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Seven Forges #4
The Silent Army
The City of Wonders has been saved by nearly miraculous forces and the Silent Army is risen, ready to defend the Fellein Empire and Empress Nachia at any cost.
The power that was hidden in the Mounds is on the move, seeking a final confrontation with the very entities that kept it locked away since the Cataclysm. Andover Lashk has finally come to accept his destiny and prepares to journey back to Fellein. The Sa’ba Taalor continue their domination over each country and people they encounter, but the final conflict is coming: The Great Wave of the Sa’ba Taalor stands to destroy an empire and the Silent Army prepares to stop them in their tracks.
Caught in the middle is the Fellein Empire and the people who have gathered together on the final battlefield. The faithful and the godless, the soldiers and killers alike all stand or fall as old gods and new bring their war to a world-changing end. Some struggles are eternal. Some conflicts never cease. The Gods of War are here and they are determined to win.
The power that was hidden in the Mounds is on the move, seeking a final confrontation with the very entities that kept it locked away since the Cataclysm. Andover Lashk has finally come to accept his destiny and prepares to journey back to Fellein. The Sa’ba Taalor continue their domination over each country and people they encounter, but the final conflict is coming: The Great Wave of the Sa’ba Taalor stands to destroy an empire and the Silent Army prepares to stop them in their tracks.
Caught in the middle is the Fellein Empire and the people who have gathered together on the final battlefield. The faithful and the godless, the soldiers and killers alike all stand or fall as old gods and new bring their war to a world-changing end. Some struggles are eternal. Some conflicts never cease. The Gods of War are here and they are determined to win.
393 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 7, 2016
67 people are currently reading
1039 people want to read
About the author
James A. Moore
231 books764 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
James A. Moore was the award winning author of over forty novels, thrillers, dark fantasy and horror alike, including the critically acclaimed Fireworks, Under The Overtree, Blood Red, the Serenity Falls trilogy (featuring his recurring anti-hero, Jonathan Crowley) and his most recent novels, seven Forges, The Blasted Lands, City of Wonders , The Silent Army and the forthcoming The Gates of The Dead (Book Three in the Tides of War Series) and A Hell Within, co-authored with Charles R. Rutledge.
James A. Moore was the award winning author of over forty novels, thrillers, dark fantasy and horror alike, including the critically acclaimed Fireworks, Under The Overtree, Blood Red, the Serenity Falls trilogy (featuring his recurring anti-hero, Jonathan Crowley) and his most recent novels, seven Forges, The Blasted Lands, City of Wonders , The Silent Army and the forthcoming The Gates of The Dead (Book Three in the Tides of War Series) and A Hell Within, co-authored with Charles R. Rutledge.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
September 13, 2021
So here I am . . . . . . NOOOOO!
I heard there are going to be more books in this series and I sure hope so because there are some unanswered questions and I want to see what's going to happen. I mean I want to know if anything is going to happen with Swetch, Merros and something else! Hellloo!
And I want to know what Drask has in his future. Unless he's going to be killed then we can just stop right here and that's that and we are all good! But, seriously, he's like a god now or something. Or maybe he will be or something. Btw: I love him, as if you couldn't figure that out.
We have a floating city which threw me for a loop. And it freaked the hell out of the people on said floating city too :-D
*The picture below is a painting by Howard Fox. Pretty awesome huh?*
I love Andover Iron Hands even more in this book. He's pretty much Sa'ba Taalor now. I like most of these people. Seems most people don't like them because they are the bad people that are going around killing in very brutal ways and what not and so forth. I think it's because of Drask and Swetch and a few others that I like that have me not really thinking about the bad stuff they are doing. But, they only do what their gods tell them to do. Their gods actually talk to them and tell them things.
I found it really cool how the Sa'ba Taalor got the mounts they rode. They made me think of a hairy reptile thingy that they ride. I was totally wowed by that one. I never would have thunk something like that, although, with the Sa'ba Taalor I shouldn't be surprised.
I felt like the third book was more brutal than this one but they all have brutality in them so if that's your kind of thing along with some really strange stuff, then this is a series for you.
I look forward to more in this world and I hope it's a happy ending. Like I said before, if Drask has to die then NO!
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
I heard there are going to be more books in this series and I sure hope so because there are some unanswered questions and I want to see what's going to happen. I mean I want to know if anything is going to happen with Swetch, Merros and something else! Hellloo!
And I want to know what Drask has in his future. Unless he's going to be killed then we can just stop right here and that's that and we are all good! But, seriously, he's like a god now or something. Or maybe he will be or something. Btw: I love him, as if you couldn't figure that out.
We have a floating city which threw me for a loop. And it freaked the hell out of the people on said floating city too :-D
*The picture below is a painting by Howard Fox. Pretty awesome huh?*
I love Andover Iron Hands even more in this book. He's pretty much Sa'ba Taalor now. I like most of these people. Seems most people don't like them because they are the bad people that are going around killing in very brutal ways and what not and so forth. I think it's because of Drask and Swetch and a few others that I like that have me not really thinking about the bad stuff they are doing. But, they only do what their gods tell them to do. Their gods actually talk to them and tell them things.
I found it really cool how the Sa'ba Taalor got the mounts they rode. They made me think of a hairy reptile thingy that they ride. I was totally wowed by that one. I never would have thunk something like that, although, with the Sa'ba Taalor I shouldn't be surprised.
I felt like the third book was more brutal than this one but they all have brutality in them so if that's your kind of thing along with some really strange stuff, then this is a series for you.
I look forward to more in this world and I hope it's a happy ending. Like I said before, if Drask has to die then NO!
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
August 18, 2020
There is a very slight chance that I might possibly feel a teensy little bit pissed off right now. Not much, though. Just feeling a tad homicidal, that is all. Why, you ask? Because this one of the most disappointing
You want to know what the problem with this book is? It's that, after keeping the readers forever speculating about this world and the possible outcomes to the many sub-plots in the story, Moore does the Poof, Gone Thing (PGT™): lots of action, lots of stuff going on, lots of unexpected (or not) developments, lots of build-up and then, in a matter of a couple of pages, it's all…Poof! Gone! War over! Book finished!
Bye bye, silly readers, that's all the stupid non-resolution you'll get! Back to your meaningless little lives you go! Seriously, Mr Moore?! What the bloody shrimp is this?! No, don't bother answering that question, I'll tell you exactly what it is: it is the most abrupt, senseless, frustrating, disappointing, anti-climactic non-ending in the history of abrupt, senseless, frustrating, disappointing, anti-climactic non-endings. Uh-oh, I'm afraid the effect of Dr Prawn's Wondrous Simmer Down Shot (WSDS™) is wearing off. It doesn't bode well for the future of this book's rating. All that glorious, migraine-inducing speculating was for naught. 99% of the reader's questions are left unanswered. Very little is resolved. And with that many loose ends and such an open ending, you want me to believe this the final instalment in this series? Who do you take me for, a harebrained barnacle? ← no offense, my Little Ones, this is just a figure of speech. I think.
I might have been more lenient with my rating , had the rest of the book made up for the moderately infuriating ending. But it didn't, so I wasn't. I mean, I'm all for battles and blood and gore and stuff, but mass slaughter kind of gets old after a while. Plus, my Dream Team of Utter Awesomeness (DToUA™) greatly disappointed here, and turned into the Decaf Bunch of Unmitigated Dullness (DBoUD™). Makes me think I should have rooted for Team Religious Freaks (TRF™), aka the Sa'ba Taalor. At least these guys know how to win/lose/whatever in style. And they would never rely on a giggling idiot to solve their last-minute problems, either. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, DBoUD™!
