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Ecko
Ecko Burning
"Marks Ware as one to Watch" - The Independent on Sunday The Bard is gone, and with him Ecko's only possible way home. Told the grasslands are diseased and the blight is spreading, his companions demand his help. Together they seek weapons in a ruined city where both nightmare and hideous truth await them. Ruthless and ambitious, Lord Phylos has control of Fhaveon city, and is using its forces to bring the plains under his command. Back in London, the Bard is offered the opportunity to realise everything he has ever wanted - if he will give up his soul. As the blight spreads, Phylos's brutality escalates. When the people's anger finally erupts, the force of the violence threatens to destroy everything. Praise for Ecko "A thrilling, genre-defying roller coaster ride." Library Journal (starred review) "Ware's writing style is a joy to read... long may Ecko rise." Starburst "Ecko Rising messes with your head in unexpected and exciting ways." Mike Carey, author of the Felix Castor series "I motored through this book. It's a page turner and I'll be getting hold of the next one." Neal Asher, author of the Agent Cormac series "The best debut novel I've read in years." Andy Remic, author of Spiral "Science fiction with the safety catch off. I hope she never runs out of ammunition." Adam Nevill, author of Apartment 16
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
473 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2013
9 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Danie Ware
59 books205 followersAuthor of the Ecko trilogy (CyberPunk/Fantasy mashup) and Children of Artifice (queer science fantasy). Writer of Sisters of Battle (and other things) for WarHammer 40k, Judge Anderson for Rebellion, Twilight Imperium for Aconyte Books, and numerous short stories.
Reader, writer, crusader geek, re-enactor (retired) and role-player. After seventeen years conjuring PR, events and social media for Forbidden Planet (London) Ltd, you can now find me in the Manga/GNs at Waterstones Piccadilly.
Follow me on most Social Media channels as @Danacea
Reader, writer, crusader geek, re-enactor (retired) and role-player. After seventeen years conjuring PR, events and social media for Forbidden Planet (London) Ltd, you can now find me in the Manga/GNs at Waterstones Piccadilly.
Follow me on most Social Media channels as @Danacea
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 18, 2013
At the tail end of 2012 I read Danie Ware’s debut, Ecko Rising. I’d heard lots of good buzz surrounding the novel but nothing could have adequately prepared me for the marvellous mash up of science fiction and high fantasy that it turned out to be. The sequel is now upon us and the good news is that it’s just as good, if not better, than its predecessor.
Ecko begins book two still firmly stuck in a reality not his own. Used to bustling London streets, he’s still unsure about the fantastical realm he has found himself in. Part of him wants to believe that this strange new world holds a place for him while another voice in his head remains convinced that this is all some elaborate virtual Rorschach test.
I love Ecko, he’s a wonderful creation. His worldview, irrespective of which world he happens to be in, is always slightly skewed. Add to that his naturally sardonic attitude and you have a protagonist who is consistently readable. Ware constantly explores Ecko’s fragile mental state and this makes for some truly eventful moments. You never know quite what way he is going to jump next. Unpredictable doesn’t even begin to cover it.
One of my favourite characters from book one also returns. Rhan’s continued journey is that of the damaged hero, lost but seeking some form of ultimate redemption. The aftermath of events in Ecko Rising have left Rhan all but destroyed. He has finally reached rock bottom and can go no lower. Like Ecko, Rhan is filled with many failings and much self-doubt. Can Rhan finally manage to overcome his own weaknesses and become the hero that he used to be? I’ve said this before and I’ll mention it again, I adore flawed characters. There is something fascinating about watching someone unravel as their own actions slowly break them apart. It’s in this that Ware’s writing really excels. You genuinely feel like you are getting under the skin of all of her characters.
The major villain of the piece, Lord Phylos, initially comes across as a self-appointed saviour of the people, but as the plot unfolds he reveals his true colours. He attempts to orchestrate a bloody revolution on the streets of Fhaveon to further his own devious schemes. When his carefully constructed plans are suddenly pushed to the fore there are some nicely shocking revelations. The inevitable showdown between Phylos and Rhan is marvelously tense stuff.
One of the things I really hoped for, after reading Ecko Rising, was that future books would cover more about what’s going on back in London. The goods news it that Ms Ware has read my mind on that score. There are a couple of interludes dotted throughout the main narrative of Ecko Burning that follow the Bard as he finds himself on London’s unfamiliar futuristic streets. His meeting with Ecko’s Mom is a particular highlight and leaves him fundamentally changed forever. A fantasy character thrust into a world of advanced technology acts as a perfect counterpoint to what’s going on elsewhere in the story. It’s always struck me that blending together differing genres successfully is one of the trickiest tasks, but this author handles it with a natural aplomb.
This novel proves, if proof were needed, that Danie Ware knows her stuff when it comes to crafting genre fiction that manages to be action packed one moment and thoughtfully insightful the next. She has successfully expanded on the dizzying promise shown in book one, and I’m already excited about the prospect of where Ecko and friends will end up next. Bring on book three, immediately if at all possible?*
Ecko Burning is published by Titan Books on 25th October. If you’ve read and enjoyed Ecko Rising I can’t recommend this sequel highly enough. Well worth seeking out.
* I’m sorry patience is not always my strong point. I need to know what happens NOW dammit.
Ecko begins book two still firmly stuck in a reality not his own. Used to bustling London streets, he’s still unsure about the fantastical realm he has found himself in. Part of him wants to believe that this strange new world holds a place for him while another voice in his head remains convinced that this is all some elaborate virtual Rorschach test.
I love Ecko, he’s a wonderful creation. His worldview, irrespective of which world he happens to be in, is always slightly skewed. Add to that his naturally sardonic attitude and you have a protagonist who is consistently readable. Ware constantly explores Ecko’s fragile mental state and this makes for some truly eventful moments. You never know quite what way he is going to jump next. Unpredictable doesn’t even begin to cover it.
One of my favourite characters from book one also returns. Rhan’s continued journey is that of the damaged hero, lost but seeking some form of ultimate redemption. The aftermath of events in Ecko Rising have left Rhan all but destroyed. He has finally reached rock bottom and can go no lower. Like Ecko, Rhan is filled with many failings and much self-doubt. Can Rhan finally manage to overcome his own weaknesses and become the hero that he used to be? I’ve said this before and I’ll mention it again, I adore flawed characters. There is something fascinating about watching someone unravel as their own actions slowly break them apart. It’s in this that Ware’s writing really excels. You genuinely feel like you are getting under the skin of all of her characters.
The major villain of the piece, Lord Phylos, initially comes across as a self-appointed saviour of the people, but as the plot unfolds he reveals his true colours. He attempts to orchestrate a bloody revolution on the streets of Fhaveon to further his own devious schemes. When his carefully constructed plans are suddenly pushed to the fore there are some nicely shocking revelations. The inevitable showdown between Phylos and Rhan is marvelously tense stuff.
One of the things I really hoped for, after reading Ecko Rising, was that future books would cover more about what’s going on back in London. The goods news it that Ms Ware has read my mind on that score. There are a couple of interludes dotted throughout the main narrative of Ecko Burning that follow the Bard as he finds himself on London’s unfamiliar futuristic streets. His meeting with Ecko’s Mom is a particular highlight and leaves him fundamentally changed forever. A fantasy character thrust into a world of advanced technology acts as a perfect counterpoint to what’s going on elsewhere in the story. It’s always struck me that blending together differing genres successfully is one of the trickiest tasks, but this author handles it with a natural aplomb.
This novel proves, if proof were needed, that Danie Ware knows her stuff when it comes to crafting genre fiction that manages to be action packed one moment and thoughtfully insightful the next. She has successfully expanded on the dizzying promise shown in book one, and I’m already excited about the prospect of where Ecko and friends will end up next. Bring on book three, immediately if at all possible?*
Ecko Burning is published by Titan Books on 25th October. If you’ve read and enjoyed Ecko Rising I can’t recommend this sequel highly enough. Well worth seeking out.
* I’m sorry patience is not always my strong point. I need to know what happens NOW dammit.
April 1, 2015
Danie Ware's accomplished debut, Ecko Rising, was a sweary, bloody, highly entertaining and surprising mash-up of fantasy and SF that tipped its hat to Tolkien and gaming with equal cheeky irreverence. The sequel, Ecko Burning, ratchets up the tension a notch tighter, brimming over with political intrigue and violence, and hinted at a deeper twisted truth that underpins the entire plot of the trilogy.
Ecko has lost the Wanderer, the dimension hopping tavern he fell into at the beginning of his journey. Without it, he can see no way to break out of the programme he believes himself to be trapped in, to find his way back to his version of a corrupt and decaying London. Send with his companions by a manipulative Lord to retrieve a weapon from a city full of impossible creatures, Ecko begins to wonder about the nature of the reality around him. How can he believe in the world, when he can't even believe in himself?
The trade cycles of the Varchinde are explored in more depth here, as Phylos is usurper twists them to his advantage, and it's to Ware's credit that the complex economic cycles of the Varchinde are both logical and , crucially, not dull, vital as they are to the plot. We don't see as much of London this time around, and when we do it's through the eyes of the Bard, a man falling in the opposite direction to Ecko, who is willing to give up his soul to save his dying world, and willing to force Ecko into being the hero he denies he wants to be.
The book is action packed, with barely room for the characters to take a breath between sequences, and Ware's love of gaming is still to the fore - there were places where I could see the book playing out as a game. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make for the occasional predictable plot twists. But there are touching moments too, poignant breaths between the action and the low-flying gore. And one of the elements I particularly liked was that Ware lets her older characters, and the ones that aren't all-action heroes, play a crucial role. It's not all about enhanced Ecko and the bang-bang-bang. But when it is, it's inevitably explosive.
A fine follow-up to an excellent debut, with rip-roaring action and a satisfyingly bloody climax. It's hard to see how Ware will up the ante for Ecko Endgame, but it'll be fun to see her take it on.
Ecko has lost the Wanderer, the dimension hopping tavern he fell into at the beginning of his journey. Without it, he can see no way to break out of the programme he believes himself to be trapped in, to find his way back to his version of a corrupt and decaying London. Send with his companions by a manipulative Lord to retrieve a weapon from a city full of impossible creatures, Ecko begins to wonder about the nature of the reality around him. How can he believe in the world, when he can't even believe in himself?
The trade cycles of the Varchinde are explored in more depth here, as Phylos is usurper twists them to his advantage, and it's to Ware's credit that the complex economic cycles of the Varchinde are both logical and , crucially, not dull, vital as they are to the plot. We don't see as much of London this time around, and when we do it's through the eyes of the Bard, a man falling in the opposite direction to Ecko, who is willing to give up his soul to save his dying world, and willing to force Ecko into being the hero he denies he wants to be.
The book is action packed, with barely room for the characters to take a breath between sequences, and Ware's love of gaming is still to the fore - there were places where I could see the book playing out as a game. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make for the occasional predictable plot twists. But there are touching moments too, poignant breaths between the action and the low-flying gore. And one of the elements I particularly liked was that Ware lets her older characters, and the ones that aren't all-action heroes, play a crucial role. It's not all about enhanced Ecko and the bang-bang-bang. But when it is, it's inevitably explosive.
A fine follow-up to an excellent debut, with rip-roaring action and a satisfyingly bloody climax. It's hard to see how Ware will up the ante for Ecko Endgame, but it'll be fun to see her take it on.
April 28, 2015
Ecko just makes my head spin.
Following on from the wonderful Ecko Rising, 'Burning' carries the story onwards with an urgency and vigour that just won't stop. What could have been a very uncomfortable mix of cyperpunk and time of yore fantasy is made to feel utterly correct, all the while the main character is struggling with what is reality. Is he experiencing a bizarre test? Is this a dream or hallucination? Is this all actually real? From the readers perspective, we have a better idea.
The action that takes place is always well paced and the narrative is filled with a subtle tension on every page. You just never know when the cymbal crash will cause the spike and something nasty jumps out at you from the darkness.
Another point that I was very fond of was the fragility of all of the characters. No matter who they were they had their issues, often unexplored, which colour what they do. All of them have that moment where they have to face their own personal demon, some with violence and action, others simply in their own minds but these do provide a deeper tone to all of them.
But fragility doesn't stop there.
These characters aren't superhuman. They aren't immortal. They can die and this fact infuses everything with more significance.
I was lucky enough to hear the author read the opening on her third novel in this series and it's release can't come fast enough.
Certainly worth a read.
Following on from the wonderful Ecko Rising, 'Burning' carries the story onwards with an urgency and vigour that just won't stop. What could have been a very uncomfortable mix of cyperpunk and time of yore fantasy is made to feel utterly correct, all the while the main character is struggling with what is reality. Is he experiencing a bizarre test? Is this a dream or hallucination? Is this all actually real? From the readers perspective, we have a better idea.
The action that takes place is always well paced and the narrative is filled with a subtle tension on every page. You just never know when the cymbal crash will cause the spike and something nasty jumps out at you from the darkness.
Another point that I was very fond of was the fragility of all of the characters. No matter who they were they had their issues, often unexplored, which colour what they do. All of them have that moment where they have to face their own personal demon, some with violence and action, others simply in their own minds but these do provide a deeper tone to all of them.
But fragility doesn't stop there.
These characters aren't superhuman. They aren't immortal. They can die and this fact infuses everything with more significance.
I was lucky enough to hear the author read the opening on her third novel in this series and it's release can't come fast enough.
Certainly worth a read.
July 9, 2014
Outstanding follow-up. Great action sequences with a great story bridge to the third book. If you like fast moving fantasy & "Snow Crash," by Neil Stephenson this will definitely be your cup of tea!
June 12, 2014
I’ll admit that when I first read Ecko Rising, the first in a series of science fiction/fantasy books by Danie Ware, I was a little confused. Was it science fiction? Was it fantasy? It turns out that the story Ware is weaving is both. Taking place in a future dystopian version of our world, as well as a world straight out of something similar to that in A Song of Ice and Fire, Ecko Rising and its sequel, Ecko Burning, are a perfect mash-up of the two genres.
My review of Ecko Rising is a positive one. I really liked that book. However, I feel like the second book in the series, Ecko Burning, even more. Both books tell us about a strange little man named Ecko, a once-human who seems to have been modified to the gills with computer technology, so much so, that he doesn’t remember his normal human life. He comes from a dystopian London, but somehow winds up getting trapped in a fantasy world full of beasts like minotaurs. In Ecko Burning, though, Ecko has completely shut down again, attempting to convince himself that this fantasy world is just something someone named Eliza has constructed like a video game for him. So he rebels and refuses to play. He can be a selfish little twit at times and that comes across a lot in the new book.
You would think that would be a turn-off: a major character who isn’t really always likable, not even a little bit. However, that’s balanced out by the other characters, who are featured a lot more predominantly in the new book. I particularly like Triqueta, a warrior woman who had the unfortunate circumstance of gaining a few years and got older in the course of a few minutes in the last book. I love her spirit and her willingness (although her new older body isn’t so willing) to charge straight into the lion’s den. She has to, because her world is about to be destroyed by a terrible god-like being and a blight that is only growing.
The other characters are also held up more to the light. I won’t run through a list, though, because if you’ve read the first book, there’s still a few characters who may or may not have survived. But we grow attached to these characters more in this book. This obviously means that you might as well prepare yourself for some George R.R. Martin moments, though, although Ware doesn’t necessarily kill off characters. Oh no, Ware understands that there are far worse things than death.
I found Ecko Burning impossible to put down. Like the previous book, it’s very nearly non-stop action. And once I got to the end, I wanted more, especially since it ended on a mysterious note. I definitely recommend both books for those readers who want something a little different.
My review of Ecko Rising is a positive one. I really liked that book. However, I feel like the second book in the series, Ecko Burning, even more. Both books tell us about a strange little man named Ecko, a once-human who seems to have been modified to the gills with computer technology, so much so, that he doesn’t remember his normal human life. He comes from a dystopian London, but somehow winds up getting trapped in a fantasy world full of beasts like minotaurs. In Ecko Burning, though, Ecko has completely shut down again, attempting to convince himself that this fantasy world is just something someone named Eliza has constructed like a video game for him. So he rebels and refuses to play. He can be a selfish little twit at times and that comes across a lot in the new book.
You would think that would be a turn-off: a major character who isn’t really always likable, not even a little bit. However, that’s balanced out by the other characters, who are featured a lot more predominantly in the new book. I particularly like Triqueta, a warrior woman who had the unfortunate circumstance of gaining a few years and got older in the course of a few minutes in the last book. I love her spirit and her willingness (although her new older body isn’t so willing) to charge straight into the lion’s den. She has to, because her world is about to be destroyed by a terrible god-like being and a blight that is only growing.
The other characters are also held up more to the light. I won’t run through a list, though, because if you’ve read the first book, there’s still a few characters who may or may not have survived. But we grow attached to these characters more in this book. This obviously means that you might as well prepare yourself for some George R.R. Martin moments, though, although Ware doesn’t necessarily kill off characters. Oh no, Ware understands that there are far worse things than death.
I found Ecko Burning impossible to put down. Like the previous book, it’s very nearly non-stop action. And once I got to the end, I wanted more, especially since it ended on a mysterious note. I definitely recommend both books for those readers who want something a little different.
December 6, 2014
Not quite as good as the first in the series, but still intriguing. I'm definitely sticking with this to the end.
April 6, 2020
Wow. I was so confused most of the time but was tossed along for the ride regardless! I must find the rest of this series!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews