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Chronicles of Ara #2
Perdition
Author Mary Shelley encounters the inspiration of the corrupt muse, Ara, and the birth of "Frankenstein" will forever challenge the worlds of art and invention. Two centuries later, the Apocalypse continues as man is betrayed by his greatest creation: his art. As X's prophecy of the world's return to dragon-scorched earth looms ever-closer, the demon Beleth, king of hell, senses a new opportunity.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 19, 2016
Chronicles of Ara: Perdition is magical! I haven't actually read the first book of the series, but I did read the synopsis. As an avid reader I felt I caught up in the first few chapters, which were amazingly written. The book gave off a spooky, mysterious, and fantasy feeling that I just wanted to dive into.
This team of authors did an awesome job! The book was consistent the whole time. I was never left confused. I enjoyed the images that were included with some of the chapters. Personally, I feel that many fantasy readers would love Chronicles of Ara: Perdition and the rest of the series. I will make sure to re-read this book after I read the first book of Chronicles of Ara! Five Stars!
This team of authors did an awesome job! The book was consistent the whole time. I was never left confused. I enjoyed the images that were included with some of the chapters. Personally, I feel that many fantasy readers would love Chronicles of Ara: Perdition and the rest of the series. I will make sure to re-read this book after I read the first book of Chronicles of Ara! Five Stars!
March 13, 2016
I have noted that there are certain pursuits, like skiing, piloting small aircraft, sailboat racing, and living in rainy places like the Pacific Northwest (or the Lower Mainland, as we in B.C. call it) where the weather makes the usual experience so ghastly that when you finally hit a beautiful day, you enjoy it inordinately. I admit to a certain degree of this Stockholm syndrome effect while reading this book.
What Have We Here?
This is not a novel. It is part two in what promises to be an eight-part literary puzzle, the achievement of which will, in the words of one of the authors, “change perspectives, and by extension contribute to a new understanding and appreciation of free expression and tolerance.”
Though not without merit, this work does not live up to such hype. True, it is creative, complex, and at times entertaining. It plays clever games with the nature of the boundaries between the artist and the story. It weaves a huge number of plot threads together, jumping often through time, space, and other dimensions. But it is not a work of “artistic and illuminating brilliance,” as one of the reviews in the front material suggests. There are simply too many flaws. Its strength is that, like many non-realistic works of art, it stimulates the imaginations of people who put more of their own creativity into the experience than the story provides. It is to this audience that the book appeals.
The Story
This work is based on a Da-Vinci-Code-type theory that famous works of art have hidden codes in them, sending a message to the intellectual elite of the future. Writers such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Lewis Carroll, and Mary Shelley parade through, masquerading as characters. The hook is that this novel has secret messages that the elite of today’s world may discover if they are clever enough to unravel them. Unfortunately, there is a grave suspicion here that, in truth, the Emperor may not be fully clothed.
The Nature of a Puzzle
In this respect, “Perdition” and its companions are like really, really difficult New York Times Saturday Crosswords. But the New York Times Crosswords have an editor who can aim the difficulty of the puzzle directly at a known audience and weed out all the mistakes that same audience is intelligent and experienced enough to recognize. This book needs a bunch of that kind of help. I can see the authors saying to each other “Why would we need an editor? We can edit each other’s work.” Big mistake.
At the beginning of a puzzle, the author knows everything and the readers know nothing. The author has to tread the fine line of giving readers just enough information to figure things out for ourselves, but not so much that we get bored.
The big challenge with a novel is to keep readers persuaded: first, that we have a chance to solve at least part of the mystery; second, that the author isn’t cheating and third; that the answer at the end is worth the effort. We have to care enough about the ideas presented to do all the work required to discover them.
What is Cheating?
Apropos of the last two, any student of politics understands obfuscation for the sake of hiding the fact that you have nothing to say. If an author obscures meaning through poor syntax and faulty paragraphing of dialogue (denying the reader information about which character speaks which line) this makes the reader suspicious of the author’s intentions and abilities. When you’re breaking the big rules, you must be scrupulous in following the little ones, or all your cleverness is suspect.
It’s a real bonus if the clues we are given grab our imaginations and the answers are witty or revealing. And somewhere in the puzzle we need to connect with a few characters.
All of these flaws lead us to wonder whether the authors are writing this book as an intellectual exercise for their own benefit, and whether they really care to connect with their readers. Then, no matter how much we respect the authors for their intelligence, their creativity, and the incredible amount of work they put into their art, we are not inclined to go along with them. Especially for eight volumes before we reach a doubtful conclusion.
Recommended
For readers who love literary puzzles at the New-York-Times-Saturday-Crossword level: for jaded readers who are tired of always knowing what will happen next.
I do not recommend this book for average readers looking for a narrative-style novel. Doing so would lead to a bunch of one- and two-star reviews that the book does not deserve.
What Have We Here?
This is not a novel. It is part two in what promises to be an eight-part literary puzzle, the achievement of which will, in the words of one of the authors, “change perspectives, and by extension contribute to a new understanding and appreciation of free expression and tolerance.”
Though not without merit, this work does not live up to such hype. True, it is creative, complex, and at times entertaining. It plays clever games with the nature of the boundaries between the artist and the story. It weaves a huge number of plot threads together, jumping often through time, space, and other dimensions. But it is not a work of “artistic and illuminating brilliance,” as one of the reviews in the front material suggests. There are simply too many flaws. Its strength is that, like many non-realistic works of art, it stimulates the imaginations of people who put more of their own creativity into the experience than the story provides. It is to this audience that the book appeals.
The Story
This work is based on a Da-Vinci-Code-type theory that famous works of art have hidden codes in them, sending a message to the intellectual elite of the future. Writers such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Lewis Carroll, and Mary Shelley parade through, masquerading as characters. The hook is that this novel has secret messages that the elite of today’s world may discover if they are clever enough to unravel them. Unfortunately, there is a grave suspicion here that, in truth, the Emperor may not be fully clothed.
The Nature of a Puzzle
In this respect, “Perdition” and its companions are like really, really difficult New York Times Saturday Crosswords. But the New York Times Crosswords have an editor who can aim the difficulty of the puzzle directly at a known audience and weed out all the mistakes that same audience is intelligent and experienced enough to recognize. This book needs a bunch of that kind of help. I can see the authors saying to each other “Why would we need an editor? We can edit each other’s work.” Big mistake.
At the beginning of a puzzle, the author knows everything and the readers know nothing. The author has to tread the fine line of giving readers just enough information to figure things out for ourselves, but not so much that we get bored.
The big challenge with a novel is to keep readers persuaded: first, that we have a chance to solve at least part of the mystery; second, that the author isn’t cheating and third; that the answer at the end is worth the effort. We have to care enough about the ideas presented to do all the work required to discover them.
What is Cheating?
Apropos of the last two, any student of politics understands obfuscation for the sake of hiding the fact that you have nothing to say. If an author obscures meaning through poor syntax and faulty paragraphing of dialogue (denying the reader information about which character speaks which line) this makes the reader suspicious of the author’s intentions and abilities. When you’re breaking the big rules, you must be scrupulous in following the little ones, or all your cleverness is suspect.
It’s a real bonus if the clues we are given grab our imaginations and the answers are witty or revealing. And somewhere in the puzzle we need to connect with a few characters.
All of these flaws lead us to wonder whether the authors are writing this book as an intellectual exercise for their own benefit, and whether they really care to connect with their readers. Then, no matter how much we respect the authors for their intelligence, their creativity, and the incredible amount of work they put into their art, we are not inclined to go along with them. Especially for eight volumes before we reach a doubtful conclusion.
Recommended
For readers who love literary puzzles at the New-York-Times-Saturday-Crossword level: for jaded readers who are tired of always knowing what will happen next.
I do not recommend this book for average readers looking for a narrative-style novel. Doing so would lead to a bunch of one- and two-star reviews that the book does not deserve.
March 2, 2016
I'm going to do some things here I hardly ever do. First, I'm going to review a book. Actually, a series. Second, I'm going to go with the choir in my overall review of these "Chronicles of Ara" books which may be, and I really hope this changes, the most unsung novels I've read in years. I'm also flustered by the lack of attention so far (though Ovation TV had the sense to announce an 8-hour miniseries based on these first two books), but I hope this is just a matter of time. Others have said this also, but if this series sustains we may be seeing something in the making that just may join or even rival "Dune," "Foundation," "Harry Potter," "Lord of the Rings" and "Game of Thrones" in terms of influence and and breadth of storytelling. I'm not kidding, and I hope others don't pounce on the comment. However, note that "The Chronicles of Ara," which is more alt-historic fantasy, bears no resemblance to these books at all aside from genre.
I read a lot of SF and fantasy and for now I put "The Chronicles of Ara: Creation" and "The Chronicles of Ara: Perdition" on a shelf with Erikson's "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series, Carey's "Kushiel" saga and as someone said on amazon the works of Patrick Rothfuss, in terms of my personal favorites that I think may become future classics. I'm not a reviewer, just a fan who's been reading this stuff for most of my 63 years.
We're two in now and Ara, the corrupted muse of the title who inspires the entirety of man-made art, is well on her way to regressing (maybe "rewinding" is a better word) the universe to her whim. She desperately wants to alter space and time to return to the side of her deceased mortal love, Eron, a dragonslayer who turned his weapon upon himself during a fierce dragonswarm. But she has no physical power; she can only influence. To get to where she misguidedly strives to be, she has negatively influenced all of human creation, which in turn has influenced cultures and wars that will ultimately lead to the end of the world. Or a new beginning depending on Ara's perspective.
There is nothing derivative about this series so far. I love how authors Joel Eisenberg and Stephen Hillard weave the works and lives of many science fiction and horror authors as characters here. Tolkien, Mary Shelley and Lewis Carroll so far. Because, as said in these novels, as these writers "trolled" (a word used by Eisenberg and Hillard which is so fitting here) within the dark side of human nature more than most, their works hold the key to man's ultimate outcome - an outcome manipulated by this muse who is, in effect, a young heartbroken child who really has no clue where to go.
Praise aside, this isn't light reading. The books shift time periods and get pretty philosophical. They are smart as hell, that's something you rarely see to this extent, and they make you think.
So, overall, brilliant but not for the beach. For those with some stamina, however, this is a series and a concept that should be seriously discussed in schools and looked at for major literary prizes in the future.
I cannot wait for the third volume.
I read a lot of SF and fantasy and for now I put "The Chronicles of Ara: Creation" and "The Chronicles of Ara: Perdition" on a shelf with Erikson's "Malazan Book of the Fallen" series, Carey's "Kushiel" saga and as someone said on amazon the works of Patrick Rothfuss, in terms of my personal favorites that I think may become future classics. I'm not a reviewer, just a fan who's been reading this stuff for most of my 63 years.
We're two in now and Ara, the corrupted muse of the title who inspires the entirety of man-made art, is well on her way to regressing (maybe "rewinding" is a better word) the universe to her whim. She desperately wants to alter space and time to return to the side of her deceased mortal love, Eron, a dragonslayer who turned his weapon upon himself during a fierce dragonswarm. But she has no physical power; she can only influence. To get to where she misguidedly strives to be, she has negatively influenced all of human creation, which in turn has influenced cultures and wars that will ultimately lead to the end of the world. Or a new beginning depending on Ara's perspective.
There is nothing derivative about this series so far. I love how authors Joel Eisenberg and Stephen Hillard weave the works and lives of many science fiction and horror authors as characters here. Tolkien, Mary Shelley and Lewis Carroll so far. Because, as said in these novels, as these writers "trolled" (a word used by Eisenberg and Hillard which is so fitting here) within the dark side of human nature more than most, their works hold the key to man's ultimate outcome - an outcome manipulated by this muse who is, in effect, a young heartbroken child who really has no clue where to go.
Praise aside, this isn't light reading. The books shift time periods and get pretty philosophical. They are smart as hell, that's something you rarely see to this extent, and they make you think.
So, overall, brilliant but not for the beach. For those with some stamina, however, this is a series and a concept that should be seriously discussed in schools and looked at for major literary prizes in the future.
I cannot wait for the third volume.
March 4, 2016
The muse Ara lost a dragon rider that she loved a long time ago. She wants to bring back the time of dragons hoping to be reunited with her lost love, dragonslayer Eron. But she cannot directly affect events, she can only inspire man. Ara has been having different artists through time put complex mathematical codes into their works of art. This time we see how Ara has affected Mary Shelley and the Frankenstein story and other artists.
This is an amazing story. There is so much going on and I love how Mary Shelley and other artists were included. I do feel bad for Ara but she is just a lost girl, for the most part, that doesn’t know how to go on. I don’t think she even realizes what could happen to everything else since she is so focused on trying to get back to Eron.
This book has a lot going for it. The characters are well written and the imagery is phenomenal. There is a great story but there is a lot to think about too. This is not going to be a quick read that keeps you busy for a couple hours. You will be spending lots of time with this book both reading it and thinking about all the things that are happening. I mean what would happen if all artists has mathematical codes in their work that is going to lead to the end of our world.
If you like scifi/fantasy you need to check this book out. I admit that I have not read the first book Creation but I definitely will be getting a copy.
I received Perdition for free from Sage’s Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review.
This is an amazing story. There is so much going on and I love how Mary Shelley and other artists were included. I do feel bad for Ara but she is just a lost girl, for the most part, that doesn’t know how to go on. I don’t think she even realizes what could happen to everything else since she is so focused on trying to get back to Eron.
This book has a lot going for it. The characters are well written and the imagery is phenomenal. There is a great story but there is a lot to think about too. This is not going to be a quick read that keeps you busy for a couple hours. You will be spending lots of time with this book both reading it and thinking about all the things that are happening. I mean what would happen if all artists has mathematical codes in their work that is going to lead to the end of our world.
If you like scifi/fantasy you need to check this book out. I admit that I have not read the first book Creation but I definitely will be getting a copy.
I received Perdition for free from Sage’s Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2016
Good fantasy story!
Definitely imaginative, smartly written, elevated style. Good literary work, in the fantasy genre.
Definitely imaginative, smartly written, elevated style. Good literary work, in the fantasy genre.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews