicians bind their souls to "jesters"--men and women expert in the arts of politics, sex, and assassination who wear spirit-inhabited masks in order to take the politicians' sins upon themselves, sparing their masters the inevitable and very real punishment of the world's demons.
Sold into the household of the mainland's second-most-powerful lord, Mark is reared as both the lord's "sex toy" and as the man's confidant and hospice-carer while being trained in the jesters' skills. Before Mark turns twenty, when his indenture is nearly paid and his training almost complete, a disastrous night of murder and betrayal sends him on a harrowing forced flight to one of the rebel islands.
Everything on the islands is different, from the casual street violence to the egalitarian courts; from the church's understanding of sin to the possibility of true love. What is the same is the threat from Mark's old home--both to himself and to his new homeland--tied to the secret machinations of the society of jesters.
Mark must choose whether to take on a jester's living mask in order to fight them as an equal when doing so means risking self and soul to the spirits that inspire them.
The writing is deft and gripping, with a complex, likable and earnest main character whose decisions always seem both logical and driven. Some chapters were literal page-turners, where I could hardly put the book down for needing to know how Mark might escape his increasingly desperate and fraught circumstances.
The unique and alien nature of the world's religious basis is revealed naturally through Mark's perspective without heavy doses of "fantasy back-story," and Prazeman's writing stays fascinating and colorful throughout.
A highly recommended debut.
MILD SPOILERS
The story of Mark, a young, gay man who is orphaned while his father still owes on his indenture, is set in a unique fantasy world in which politicians bind their souls to "jesters"--men and women expert in the arts of politics, sex, and assassination who wear spirit-inhabited masks in order to take the politicians' sins upon themselves, sparing their masters the inevitable and very real punishment of the world's demons.
Sold into the household of the mainland's second-most-powerful lord, Mark is reared as both the lord's "sex toy" and as the man's confidant and hospice-carer while being trained in the jesters' skills. Before Mark turns twenty, when his indenture is nearly paid and his training almost complete, a disastrous night of murder and betrayal sends him on a harrowing forced flight to one of the rebel islands.
Everything on the islands is different, from the casual street violence to the egalitarian courts; from the church's understanding of sin to the possibility of true love. What is the same is the threat from Mark's old home--both to himself and to his new homeland--tied to the secret machinations of the society of jesters.
Mark must choose whether to take on a jester's living mask in order to fight them as an equal when doing so means risking self and soul to the spirits that inspire them.
July 28, 2018
This book suffers from he lack of a good editor. The world building is fantastic, but unclear. The relationships between the characters need to be developed more on screen and the emotions of the main character need some more attention. (There are a few editing errors that weren’t caught but I wasn’t mad about it, just further proof that another set of eyes would help this a lot.)
That said, I really enjoyed this book.
That said, I really enjoyed this book.
November 26, 2015
Wonderfully crafted and well written story.
Prazeman has crafted a colorful, wonderful new world filled with interesting and complex characters. You are drawn into this land from the first page and forever bonded to the orphan named Mark. You find yourself hoping he finds the love he desires and deserves. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Bravo!
Prazeman has crafted a colorful, wonderful new world filled with interesting and complex characters. You are drawn into this land from the first page and forever bonded to the orphan named Mark. You find yourself hoping he finds the love he desires and deserves. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Bravo!
October 23, 2020
First. That cover.
I mean… beautiful.
I gave this book 4 stars.
Here's my reasoning. A 5 star review would mean I'm obsessing over the book, the characters, the story, and want to read it again. Maybe multiple times. Maybe I want to be one of the characters, or be with one of the characters or something like that.
A 4 star, in my world means that I really liked it. I just might not want to read it over and over. Or, I might not obsess much. But, a 4 star does mean that I really liked it.
And I'm going to be honest. I might actually be obsessing a tad. Because while I've read or listened to a few other books since I actually finished this one, I can't quite get Lark/Mark out of my head.
So, maybe this is more of a 4.5 star… book. :)
The world this is set in is intriguing. First, there's this overarching church presence. We only get to see that they have a significant influence (authority?) on the people of the lands. And there's this implication that there are those that are "spiritually clean" and those that aren't. And noblemen are inherently "clean" if you will. So, if any of them want to get their hands dirty so to speak, they need to have another person do their bidding.
This is where the jesters come in. It's not quite clear the extent of the duties of a jester. But it's implied that the jesters have a high level of ranking in the social structure. And are capable of carrying out unsavory tasks on behalf of the lord they are bound to. Plus they have a relatively high level of autonomy. So, are they always acting on their lord's behalf or their own?
And just how are lords and jesters bound? Well, by their souls. Through the church.
The same church that has a level of authority over the people of the land.
So, yes. This is intriguing.
Now, let's talk about these masks the jesters wear.
So, as a jester, he/she has the choice to wear a physical mask or a painted mask. And evidently, some of the physical masks are "living masks". In that, they have some sort of inherent magical qualities themselves and could affect the wearer as well.
This kind of reminds me of the horsemen masks in the Nate Temple series.
So, I'm falling in love with this weird world of enigmatic religion and political machinations.
I like not knowing who all the "good guys" are.
And I'm falling in love with Lark, and Mark. And I really don't know who I like better.
I really want to know more so I'm going to read Confidante.
I mean… beautiful.
I gave this book 4 stars.
Here's my reasoning. A 5 star review would mean I'm obsessing over the book, the characters, the story, and want to read it again. Maybe multiple times. Maybe I want to be one of the characters, or be with one of the characters or something like that.
A 4 star, in my world means that I really liked it. I just might not want to read it over and over. Or, I might not obsess much. But, a 4 star does mean that I really liked it.
And I'm going to be honest. I might actually be obsessing a tad. Because while I've read or listened to a few other books since I actually finished this one, I can't quite get Lark/Mark out of my head.
So, maybe this is more of a 4.5 star… book. :)
The world this is set in is intriguing. First, there's this overarching church presence. We only get to see that they have a significant influence (authority?) on the people of the lands. And there's this implication that there are those that are "spiritually clean" and those that aren't. And noblemen are inherently "clean" if you will. So, if any of them want to get their hands dirty so to speak, they need to have another person do their bidding.
This is where the jesters come in. It's not quite clear the extent of the duties of a jester. But it's implied that the jesters have a high level of ranking in the social structure. And are capable of carrying out unsavory tasks on behalf of the lord they are bound to. Plus they have a relatively high level of autonomy. So, are they always acting on their lord's behalf or their own?
And just how are lords and jesters bound? Well, by their souls. Through the church.
The same church that has a level of authority over the people of the land.
So, yes. This is intriguing.
Now, let's talk about these masks the jesters wear.
So, as a jester, he/she has the choice to wear a physical mask or a painted mask. And evidently, some of the physical masks are "living masks". In that, they have some sort of inherent magical qualities themselves and could affect the wearer as well.
This kind of reminds me of the horsemen masks in the Nate Temple series.
So, I'm falling in love with this weird world of enigmatic religion and political machinations.
I like not knowing who all the "good guys" are.
And I'm falling in love with Lark, and Mark. And I really don't know who I like better.
I really want to know more so I'm going to read Confidante.
August 14, 2018
In a reading world where 'genre' is the iron pillar of definition, I really didn't expect something so unique and new to get past the barriers. Getting to know the cast of characters in this book was like finding new friends in real life.
It seems that a lot of women are writing gay characters. As a gay man, that actually surprised me. After reading some of the others, I found them to be unrealistic in reflecting the challenges of being gay in a straight world, of the actual physics of gay sex especially. Not so with the men of The Lord Jester's Legacy and Masks. This was bitter love in a world that frowned on that way of life, if not finding it outright criminal. This was men discovering the capacity, need, to love other men in defiance of custom and rule. This was gritty, gripping, and showed a new world to explore!
I bought and devoured all the books in The Lord Jester's Legacy series. I'm getting ready to read The Poisoned Past series now.
I seem to have focused more on the 'gay' aspect (I hate when readers do that to my books). It's important to note that this story has a beginning, a cultural development, a character in development, a middle and an end that draws a reader into an amazing new world of intrigue, love, war, hate, betrayal, lust and a whole host of genuine human pursuits, failures and paths. It is the story itself that drew me on!
It seems that a lot of women are writing gay characters. As a gay man, that actually surprised me. After reading some of the others, I found them to be unrealistic in reflecting the challenges of being gay in a straight world, of the actual physics of gay sex especially. Not so with the men of The Lord Jester's Legacy and Masks. This was bitter love in a world that frowned on that way of life, if not finding it outright criminal. This was men discovering the capacity, need, to love other men in defiance of custom and rule. This was gritty, gripping, and showed a new world to explore!
I bought and devoured all the books in The Lord Jester's Legacy series. I'm getting ready to read The Poisoned Past series now.
I seem to have focused more on the 'gay' aspect (I hate when readers do that to my books). It's important to note that this story has a beginning, a cultural development, a character in development, a middle and an end that draws a reader into an amazing new world of intrigue, love, war, hate, betrayal, lust and a whole host of genuine human pursuits, failures and paths. It is the story itself that drew me on!
November 21, 2017
Fantasy set in a world with magical masks and people that have a kind of superpowers among ghostly voices. This was not easy to fall into the setting of the book, at first I though it was a medieval Lord and their jester/councilor in power and lots of lowly uneducated serf people. But it is more complicated and sometimes more modern world.
I can see how lots of people would drop the book in the first third. The first chapter and second have almost a ten year leap in the life of the orphaned beautiful Mark Seaton and then everything speeds up because only about 2 months pass from chapter 2 to the end. I liked the young Mark, he is a good person set into a bad situation when he becomes Lark. I wouldn't call this a 'clean' story the M/M sexy time is very vaguely described and more of an afterthought, it is very violent and characters die quickly and unexpectedly so don't get too attached to anyone but Mark.
I liked the crazy story and I'm going on to the next book to check in on Mark and his very bad situation which makes me think that my own life is very very good.
326 pages and kindle freebie, then I bought the second book because how could I not? There is a terrible cliff hanger in this one. CLIFFHANGER!
3 stars
I can see how lots of people would drop the book in the first third. The first chapter and second have almost a ten year leap in the life of the orphaned beautiful Mark Seaton and then everything speeds up because only about 2 months pass from chapter 2 to the end. I liked the young Mark, he is a good person set into a bad situation when he becomes Lark. I wouldn't call this a 'clean' story the M/M sexy time is very vaguely described and more of an afterthought, it is very violent and characters die quickly and unexpectedly so don't get too attached to anyone but Mark.
I liked the crazy story and I'm going on to the next book to check in on Mark and his very bad situation which makes me think that my own life is very very good.
326 pages and kindle freebie, then I bought the second book because how could I not? There is a terrible cliff hanger in this one. CLIFFHANGER!
3 stars
August 27, 2024
I dropped this about 48 pages in because it's like trying to walk through sludge. I kept getting lost halfway through sentences. I really don't need this much detail about building facades. The main character thinks in very indirect ways, which I guess conveys his immense shame with allowing himself to survive as Lord Argenwain's kept boy, but it's incredibly annoying. I'm very curious about Gutter, I feel like there's some good stuff hiding in this book, but I'd much rather read something else.
September 5, 2017
I found this book decent. The main character was written well, and the descriptions of individual settings/people were done nicely. However, it could have used clearer world-building as to their ... I guess I would call it "magic" system with the jester's masks. Or religion? Or... See, that's the problem. I'm not even sure what the jesters are supposed to be.
June 6, 2017
The first chapter showed promise. The middle was vague. I found that it ended stronger. Sadness that the world building wasn't fully realized. The adventure and intrigue worked well and held my interest.
June 6, 2019
Very different sort of fantasy. Complex, interesting plot, but I kept running into places where I felt I had missed something. Maybe it's just me, but those parts struck me as sketchy and lacking transitions or explanations. Also a fair number of typos, but not enough to put me off completely.
June 28, 2017
A compelling read & I bought the sequel as soon as I finished this one
October 27, 2018
Like the characters in his book, the author paints with a very rich pallet. The story pulls you in and for the first time in a very long while I found myself having a hard time setting the book down.
July 6, 2019
Too boring
I tried to read all of this book but at chapter 20 I have up. A ton of intrigue, death, wounds. The book was really boring. I have up.
I tried to read all of this book but at chapter 20 I have up. A ton of intrigue, death, wounds. The book was really boring. I have up.
December 13, 2020
I was so confused by the whole story. I also didn't care enough about the characters to try and figure it out.
September 25, 2021
I lost interest around chapter seven and skimmed through the rest to see if it was worthy. It was not.
Read
November 24, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Homomisia
Child abuse mentioned
Death of a parent
Murder
Poisoning
Fire
Homomisia
Child abuse mentioned
Death of a parent
Murder
Poisoning
Fire
January 20, 2019
It is a great book to read
May 6, 2017
Oh what a journey. Found it hard to get into, though I find some of the great MM novels I have read require persistence. The characters are interesting and well developed and looking at the fact that there is another 1000 page left in series I am hooked as to see who will still be standing at the end.
November 17, 2025
It’s been a long time since I’ve stumbled across a book that both intrigued and unsettled me in equal measure. Masks, the first in E.M. Prazeman’s fantasy trilogy, is a rich and unsettling dive into a world where morality is political currency, souls are bartered through ritual, and identity is worn, quite literally, on one's face.
From the start, I was drawn into the labyrinthine power structures and theological undercurrents of this world. The concept of jesters, elite courtiers trained in seduction, politics, and assassination felt like a compelling twist on the "loyal retainer" trope. Bound to their lords not just by service, but by soul, these figures blur the lines between autonomy and servitude in haunting ways. Their masks, some painted, some living, all significant, are both a tool and a prison, and the slow unraveling of what they really are kept me turning the pages.
Mark (or Lark, depending on which version of himself he’s forced to be) is not your standard fantasy protagonist. He’s a character who begins as powerless. Abused, isolated, and unsure, and yet his journey never feels passive. He is observant, careful, and fundamentally human. His evolution over the course of the novel is subtle but meaningful, and knowing what’s ahead in Confidante and Innocence and Silence, it’s fascinating to look back at these early steps. The complexity of his relationships, particularly with Lord Cathal and Colonel Rohn Evan adds additional weight to a story already dense with emotional and ethical tension.
The writing too, is often lyrical. There were moments where I paused just to reread a line or paragraph because of the quiet power in how it was phrased. That said, the book does show its indie roots. There are editing issues, awkward transitions, moments where clarity falters, and pacing that wobbles under the weight of its ambition. I don’t think these issues ruin the reading experience, but they do momentarily knock you out of the story, especially during emotionally intense scenes that deserved a cleaner edit.
World-building here is a bit of a double-edged blade. On one hand, I love that Prazeman doesn’t spoon-feed us details. You’re dropped into the deep end and expected to swim, and for me, that worked. The religious system, the political dynamics, the soul-binding, none of it is easy to parse, but it’s all the more rewarding for that. On the other hand, I’ll admit there were sections I had to reread just to keep track of who knew what, who was lying to whom, and what those implications really meant. Readers who need clear-cut rules or rapid payoffs may struggle.
This is not a book of easy answers or straightforward villains. What I appreciated most, though, was that even in the murk of power plays and masked intentions, there’s an earnest search for identity, love and freedom. There’s a cost to every choice in this world, often a soul-deep one, and Masks never lets you forget that.
I’ve already read books two and three, and my reviews of Confidante and Innocence and Silence will be coming soon. Suffice to say, the story only grows deeper, stranger, and more beautiful as it continues.
If you like your fantasy with court intrigue, morally tangled characters, and a touch of gothic elegance, Masks is worth the read. Just know you’ll have to work for it. But if you do? It rewards you tenfold.
From the start, I was drawn into the labyrinthine power structures and theological undercurrents of this world. The concept of jesters, elite courtiers trained in seduction, politics, and assassination felt like a compelling twist on the "loyal retainer" trope. Bound to their lords not just by service, but by soul, these figures blur the lines between autonomy and servitude in haunting ways. Their masks, some painted, some living, all significant, are both a tool and a prison, and the slow unraveling of what they really are kept me turning the pages.
Mark (or Lark, depending on which version of himself he’s forced to be) is not your standard fantasy protagonist. He’s a character who begins as powerless. Abused, isolated, and unsure, and yet his journey never feels passive. He is observant, careful, and fundamentally human. His evolution over the course of the novel is subtle but meaningful, and knowing what’s ahead in Confidante and Innocence and Silence, it’s fascinating to look back at these early steps. The complexity of his relationships, particularly with Lord Cathal and Colonel Rohn Evan adds additional weight to a story already dense with emotional and ethical tension.
The writing too, is often lyrical. There were moments where I paused just to reread a line or paragraph because of the quiet power in how it was phrased. That said, the book does show its indie roots. There are editing issues, awkward transitions, moments where clarity falters, and pacing that wobbles under the weight of its ambition. I don’t think these issues ruin the reading experience, but they do momentarily knock you out of the story, especially during emotionally intense scenes that deserved a cleaner edit.
World-building here is a bit of a double-edged blade. On one hand, I love that Prazeman doesn’t spoon-feed us details. You’re dropped into the deep end and expected to swim, and for me, that worked. The religious system, the political dynamics, the soul-binding, none of it is easy to parse, but it’s all the more rewarding for that. On the other hand, I’ll admit there were sections I had to reread just to keep track of who knew what, who was lying to whom, and what those implications really meant. Readers who need clear-cut rules or rapid payoffs may struggle.
This is not a book of easy answers or straightforward villains. What I appreciated most, though, was that even in the murk of power plays and masked intentions, there’s an earnest search for identity, love and freedom. There’s a cost to every choice in this world, often a soul-deep one, and Masks never lets you forget that.
I’ve already read books two and three, and my reviews of Confidante and Innocence and Silence will be coming soon. Suffice to say, the story only grows deeper, stranger, and more beautiful as it continues.
If you like your fantasy with court intrigue, morally tangled characters, and a touch of gothic elegance, Masks is worth the read. Just know you’ll have to work for it. But if you do? It rewards you tenfold.
July 10, 2015
I first ran across this book when I was working the NIWA table in the dealers' room at NorWesCon 2015, and fell in love with the gorgeous, intriguing cover. I had to run home and buy a Kindle download, and was I ever glad I did. Masks, book 1 in the Lord Jester's Legacy series by E.M. Prazeman is my kind of book--full of compelling characters and vivid settings.
But First, THE BLURB:
When Mark Seaton's father disappears and his mother is murdered, he becomes a pawn in a deadly world of nobles, masked courtiers, and mysterious beings that whisper in his mind.
The only way a pawn can survive is to gain position and power.
The only way Mark Seaton can be free, is to become a player.
MY REVIEW:
Mark Seton is a terrific character. Abused, and unsure of himself, Mark does something he knows is dangerous and fool-hardy, embarking a journey that is fraught with peril, some clear and some hidden.
As his alter-ego, Lark, Mark has courage and strength. But in order to bring Lark's true powers to fruition, Mark must decide who he is, and grasp that chance, despite the fact that it will both make and destroy him.
The other characters are well conceived--Lord Jester Gutter is intriguing and sinister. Obsidian is also a mystery--Colonel Rohn Evan is confusing, hard to know, yet compelling. You like and dislike him. The motives of the players are never what they appear.
The setting is rich, opulent and slightly degenerate. The underlying themes of this book bode well for the rest of the series, as do the characters that were introduced.
If this book has a flaw it is in the proof-reading. It is clearly an indie production, editorially. But the characters and the story drew me back in every time I was knocked out of my reading reverie by a glaring cut & paste error, or some other thing that could have been caught before publication. That is the ONLY reason this book is getting 4 stars instead of 5.
I am definitely buying the next installment on this series, Confidante. I must say, Prazeman's covers are good representations of what lies within.
But First, THE BLURB:
When Mark Seaton's father disappears and his mother is murdered, he becomes a pawn in a deadly world of nobles, masked courtiers, and mysterious beings that whisper in his mind.
The only way a pawn can survive is to gain position and power.
The only way Mark Seaton can be free, is to become a player.
MY REVIEW:
Mark Seton is a terrific character. Abused, and unsure of himself, Mark does something he knows is dangerous and fool-hardy, embarking a journey that is fraught with peril, some clear and some hidden.
As his alter-ego, Lark, Mark has courage and strength. But in order to bring Lark's true powers to fruition, Mark must decide who he is, and grasp that chance, despite the fact that it will both make and destroy him.
The other characters are well conceived--Lord Jester Gutter is intriguing and sinister. Obsidian is also a mystery--Colonel Rohn Evan is confusing, hard to know, yet compelling. You like and dislike him. The motives of the players are never what they appear.
The setting is rich, opulent and slightly degenerate. The underlying themes of this book bode well for the rest of the series, as do the characters that were introduced.
If this book has a flaw it is in the proof-reading. It is clearly an indie production, editorially. But the characters and the story drew me back in every time I was knocked out of my reading reverie by a glaring cut & paste error, or some other thing that could have been caught before publication. That is the ONLY reason this book is getting 4 stars instead of 5.
I am definitely buying the next installment on this series, Confidante. I must say, Prazeman's covers are good representations of what lies within.
April 1, 2015
This is a book about political intrigue and a boy who's forced into the middle of it against his will. Despite his disinterest, once he's trained, he can't help himself but do the job, and do it well.
The intrigue in this book went way over my head. I could feel it there, but I'm not the type to really grasp that sort of thing. It does do a great job of showing a boy in a world of suck who becomes a young man in a world of suck. Mark is highly believable and he's tortured in such delightful ways. His relationships are complex enough that I almost needed a chart to follow them all.
I understand this is part of a series, so I'm not surprised some of the mysterious elements aren't explained, yet I feel that this book doesn't stand on its own. It seems like Part 1 of a miniseries, where you can get into it, but need the rest of the Parts to actually understand the story. It reminds me of the Hobbit movies in that respect.
Magic is minimal and reserved for elite groups, so one shouldn't go into this expecting to see fireballs flung around. It's delicate and subtle, and not well understood by the characters. In fairness, I didn't really understand it, either. The masks are 'alive', the jesters somehow all have dual personalities except for when they don't, and there are soul bindings and healings. Much of the magic seems to be tied up with the prevailing religion. That religion is similar enough to Christianity prior to the Reformation that I failed to see any significant differences beyond the words used.
Overall, the prose is pleasant without being compelling or demanding, and I found this a good, solid read. I recommend it for literary fantasy readers, those who want the politics and characters and relationships without a lot of messy fighting and action.
The intrigue in this book went way over my head. I could feel it there, but I'm not the type to really grasp that sort of thing. It does do a great job of showing a boy in a world of suck who becomes a young man in a world of suck. Mark is highly believable and he's tortured in such delightful ways. His relationships are complex enough that I almost needed a chart to follow them all.
I understand this is part of a series, so I'm not surprised some of the mysterious elements aren't explained, yet I feel that this book doesn't stand on its own. It seems like Part 1 of a miniseries, where you can get into it, but need the rest of the Parts to actually understand the story. It reminds me of the Hobbit movies in that respect.
Magic is minimal and reserved for elite groups, so one shouldn't go into this expecting to see fireballs flung around. It's delicate and subtle, and not well understood by the characters. In fairness, I didn't really understand it, either. The masks are 'alive', the jesters somehow all have dual personalities except for when they don't, and there are soul bindings and healings. Much of the magic seems to be tied up with the prevailing religion. That religion is similar enough to Christianity prior to the Reformation that I failed to see any significant differences beyond the words used.
Overall, the prose is pleasant without being compelling or demanding, and I found this a good, solid read. I recommend it for literary fantasy readers, those who want the politics and characters and relationships without a lot of messy fighting and action.
March 10, 2015
Reading the first pages I was a little bit confused: A lot of new terms, a location which I had to imagine in my "mental cinema" at first and a kind of different world with different religion, laws etc.
But isn't the beginning every fantasy novel the same procedure? Getting familiar with the characters, surroundings etc.? I allowed me enough time to step into the story and I was rewarded. The story offered me a very tricky constructed plot with more secrets appearing on every page. Ok, if you want to enjoy this book you have to read carefully and you have to think on your own. Just sitting there and consuming words would not be satisfying. I was more than once surprised when I put some pieces of the puzzle together. And sometimes it's just more interesting what is NOT told. The author uses subtle hints and there's enough room for your own imagination. At last there are enough action scenes with very detailed descriptions. And even emotions and love aren't neglected (especially not if you’re able to read between the lines).
If you prefer a literary multi-course dinner rather than readable fast food you definitely should read it. Do you know these puzzle games on the computer where you have to fulfill a quest which is only possible by collecting tiny hints? If you like these games you will love the book. I do.
But isn't the beginning every fantasy novel the same procedure? Getting familiar with the characters, surroundings etc.? I allowed me enough time to step into the story and I was rewarded. The story offered me a very tricky constructed plot with more secrets appearing on every page. Ok, if you want to enjoy this book you have to read carefully and you have to think on your own. Just sitting there and consuming words would not be satisfying. I was more than once surprised when I put some pieces of the puzzle together. And sometimes it's just more interesting what is NOT told. The author uses subtle hints and there's enough room for your own imagination. At last there are enough action scenes with very detailed descriptions. And even emotions and love aren't neglected (especially not if you’re able to read between the lines).
If you prefer a literary multi-course dinner rather than readable fast food you definitely should read it. Do you know these puzzle games on the computer where you have to fulfill a quest which is only possible by collecting tiny hints? If you like these games you will love the book. I do.
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