► And the moral of this Dr Prawn Keeps Telling Me I Need to Watch my Blood Pressure but if I Keep Reading Books Like this One I'm Doomed Crappy Non Review (DPKTMINtWmBPbiIKRBLtOIDCNR™) is: this could have been one of my favourite Fantasy series ever. Emphasis on "could." Ha.
· Book 1: Seven Forges ★★★★
· Book 2: The Blasted Lands ★★★★
· Book 3: City of Wonders ★★★★
January 3, 2017
*** 4 ***
A buddy read with the Fantasy Aficionados at BB&B! More crazy bloodshed and gore, please!!
James A. Moore’s Seven Forges series is definitely different than most anything I have ever read! As I said in my previous reviews, this feels like one book divided in volumes, and this happen to be the forth volume of this epic story. It starts exactly where we left off - the Sa'ba and their Kings looking with frustration at the departing city of Canhoon by its new form of transportation - flying.
And just when everything looked to be going the Sa'ba Taalor way, too... They had run a muck through the vast Fellein Empire and taken down every obstacle, cut down every living thing and burned down the rest, all in the name of their g-ds! I hate those fuckers, with passion!!!
Of course, a small inconvenience like a city that picks up and flies away is nothing that the Sa'ba Taalor would consider a hindrance. Nope! Their Kings regroup, rethink their strategy, and take pursuit. Meanwhile, the folks who are in the actual flying city are freaking out! On top of all the cold weather, the shortage of food and shelter, and the complete emotional panic, they have to deal with the several Sa'ba assassins who are among them and are doing their best to demoralize the already hopeless and barely surviving masses. I used to love Swetch and all of her murderous abilities, but I liked her as a warrior. Now, it feels like all of the death and destruction she and her cohorts bring about is senselessly mean and with no empathy or mercy at all!!!! The city Sa'ba are also the ever obedient puppets of their ever thirsty for blood war g-ds. As the city nears its landing destination, King Tuskandru and Tarag Paedori launch the multitude of god-forged warriors in attack! It is up to Desh Krohan, Merros, Empress Nachia, the pathetic remains of the Emperial guard and the Silent Army to do whatever they can in order to keep the city, its inhabitants, and the legacy of the Empire alive!!! And it seems like a very tall order and insurmountable hurdle...:(:(:(
Simultaneously, many lands away, a g-d like power has been infused into the bodies of our very familiar Nolan, Drask Silverhand, and Tega. They are going to have to figure out what that means not only for them personally, but for the outcome of the war as well. The Daxar Taalor are not very pleased with Drask finding ways to stray from their will and he becomes a wild card in this story.
While Drask Silver Hand is finding ways to distance himself from his g-ds, Andover is being trained to become their tool. The Daxar Taalor are spending unbelievable amount of time in preparing Andover for something, but we do not know what and this is one of the things we find out by the end. Kind of cool, if you ask me:)
"..."The past is gone. I was not the same person then. I was much weaker. I lived and breathed and hid in fear. That time is gone. I fear nothing. I have faced my fears and learned from them. The gods gave me that."..."
The Sa’ba Taalor fought many battles, did a lot of damage, and earned their place in the world of Epic Fantasy by slaughtering their way to very memorable barbaric warriors! I wish the Empire soldiers, other than Nolan and Merros, had had their grit, power and determination. They, as well as the supposedly endlessly powerful mage, Desh Krohan, did somewhat disappoint... I wish they were more worthy adversaries for the Sa'ba... I also wish to know if there is going to be another book???? This ending was waaaaaay to open for my liking and the only way I can explain it to myself is that we are going to have more books in the series, which of course, is totally awesome!!! I just need to know when and where and I will be there:):):)
This is a very merciless series, a lot of blood, murder, gore, and battles, not much time for chat and banter... If you like military Epic Fantasy, this might be for you. If not, think before you start it:)
I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find what you need in the pages of a book!!!!
A buddy read with the Fantasy Aficionados at BB&B! More crazy bloodshed and gore, please!!
James A. Moore’s Seven Forges series is definitely different than most anything I have ever read! As I said in my previous reviews, this feels like one book divided in volumes, and this happen to be the forth volume of this epic story. It starts exactly where we left off - the Sa'ba and their Kings looking with frustration at the departing city of Canhoon by its new form of transportation - flying.
And just when everything looked to be going the Sa'ba Taalor way, too... They had run a muck through the vast Fellein Empire and taken down every obstacle, cut down every living thing and burned down the rest, all in the name of their g-ds! I hate those fuckers, with passion!!!
Of course, a small inconvenience like a city that picks up and flies away is nothing that the Sa'ba Taalor would consider a hindrance. Nope! Their Kings regroup, rethink their strategy, and take pursuit. Meanwhile, the folks who are in the actual flying city are freaking out! On top of all the cold weather, the shortage of food and shelter, and the complete emotional panic, they have to deal with the several Sa'ba assassins who are among them and are doing their best to demoralize the already hopeless and barely surviving masses. I used to love Swetch and all of her murderous abilities, but I liked her as a warrior. Now, it feels like all of the death and destruction she and her cohorts bring about is senselessly mean and with no empathy or mercy at all!!!! The city Sa'ba are also the ever obedient puppets of their ever thirsty for blood war g-ds. As the city nears its landing destination, King Tuskandru and Tarag Paedori launch the multitude of god-forged warriors in attack! It is up to Desh Krohan, Merros, Empress Nachia, the pathetic remains of the Emperial guard and the Silent Army to do whatever they can in order to keep the city, its inhabitants, and the legacy of the Empire alive!!! And it seems like a very tall order and insurmountable hurdle...:(:(:(
Simultaneously, many lands away, a g-d like power has been infused into the bodies of our very familiar Nolan, Drask Silverhand, and Tega. They are going to have to figure out what that means not only for them personally, but for the outcome of the war as well. The Daxar Taalor are not very pleased with Drask finding ways to stray from their will and he becomes a wild card in this story.
While Drask Silver Hand is finding ways to distance himself from his g-ds, Andover is being trained to become their tool. The Daxar Taalor are spending unbelievable amount of time in preparing Andover for something, but we do not know what and this is one of the things we find out by the end. Kind of cool, if you ask me:)
"..."The past is gone. I was not the same person then. I was much weaker. I lived and breathed and hid in fear. That time is gone. I fear nothing. I have faced my fears and learned from them. The gods gave me that."..."
The Sa’ba Taalor fought many battles, did a lot of damage, and earned their place in the world of Epic Fantasy by slaughtering their way to very memorable barbaric warriors! I wish the Empire soldiers, other than Nolan and Merros, had had their grit, power and determination. They, as well as the supposedly endlessly powerful mage, Desh Krohan, did somewhat disappoint... I wish they were more worthy adversaries for the Sa'ba... I also wish to know if there is going to be another book???? This ending was waaaaaay to open for my liking and the only way I can explain it to myself is that we are going to have more books in the series, which of course, is totally awesome!!! I just need to know when and where and I will be there:):):)
This is a very merciless series, a lot of blood, murder, gore, and battles, not much time for chat and banter... If you like military Epic Fantasy, this might be for you. If not, think before you start it:)
I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find what you need in the pages of a book!!!!
November 30, 2016
So what is The Silent Army?
Um…wow.
Just. Wow.
Ending the series, for now, James A. Moore sweeps his literary axe through the Sword and Sorcery brand of fantasy with unforgettable brutality and originality, crowning a wildly eye-popping epic of culture and combat to rival the titans of times past. Moore’s genius lies in his swift and seamless delivery of a truly fantastic concept, one that feels immersive and magnificent, horrific and unnervingly permanent when considering the savagery of war and the brave flourishes of otherworldly imagination that make The Seven Forges series and all that deals with the Daxar Taalor and the Sa’aba Taalor the stuff of legends long past, where gods and humans strive in life and death, blood and smoke, fire and steel. It is without a doubt one of the finest fantasy series I have ever come across, bits and pieces of profound philosophy artfully buried in a masterful display of world-building (or should I say world-destroying?), and with characters simple enough to remember and care about and be wowed by, shocked by, and pulled deep into the heart of Durhallem by, James A. Moore has left his mark on the genre with this obsidian-cored gem, this fourth book the best and most unpredictable of all. Patiently crafting the whole thing from start to finish, the reflectiveness of Drask Silver Hand brings me all the way back to when I first saw the cover of the first book Seven Forges, and him on it, set against the ice and the snow of the blasted lands, wondering, wow, what's that all about? Looks really cool. Looks atmospheric but blunt. Looks creative without being crazy. Well, two years and four books later, like Drask and Andover Iron Hands, I too, have gone on an epic journey through a world that truly takes no prisoners.
Thank you, Jim, for this amazing story! You have such an incredible handle on the world you have created and I hope you get to write more if you choose to. If not, rest assured that you have already moved mountains.
Recommended for those who like blood and guts and a little bit of danger.
Um…wow.
Just. Wow.
Ending the series, for now, James A. Moore sweeps his literary axe through the Sword and Sorcery brand of fantasy with unforgettable brutality and originality, crowning a wildly eye-popping epic of culture and combat to rival the titans of times past. Moore’s genius lies in his swift and seamless delivery of a truly fantastic concept, one that feels immersive and magnificent, horrific and unnervingly permanent when considering the savagery of war and the brave flourishes of otherworldly imagination that make The Seven Forges series and all that deals with the Daxar Taalor and the Sa’aba Taalor the stuff of legends long past, where gods and humans strive in life and death, blood and smoke, fire and steel. It is without a doubt one of the finest fantasy series I have ever come across, bits and pieces of profound philosophy artfully buried in a masterful display of world-building (or should I say world-destroying?), and with characters simple enough to remember and care about and be wowed by, shocked by, and pulled deep into the heart of Durhallem by, James A. Moore has left his mark on the genre with this obsidian-cored gem, this fourth book the best and most unpredictable of all. Patiently crafting the whole thing from start to finish, the reflectiveness of Drask Silver Hand brings me all the way back to when I first saw the cover of the first book Seven Forges, and him on it, set against the ice and the snow of the blasted lands, wondering, wow, what's that all about? Looks really cool. Looks atmospheric but blunt. Looks creative without being crazy. Well, two years and four books later, like Drask and Andover Iron Hands, I too, have gone on an epic journey through a world that truly takes no prisoners.
Thank you, Jim, for this amazing story! You have such an incredible handle on the world you have created and I hope you get to write more if you choose to. If not, rest assured that you have already moved mountains.
Recommended for those who like blood and guts and a little bit of danger.
March 3, 2019
Thanks to the Silent Army the City of Wonders has been spared, at least for the moment. The Sa'ba Taalor and their gods still want the City destroyed and the Sa'ba Taalor are obedient more than anything else.
The Silent Army was a letdown. After the first two books set the stage and the third book brought the war to fruition, I expected a truly grand finale. Instead the story simply felt stretched for little reason. It was very much more of the same with some shrouded occurrences that don't get fully resolved. The ending was confusing and unfulfilling as well.
The author built some truly intriguing concepts, but he chose not to explain things in the end or even expand them enough to be satisfying. There are questions I still want to see answered, but I don't know if there will ever be greater resolution which is annoying.
The Silent Army was disappointing and I wish The City of Wonders and The Silent Army were combined into one book. It would have been less frustrating.
2.5 out of 5 stars
The Silent Army was a letdown. After the first two books set the stage and the third book brought the war to fruition, I expected a truly grand finale. Instead the story simply felt stretched for little reason. It was very much more of the same with some shrouded occurrences that don't get fully resolved. The ending was confusing and unfulfilling as well.
The author built some truly intriguing concepts, but he chose not to explain things in the end or even expand them enough to be satisfying. There are questions I still want to see answered, but I don't know if there will ever be greater resolution which is annoying.
The Silent Army was disappointing and I wish The City of Wonders and The Silent Army were combined into one book. It would have been less frustrating.
2.5 out of 5 stars
January 3, 2017
This book was so quick to read - I obsessed over it. I could not stop reading it. Yet, I am not sure what has happened. I am shocked and impressed by what I read.
The story is just amazing. This is the main pillar, the best and impressively so pillar of this series. When you think you know where the book is going, you are left baffled by the opposite direction the book (and the whole series really) takes.
Right after finishing the book - and I guess a bit because Drask is such an amazing character - I believe this is a 4 stars book (although, if I was given the half stars, more likely 3.5).
The story is just amazing. This is the main pillar, the best and impressively so pillar of this series. When you think you know where the book is going, you are left baffled by the opposite direction the book (and the whole series really) takes.
Right after finishing the book - and I guess a bit because Drask is such an amazing character - I believe this is a 4 stars book (although, if I was given the half stars, more likely 3.5).
February 1, 2018
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
My rating is 4.5 stars.
James A. Moore’s Seven Forges series is a pulse-pounding, sword and sorcery extravaganza. The Saga of the Sa’ba Taalor a staggering epic, which erupts across this vast fantasy world slowly but surely, affecting numerous characters and people; the struggle a fierce conflict for the future of this place, the future of humanity. Along the way, readers will encounter superhuman warriors, fierce combat, scheming gods, heart-wrenching acts of terrorism, needless deaths, ancient mysteries, more than a little gallows humor, subtle talk about religion, faith, and truth, and witnessed that most jarring of events: the end of a civilization. All of it hard to forget, branded on your reading psyche by a master storyteller, whose deft plotting and addictive twists and turns keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning to discover how it will all end. And after finishing The Silent Army, the one glaring question you will demand to have answered is, “When does book five come out?”
But until the next book arrives, let us talk about this one. Mr. Moore picking up the Seven Forges story immediately after the conclusion of City of Wonders. And I mean immediately, “The kings (of the Sa’ba Taalor) gathered together, those of them who were near the place where (the city of) Canhoon had once rested in the ground, and stared at the vast landmass rising above them.”
Oh, yes, this one begins with a miracle having occurred. The bloodthirsty horde of the Sa’ba Taalor looking on helplessly as old Canhoon slips through their snapping jaws. The mysterious magic of the Silent Army launching Fellein’s capital into the sky, sending it speeding away toward the east. Where the flying citadel is headed no one has a clue, even the Empire’s eternal First Counselor, wizard Desh Krohan, stunned by what has transpired. His words of wisdom to Empress Nachia and General Merros Dulver to enjoy their reprieve while it lasts and plan for the coming apocalypse, because they will have to come down somewhere and the Sa’ba Taalor will undoubtedly be waiting for them.
Truer sentiments were never uttered, for even as Canhoon skims across the clouds, the Sa’ba Taalor do not for one second doubt their divinely ordained crusade will fail; rather, their faith in their gods is unshakable, and they know the “Great Tide” will destroy Fellein. And so King Tuskandru and Tarag Paedori sound the horns, launching the invincible wave of god-forged warriors in pursuit. Their cries of “To War!” heralding death and destruction for all in their path!
Meanwhile, a world away, that which has lain hidden under the Mounds in the desolate Blasted Lands has been released. This ancient and mysterious power now having taken shelter in human forms; this small band stalking toward the east, following an irresistible pull toward Canhoon, where the fate of the world will be decided!
To me, each book in this series can be summarized by a single descriptive term. Seven Forges was about Discovery: of the lands about the Seven Forges, of the Sa’ba Taalor themselves. The Blasted Lands was Anticipation: of the coming conflict, of the inevitable clash between peoples. City of Wonders was War: in all its brutality, in all its horrors. Now, with The Silent Army, Mr. Moore has given us Epic: a world spanning conflict, a struggle to decide the fate of an entire civilization. And I for one loved every “epic” event which the author threw my way. Scene after scene of it. Every titanic clash, every awe-inspiring magical event, every god-like creature, every dramatic revelation, every horrid deed, all of them building into a sword and sorcery feast not to be missed. The Sa’ba Taalor rising to the forefront of most epic race in sword and sorcery literature. Drask and Tusk the epitome of “epic” warriors. Seven Forges this millennium’s gold standard for “epic” sword and sorcery series.
As for the heroic Fellein defenders set in the path of the seemingly invincible Sa’ba Taalor, they are the perfect foil. From the mighty Desh Krohan to the untried Empress Nachia to the determined Derros Merros to the mad survivor Cullen to the driven Captain Callan to the mysterious Silent Army, all are swept up in the unspeakable horrors of the end of their whole civilization; each desperately fighting against the insurmountable tide of a people born and bred for a holy war. There is no hope of quarter in this conflict. No hope for peace. The descendants of ancient Korwa sent by their gods for one thing: genocide upon Fellein. But in our small band of heroic mortals (and stone guardians), the Sa’ba Taalor find a worthy adversary; adversaries who will not flee, will not turn aside as their world burns around them, but continue to scheme, fight, and struggle for the right to survive another day.
Needless to say, I loved this book. Each and every aspect of it (setting, plot, action, and mystery) worked for me. The story building upon those which came before it, racing toward an epic clash which lived up to my expectations in every way, delivering Mr. Moore’s classic slight-of-hand approach to each stunning revelation and each dramatic outcome. The Silent Army taking its place as the best installment yet in a series which seemingly gets better and better.
But since I would feel remiss if I did not mention the one thing which did not work for me here, I suppose I have to address it: Desh Krohan. This ancient sorcerer with god-like powers is old, wise, and deeply cunning — at least, he is presented as such throughout the series. However, in this narrative, he does not live up to any of those descriptions. There really isn’t any wise counsel coming from him; no brilliant strategy garnered from centuries of observing the world; no devastating sorcery unleashed to stem the tide. Nope, he spends most of his page time talking about all magic having a price, explaining that his mind is so old past events have been forgotten, and screwing up the few things he does try to do. A less awesome sorcerer I can’t recall reading about, though even his ineptitude did not ruin this book.
One of the greatest joys of reading for me personally is discovering a series which grows into something more amazing than I ever expected. Seven Forges is one of those series. Book one certainly flashed glimpses of brilliance, but it remained to be seen if the full potential of this world and the Sa’ba Taalor would be unleashed by Mr. Moore. Steadily, book by book, he has done so, molding his creation into one of the best sword and sorcery series ever, one which has the legs to run as long as Mr. Moore wishes to pen it; its fans (me included) eager and willing to return to this world whenever we have another opportunity.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
My rating is 4.5 stars.
James A. Moore’s Seven Forges series is a pulse-pounding, sword and sorcery extravaganza. The Saga of the Sa’ba Taalor a staggering epic, which erupts across this vast fantasy world slowly but surely, affecting numerous characters and people; the struggle a fierce conflict for the future of this place, the future of humanity. Along the way, readers will encounter superhuman warriors, fierce combat, scheming gods, heart-wrenching acts of terrorism, needless deaths, ancient mysteries, more than a little gallows humor, subtle talk about religion, faith, and truth, and witnessed that most jarring of events: the end of a civilization. All of it hard to forget, branded on your reading psyche by a master storyteller, whose deft plotting and addictive twists and turns keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning to discover how it will all end. And after finishing The Silent Army, the one glaring question you will demand to have answered is, “When does book five come out?”
But until the next book arrives, let us talk about this one. Mr. Moore picking up the Seven Forges story immediately after the conclusion of City of Wonders. And I mean immediately, “The kings (of the Sa’ba Taalor) gathered together, those of them who were near the place where (the city of) Canhoon had once rested in the ground, and stared at the vast landmass rising above them.”
Oh, yes, this one begins with a miracle having occurred. The bloodthirsty horde of the Sa’ba Taalor looking on helplessly as old Canhoon slips through their snapping jaws. The mysterious magic of the Silent Army launching Fellein’s capital into the sky, sending it speeding away toward the east. Where the flying citadel is headed no one has a clue, even the Empire’s eternal First Counselor, wizard Desh Krohan, stunned by what has transpired. His words of wisdom to Empress Nachia and General Merros Dulver to enjoy their reprieve while it lasts and plan for the coming apocalypse, because they will have to come down somewhere and the Sa’ba Taalor will undoubtedly be waiting for them.
Truer sentiments were never uttered, for even as Canhoon skims across the clouds, the Sa’ba Taalor do not for one second doubt their divinely ordained crusade will fail; rather, their faith in their gods is unshakable, and they know the “Great Tide” will destroy Fellein. And so King Tuskandru and Tarag Paedori sound the horns, launching the invincible wave of god-forged warriors in pursuit. Their cries of “To War!” heralding death and destruction for all in their path!
Meanwhile, a world away, that which has lain hidden under the Mounds in the desolate Blasted Lands has been released. This ancient and mysterious power now having taken shelter in human forms; this small band stalking toward the east, following an irresistible pull toward Canhoon, where the fate of the world will be decided!
To me, each book in this series can be summarized by a single descriptive term. Seven Forges was about Discovery: of the lands about the Seven Forges, of the Sa’ba Taalor themselves. The Blasted Lands was Anticipation: of the coming conflict, of the inevitable clash between peoples. City of Wonders was War: in all its brutality, in all its horrors. Now, with The Silent Army, Mr. Moore has given us Epic: a world spanning conflict, a struggle to decide the fate of an entire civilization. And I for one loved every “epic” event which the author threw my way. Scene after scene of it. Every titanic clash, every awe-inspiring magical event, every god-like creature, every dramatic revelation, every horrid deed, all of them building into a sword and sorcery feast not to be missed. The Sa’ba Taalor rising to the forefront of most epic race in sword and sorcery literature. Drask and Tusk the epitome of “epic” warriors. Seven Forges this millennium’s gold standard for “epic” sword and sorcery series.
As for the heroic Fellein defenders set in the path of the seemingly invincible Sa’ba Taalor, they are the perfect foil. From the mighty Desh Krohan to the untried Empress Nachia to the determined Derros Merros to the mad survivor Cullen to the driven Captain Callan to the mysterious Silent Army, all are swept up in the unspeakable horrors of the end of their whole civilization; each desperately fighting against the insurmountable tide of a people born and bred for a holy war. There is no hope of quarter in this conflict. No hope for peace. The descendants of ancient Korwa sent by their gods for one thing: genocide upon Fellein. But in our small band of heroic mortals (and stone guardians), the Sa’ba Taalor find a worthy adversary; adversaries who will not flee, will not turn aside as their world burns around them, but continue to scheme, fight, and struggle for the right to survive another day.
Needless to say, I loved this book. Each and every aspect of it (setting, plot, action, and mystery) worked for me. The story building upon those which came before it, racing toward an epic clash which lived up to my expectations in every way, delivering Mr. Moore’s classic slight-of-hand approach to each stunning revelation and each dramatic outcome. The Silent Army taking its place as the best installment yet in a series which seemingly gets better and better.
But since I would feel remiss if I did not mention the one thing which did not work for me here, I suppose I have to address it: Desh Krohan. This ancient sorcerer with god-like powers is old, wise, and deeply cunning — at least, he is presented as such throughout the series. However, in this narrative, he does not live up to any of those descriptions. There really isn’t any wise counsel coming from him; no brilliant strategy garnered from centuries of observing the world; no devastating sorcery unleashed to stem the tide. Nope, he spends most of his page time talking about all magic having a price, explaining that his mind is so old past events have been forgotten, and screwing up the few things he does try to do. A less awesome sorcerer I can’t recall reading about, though even his ineptitude did not ruin this book.
One of the greatest joys of reading for me personally is discovering a series which grows into something more amazing than I ever expected. Seven Forges is one of those series. Book one certainly flashed glimpses of brilliance, but it remained to be seen if the full potential of this world and the Sa’ba Taalor would be unleashed by Mr. Moore. Steadily, book by book, he has done so, molding his creation into one of the best sword and sorcery series ever, one which has the legs to run as long as Mr. Moore wishes to pen it; its fans (me included) eager and willing to return to this world whenever we have another opportunity.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
January 5, 2017
Hmmmm. So, where to start.
Well the three stars should be an indication that this review going to have some highs and lows.
So book four answered, er, one (partially) of the at least six fundamental plot development questions I had. Which I have to say, annoys me. I went from, in book three, amazed out all the things I wanted to learn in the last book, to, does Moore actually have an answer, or is he playing the 'their gods, they can do what they like' card. Because a lot of the storyline growth ( I assume there are more to come, given the way it ended) depends on at least giving the reader some kind of clue as to what is going on in the background and not continually saying ' the gods have told me to do it, therefore, I shall do it, regardless). I NEED more info. 4 books and we still haven't got a SINGLE clue who the Tallor gods are, what they want, apart from ripping the Fellisin Empire apart, where there power comes from, (we glimpse that, perhaps, but were told it was drained, but then they are still popping up volcanoes as party tricks, so not sure what the drained part means.).
Then there is the ending. NOT HAPPY JAN! I had visions of big revelations and endings and was left with a tussle in the dirt and some trickery from a giggling idiot. There was a lot more potential in that ending and it just fizzled out for me. The whole mother vine part? I have no idea what happened there, it just did.
So overall, I am a little sad that it finished this way and the fact that there seems to be no story behind the most important characters. I am still going with three stars as overall I did enjoy the story.
Not sure if I will be reading book five when ever it comes out.
Well the three stars should be an indication that this review going to have some highs and lows.
So book four answered, er, one (partially) of the at least six fundamental plot development questions I had. Which I have to say, annoys me. I went from, in book three, amazed out all the things I wanted to learn in the last book, to, does Moore actually have an answer, or is he playing the 'their gods, they can do what they like' card. Because a lot of the storyline growth ( I assume there are more to come, given the way it ended) depends on at least giving the reader some kind of clue as to what is going on in the background and not continually saying ' the gods have told me to do it, therefore, I shall do it, regardless). I NEED more info. 4 books and we still haven't got a SINGLE clue who the Tallor gods are, what they want, apart from ripping the Fellisin Empire apart, where there power comes from, (we glimpse that, perhaps, but were told it was drained, but then they are still popping up volcanoes as party tricks, so not sure what the drained part means.).
Then there is the ending. NOT HAPPY JAN! I had visions of big revelations and endings and was left with a tussle in the dirt and some trickery from a giggling idiot. There was a lot more potential in that ending and it just fizzled out for me. The whole mother vine part? I have no idea what happened there, it just did.
So overall, I am a little sad that it finished this way and the fact that there seems to be no story behind the most important characters. I am still going with three stars as overall I did enjoy the story.
Not sure if I will be reading book five when ever it comes out.
May 1, 2016
The final installment of a great epic story has drawn to a close and it ended with a huge bang. From the very first page down to the last, James A. Moore does not pull the punches in delivering an action-filled story that's full of savagery and pumps adrenaline page after page after page. It might be awkward to say but the savagery is well-placed, and more so when I say that The Silent Army will satisfy the inner demon in you. And no, I'm not marketing cruelty here. The series ended in peace and you got a lot to reflect on. I just embrace the dark side. *Cue The Imperial March*
Reviewed on: zirev.com
The series is massive in scale with a bunch of POVs. There are two factions so to speak (the Sa’ba Taalor and the people of Fellein), and it's hard to choose a side even though it's easy to tell which one is easily the aggressor (and therefore you must go against). Everyone has a role to play and they get to shine even in the most unlikely circumstances. In their own way, everyone could be a hero if not already a hero. If James A. Moore were a coach, he's the kind of coach who can make all of his athletes score a goal no matter what position they're in. That's how great he is in shaping his characters.
It's funny really when you think that from the previous book, the city of wonders Canhoon fled from an unlikely demise. Seriously, a city that literally flies from imminent danger? LMAO
As it turns out, it's not the first time that Canhoon took its flight from danger (but of course). In war, that sounds like a great cheat. I thought that's way too easy for a resolution. But then of course, just because the city is flying does not mean that the Sa'ba Taalor will just wait in idle until the city has chosen for a place to land nor will the people of Fellein. There are mouths to feed and the cold to fight with.
Everyone sure is busy in this book. The whole kingdom of Fellein has engaged when the Sa'ba Taalor are keen on wiping out everybody even the ones that stray in their path. And it's not random. The Gods would place each of their abode in strategic positions across the vast kingdom. And then this happened:
I thought that was the funniest part of the book. I can't help myself laughing. Imagine, you go on killing everybody who is not one of your own and then suddenly, you come across people who wish to convert. But then, how about you apply that in real life?
So yes, that was a funny surprise. Pretty much everything that happens is anticipated that I fear how the author would finish the story. Will it end in grave brutality where one side is gone for good? Will the rest just have to convert (see above)? If they agree finally on a parley (remember The Blasted Lands ), what will happen on the losing side? Will it end in a way-too-peaceful-way-after-all-the-killings way? Redundancy is intended.
Most of the long epic stories I read (spans about six books per series) ended in a pacifistic manner as if the death toll was for nothing. Not that they're bad, it just amazes me how authors could pull off those kind of endings. James A. Moore didn't fail on that regard. I sort of expected it but what happened was never anticipated. No, there's no deus ex machina scenario here not because the Gods had been involved right from the start but because all devices used were laid out right from the first book.
I'm amused that as if there's a nod to A Game of Thrones where the emperor/empress will never be able to sit comfortably in the throne due to the throne's deliberate design. But that's not all. If you had read The Lord of the Rings trilogy, you'd remember Aragorn entering a battle scene with an army of the dead behind his back. In Peter Jackson's film, they're spectral beings in colored green. You'll see something like that in this book, only having reanimated corpses with spectral swords or what I was made to believe.
Raising the dead is not surprising for this series. We saw them in action on the previous book, City of Wonders. The only reason I'm reminded of LoTR was because a certain character, Callan, who recently lost his ship and crew came to the aid of voodoo-like people (they're black and have their own way of magic centered around death). In wanting to avenge his crew and for the people of Louron to avenge their dead, they help each other and boy was I surprised how it ended.
Sure there are lots of surprises that I have to delete four paragraphs, lest this review overflows with spoilers. Now, let's move on to other characters.
From City of Wonders, I thought there would be a budding romance between Tega and Drask . And I'm still shipping that! Reading halfway on Seven Forges (I'm referring on the very first book, not the entire series), I was in a dream where I was Andover Laksh trying to please the Gods. Sure I like Andohver but I thought Tega could be for someone else (cue inner child: because Andover betrayed her!).
What surprises me though was how fickle my feelings are. For years, I tend to avoid having insta-love on the first awesome character introduced in a book so I might not miss out on another. From Seven Forges, Drask was cool; he's calm (but way too deep). So then I chose team Tuskandru (he's funny with a devil-may-care attitude). But right from the very first chapter of this book, I feel giddy at the mere mention of Drask.
I can't believe that for the entirety of this book, I was busy fangirling on Drask! I was almost tempted on changing my Xbox gamer tag for $10 to his name. His whole name, Drask Silver Hand fits perfectly on the limit of 15 characters (sans the spaces of course). Oh God no, that was my idea. Don't change yours!
This line by Andover struck a cord with me:
Well, that's some deep reflection there but if there's one lesson you can learn from this book, it's "Thou shall not underestimate a character no matter how minor or ridiculous he seems to be." Not that I underestimated a character but I'd been rooting for this particular character from the previous book and I was dismayed with what the author did to him (like what Tarryn Fisher did to Noah Stein) until he got his turn to shine. He didn't get his POV on that part but I appreciate it greatly that he had this redeeming image from other characters. I love what the author did there. It's amazing that James A. Moore didn't fail me.
On the other hand, I found it funny that there's a transexual here whose transformation is clearly not his choice. Right, being a transgender is not a choice for one is simply born but transforming physically is. We know that the Sa'ba Taalor fully accept whatever their gods, the Daxar Taalor give them may it be a task or gifts for if they don't, they might turn into a mount which we've learned in City of Wonders. By the way, hounds are also introduced in this book.
Now, let's pause for a minute here and differentiate between a mount and a hound. The freshly anointed who failed the Daxar Taalor were made into the equivalent of hounds. On the other hand, to my understanding, mounts are really strong Sa'ba Taalor who simply refuse their gods. There are seven of the Daxar Taalor. As a Sa'ba Taalor, you can choose which gods you're going to be loyal to but if a god asks for you, you must never refuse, you simply follow. There are only two distinguished Sa'ba Taalor who were called upon by all of the Daxar Taalor and in my giddy mind, they're both fighting over Tega's affection. hahahaha
James A. Moore has covered quite a lot of issues in real life: socio-political, religious, and ethical aspects. Seven Forges is simply a fictional story but I like how the world-building is plausible without engaging a suspension of disbelief. With various aspects covered, I got nothing to complain. I don't even have a single issue on the magical system unlike other books where I have a lot of questions. Things are easily understandable here even though everything ended openly.
I read this book for weeks because I'm personally stumped with anything right now (my bills are hot on my trail). For this, I think there's a need for me to reread the entire series when understanding the locations is concerned. Because there's no map, I still couldn't visualize the world in this book. There are gaps on the days when I read pages of the book that when I get back to the part I last left, my memory is muddled when trying to remember where certain characters had been before. So yeah, a map would be great.
I got a lot of things to be grateful for in the Seven Forges series. One: I didn't pay a single cent for I read the entire series by ARCs alone (*evil laughter*). Two: It brought back magic in my life when I was so depressed. Three: The first book drove me to purchase a domain name the very next day after getting a copy so I will earn Internet authorship. I know I still have a lot to work for since I barely post anything on my website but I appreciate it that this series is pushing me more to work harder on that regard.
Thank you James A. Moore for such a wonderful and magical journey.
Reviewed on: zirev.com
The series is massive in scale with a bunch of POVs. There are two factions so to speak (the Sa’ba Taalor and the people of Fellein), and it's hard to choose a side even though it's easy to tell which one is easily the aggressor (and therefore you must go against). Everyone has a role to play and they get to shine even in the most unlikely circumstances. In their own way, everyone could be a hero if not already a hero. If James A. Moore were a coach, he's the kind of coach who can make all of his athletes score a goal no matter what position they're in. That's how great he is in shaping his characters.
It's funny really when you think that from the previous book, the city of wonders Canhoon fled from an unlikely demise. Seriously, a city that literally flies from imminent danger? LMAO
As it turns out, it's not the first time that Canhoon took its flight from danger (but of course). In war, that sounds like a great cheat. I thought that's way too easy for a resolution. But then of course, just because the city is flying does not mean that the Sa'ba Taalor will just wait in idle until the city has chosen for a place to land nor will the people of Fellein. There are mouths to feed and the cold to fight with.
Everyone sure is busy in this book. The whole kingdom of Fellein has engaged when the Sa'ba Taalor are keen on wiping out everybody even the ones that stray in their path. And it's not random. The Gods would place each of their abode in strategic positions across the vast kingdom. And then this happened:
“Will you wait here for a few moments? I would discuss with my people.” It was a different sort of request. Normally people tended to beg or to fight. Either way, they were met with the same answer. Durhallem did not take prisoners.
After nearly ten minutes the man came back. “We wish to join you and follow Durhallem.” Tusk leaned back a bit more. “Repeat that."
I thought that was the funniest part of the book. I can't help myself laughing. Imagine, you go on killing everybody who is not one of your own and then suddenly, you come across people who wish to convert. But then, how about you apply that in real life?
So yes, that was a funny surprise. Pretty much everything that happens is anticipated that I fear how the author would finish the story. Will it end in grave brutality where one side is gone for good? Will the rest just have to convert (see above)? If they agree finally on a parley (remember The Blasted Lands ), what will happen on the losing side? Will it end in a way-too-peaceful-way-after-all-the-killings way? Redundancy is intended.
Most of the long epic stories I read (spans about six books per series) ended in a pacifistic manner as if the death toll was for nothing. Not that they're bad, it just amazes me how authors could pull off those kind of endings. James A. Moore didn't fail on that regard. I sort of expected it but what happened was never anticipated. No, there's no deus ex machina scenario here not because the Gods had been involved right from the start but because all devices used were laid out right from the first book.
I'm amused that as if there's a nod to A Game of Thrones where the emperor/empress will never be able to sit comfortably in the throne due to the throne's deliberate design. But that's not all. If you had read The Lord of the Rings trilogy, you'd remember Aragorn entering a battle scene with an army of the dead behind his back. In Peter Jackson's film, they're spectral beings in colored green. You'll see something like that in this book, only having reanimated corpses with spectral swords or what I was made to believe.
Raising the dead is not surprising for this series. We saw them in action on the previous book, City of Wonders. The only reason I'm reminded of LoTR was because a certain character, Callan, who recently lost his ship and crew came to the aid of voodoo-like people (they're black and have their own way of magic centered around death). In wanting to avenge his crew and for the people of Louron to avenge their dead, they help each other and boy was I surprised how it ended.
Sure there are lots of surprises that I have to delete four paragraphs, lest this review overflows with spoilers. Now, let's move on to other characters.
From City of Wonders, I thought there would be a budding romance between Tega and Drask . And I'm still shipping that! Reading halfway on Seven Forges (I'm referring on the very first book, not the entire series), I was in a dream where I was Andover Laksh trying to please the Gods. Sure I like Andohver but I thought Tega could be for someone else (cue inner child: because Andover betrayed her!).
What surprises me though was how fickle my feelings are. For years, I tend to avoid having insta-love on the first awesome character introduced in a book so I might not miss out on another. From Seven Forges, Drask was cool; he's calm (but way too deep). So then I chose team Tuskandru (he's funny with a devil-may-care attitude). But right from the very first chapter of this book, I feel giddy at the mere mention of Drask.
I can't believe that for the entirety of this book, I was busy fangirling on Drask! I was almost tempted on changing my Xbox gamer tag for $10 to his name. His whole name, Drask Silver Hand fits perfectly on the limit of 15 characters (sans the spaces of course). Oh God no, that was my idea. Don't change yours!
This line by Andover struck a cord with me:
Tega, what has happened is what has happened. The past is gone. I was not the same person then. I was much weaker. I lived and breathed and hid in fear. That time is gone. I fear nothing. I have faced my fears and learned from them. The gods gave me that.
Well, that's some deep reflection there but if there's one lesson you can learn from this book, it's "Thou shall not underestimate a character no matter how minor or ridiculous he seems to be." Not that I underestimated a character but I'd been rooting for this particular character from the previous book and I was dismayed with what the author did to him (like what Tarryn Fisher did to Noah Stein) until he got his turn to shine. He didn't get his POV on that part but I appreciate it greatly that he had this redeeming image from other characters. I love what the author did there. It's amazing that James A. Moore didn't fail me.
On the other hand, I found it funny that there's a transexual here whose transformation is clearly not his choice. Right, being a transgender is not a choice for one is simply born but transforming physically is. We know that the Sa'ba Taalor fully accept whatever their gods, the Daxar Taalor give them may it be a task or gifts for if they don't, they might turn into a mount which we've learned in City of Wonders. By the way, hounds are also introduced in this book.
Now, let's pause for a minute here and differentiate between a mount and a hound. The freshly anointed who failed the Daxar Taalor were made into the equivalent of hounds. On the other hand, to my understanding, mounts are really strong Sa'ba Taalor who simply refuse their gods. There are seven of the Daxar Taalor. As a Sa'ba Taalor, you can choose which gods you're going to be loyal to but if a god asks for you, you must never refuse, you simply follow. There are only two distinguished Sa'ba Taalor who were called upon by all of the Daxar Taalor and in my giddy mind, they're both fighting over Tega's affection. hahahaha
James A. Moore has covered quite a lot of issues in real life: socio-political, religious, and ethical aspects. Seven Forges is simply a fictional story but I like how the world-building is plausible without engaging a suspension of disbelief. With various aspects covered, I got nothing to complain. I don't even have a single issue on the magical system unlike other books where I have a lot of questions. Things are easily understandable here even though everything ended openly.
I read this book for weeks because I'm personally stumped with anything right now (my bills are hot on my trail). For this, I think there's a need for me to reread the entire series when understanding the locations is concerned. Because there's no map, I still couldn't visualize the world in this book. There are gaps on the days when I read pages of the book that when I get back to the part I last left, my memory is muddled when trying to remember where certain characters had been before. So yeah, a map would be great.
I got a lot of things to be grateful for in the Seven Forges series. One: I didn't pay a single cent for I read the entire series by ARCs alone (*evil laughter*). Two: It brought back magic in my life when I was so depressed. Three: The first book drove me to purchase a domain name the very next day after getting a copy so I will earn Internet authorship. I know I still have a lot to work for since I barely post anything on my website but I appreciate it that this series is pushing me more to work harder on that regard.
Thank you James A. Moore for such a wonderful and magical journey.
April 5, 2016
The fourth volume in James A. Moore’sSeven Forges series hits shelves in the US today. If you’ve been reading my blog long, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of this series. I’d like to thank Angry Robot Books for providing me the review copy.
The Silent Army has a lot to live up to from the previous volumes in this series. I’m glad to say that it does. The Fellein Empire has been losing every battle in the war with the Sa’ba Taalor. Things are about to change. The question is will it be enough or will they go down in defeat.
Moore pulls a few tricks out of his sleeve. One thing about this series is that it keeps you on your toes.
I don’t want to give too much away, especially if you haven’t read the series. (And if not, why not? C’mon, what’s the matter with you?) I will say this. The silent army is awesome. They’re stone warriors who protect the City of Wonders. The first time one of them comes out of a wall to engage in combat, it’s one of the best, most exciting scenes in the book.
Which brings me to something I would like to point out. At the risk of sounding like I’m sucking up, James A. Moore keeps getting better. The cast of characters expands. Moore juggles them with ease, giving each one some background so that they don’t all run together.
And the battle scenes, whether it’s individual combat or armies clashing, are riveting. Plus the intrigue keeps on getting more complex.
The silent army has their work cut out for them. They’re fighting a war against gods who are gods of war. The Sa’ba Taalor are only the soldiers, they’re not the ones calling the shots. What chance do stone and human armies stand against gods who can reshape the landscape and the armies that serve them?
The ending has some surprises in it. My take on it is that The Silent Army is the end of an arc but not the end of the story. The last few pages fairly say as much.
I don’t know if we’re going to see another volume in the Seven Forges series anytime soon or not. I hope it won’t be long. But if it is, or if The Silent Army wraps things up for good, it’s been a great ride with a good conclusion.
This is one is highly recommended.
The Silent Army has a lot to live up to from the previous volumes in this series. I’m glad to say that it does. The Fellein Empire has been losing every battle in the war with the Sa’ba Taalor. Things are about to change. The question is will it be enough or will they go down in defeat.
Moore pulls a few tricks out of his sleeve. One thing about this series is that it keeps you on your toes.
I don’t want to give too much away, especially if you haven’t read the series. (And if not, why not? C’mon, what’s the matter with you?) I will say this. The silent army is awesome. They’re stone warriors who protect the City of Wonders. The first time one of them comes out of a wall to engage in combat, it’s one of the best, most exciting scenes in the book.
Which brings me to something I would like to point out. At the risk of sounding like I’m sucking up, James A. Moore keeps getting better. The cast of characters expands. Moore juggles them with ease, giving each one some background so that they don’t all run together.
And the battle scenes, whether it’s individual combat or armies clashing, are riveting. Plus the intrigue keeps on getting more complex.
The silent army has their work cut out for them. They’re fighting a war against gods who are gods of war. The Sa’ba Taalor are only the soldiers, they’re not the ones calling the shots. What chance do stone and human armies stand against gods who can reshape the landscape and the armies that serve them?
The ending has some surprises in it. My take on it is that The Silent Army is the end of an arc but not the end of the story. The last few pages fairly say as much.
I don’t know if we’re going to see another volume in the Seven Forges series anytime soon or not. I hope it won’t be long. But if it is, or if The Silent Army wraps things up for good, it’s been a great ride with a good conclusion.
This is one is highly recommended.
April 12, 2016
I love this series, I will not lie about it. It has ALL the things that make a great fantasy read. Mr. Moore steadily ups his game with each new installment.
I call this "dark" fantasy, it does have epic leanings, great characters, great action and an awesome world, that pretty much wins me everytime. I won't gush much more, but if you like the fantasies and you like sword swinging and heads flying through the air like so much dust in the wind, give James A. Moore all your money! (and sacrifice goats or whatever, make him write more and faster)
22 stars out of 5, and a goat.
I call this "dark" fantasy, it does have epic leanings, great characters, great action and an awesome world, that pretty much wins me everytime. I won't gush much more, but if you like the fantasies and you like sword swinging and heads flying through the air like so much dust in the wind, give James A. Moore all your money! (and sacrifice goats or whatever, make him write more and faster)
22 stars out of 5, and a goat.
December 7, 2016
Absolutely brilliant! I wish I had the words to describe how much I loved this book -- the whole series is amazing and you should be reading this!
It’s a terrible thing watching your bookmark move ever closer to the end. Part of you craves the conclusion while that other part of you is yelling to slow down, to prolong the read for as long as you can. But I finally closed the cover on The Silent Army, and I can say without a shadow of doubt this is one of the best fantasy series I’ve read.
See full review (with spoilers) here: https://amandajspedding.com/2016/12/0...
It’s a terrible thing watching your bookmark move ever closer to the end. Part of you craves the conclusion while that other part of you is yelling to slow down, to prolong the read for as long as you can. But I finally closed the cover on The Silent Army, and I can say without a shadow of doubt this is one of the best fantasy series I’ve read.
See full review (with spoilers) here: https://amandajspedding.com/2016/12/0...
May 18, 2016
Extremely satisfying conclusion that has just enough dangling carrots to where I'm salivating for another. Like Merros Dulver needs to be getting his own book or I'm rioting kinda shit. I love how the characters in this book are so not the ones you meet in book one and the changes are believable: physically, mentally, behaviorally, it's awesome. Highly recommended stuff!
March 10, 2017
Better than the first 3. Not saying much. Unless you enjoy tiresome repetition of oversize, over-skilled, brutish warriors slaying helpless people - stay away from this story. The logic of the gods in these books is not consistent. There is no grand conclusion. No finality. Obviously, the author hopes that readers will be interested the further adventures of Drask. Not me.
December 15, 2021
rating: 4.5
A good ending...or is it? Mr. Moore says there will be another 3-4 books. I cannot wait!
A good ending...or is it? Mr. Moore says there will be another 3-4 books. I cannot wait!
April 28, 2017
Excellent end and leaves options for further books,
June 5, 2016
c2016: FWFTB: Fellein, Sa'ba Taalor, faithful, soldiers, world-changing. This series has been one of my favourites and some loose ends were tied up. All the favourite characters were here and the action pours off the pages. I am not sure that the same humour that was in the first book is as evident in this one and I still felt a bit removed from the Sa'ba Taalor characters. Loved it and definitely recommend to the normal crew but it is not a stand-alone read. Life is a series of tests. No one was permitted to fail. Young Mendt and her cohorts kept the stragglers in line. Those who could not follow the orders of their god were not left alive."
May 11, 2016
phew, what a ride. The Saba Taalor pushing on so many fronts, The City of Wonders on the move, and more magic than you can poke a stick at.
this feels like a satisfying ending to a first arc - there is so much more to happen and so many unanswered questions. I want to read many more novels in the series!
this feels like a satisfying ending to a first arc - there is so much more to happen and so many unanswered questions. I want to read many more novels in the series!
May 6, 2018
I really liked this book. It was very exciting the whole way through. It felt a bit rushed however that didn't really affect much, my biggest complaint was the ending. It was a bit anti climactic in my opinion. I'm hoping Moore writes another one. Overall solid book, would recommend it to anyone that likes fantasy.
January 6, 2018
This was a good ending to a very good series. A lot of action. A lot of bloodshed. There were a few surprises as well. I'm glad I read this series.
August 18, 2017
Ah man, I can't believe that this epic little saga is about to end... I've loved every installment so far and this one is no exception. The thing is, Moore just knows how to keep you interested (it took me quite some while to read but that is all on me. Moore writes as fast paced as ever!) and how to throw a curve ball atcha. The little caption on top "total war" is probably the best summation of this book. The people of the Forges and the people they're invading are having a massive full-on war and while it seemed like they had proven their superiority time and again in the previous three installments, Moore has given us sorcery that counteracts and works to a certain degree. What this does is give you a thrilling book where you're never sure, whose side is actually winning - and it makes you care for both sides because you see the war happening from both corners of the battlefield ("both" might be simplistic, considering they're scattered all over the world). Some things might seem a bit deus ex machina-ish, but even so no matter which side is overpowering, there will always be losses on both sides, which I appreciated. There's nothing more boring than an overpowered enemy that just plows through everything. Where would be the story? So when it says total war there, it truly means total war. As always, the cover art is wonderful. Kinda weird it's not the picture of one of the silent army, but (likely?) that of Tarag Paedori, the King in Iron. As I will say later on again, I have a hard time telling them apart, so it's very possible it's someone else...
But to the book. Oh boy, where to even start. There is so much happening in this, but it pretty much connects seamlessly to the previous installment. Canhoon, the city of wonders, is upping its wonders by actually floating away into the sky and leaving whatever didn't get into the outer wall behind. Most of our Fellein protagonists are in there and have to try to fend for themselves now that they're cut off from the earth. At first this doesn't seem to be too bad - they got rid of the impending invasion after all - but soon proves to be harder than they anticipated. Palace intrigues and hidden enemies make live hard . So does the colder weather the farther up they fly, something the so called silent army does not particularly care about on account of them being made out of stone. They will prove to be an integral force that protects them throughout this installment of the series, though. More often than not, were it not for the silent army, Canhoon would have fallen again before it even reached the bottom.
On the other side we have the Sa'ba Taalor, who are happy to finally get their revenge on Canhoon/Fellein . The respective seven kings have spread out, each trying to use their skills for what the gods deem the best way to meet the sorcery Canhoon - even so far up in the sky - can throw at them. As I'm horrible with names I would've appreciated a chart with the god names and their respective kings (I still get them all mixed up so don't expect consistency on my part), but since that would've entailed including spoilers, I can see why there was none. I still wish there was a map, though, I always get confused the farther away the story gets from where the Forges and Canhoon was before it soared up into the sky.
The story is told through the lens of many people, and as stated above, it's not a once sided affair. You have Nachia, Desh Krohan and Merros trying to find out if Canhoon will land safely or just dash through all the mountains and kill them. You have Andover traveling with Delil to where Canhoon is headed . Then there are Drask, Tega and Nolan , who are also on the way to where Canhoon is headed. Not to forget Cullan (whose name is once mistaken with that of Callan, the ship captain, and had me confused for a whole minute at that point) who has absorbed the mother-vine in her and travels with the Empress and co. in the floating city.
Of course each of the kings are doing their thing, invading city after city, region after region. Meanwhile some of the gods are moving (part of which we've already seen in the previous book). Through this part there are many little side characters that will pave the way for either Fellein or, mostly, the Sa'ba Taalor.
The end is a culmination of Sa'ba Taalor fighting against the silent army as well as their fleshier companions inside the city. Casualties happen on all sides - Fellein, Sa'ba Taalor and those that are neither one nor the other. . It leaves things kind of open with neither side really winning or losing
All in all, this has been a very interesting read. It truly felt like the stakes were high, the forces about even and you couldn't really say who was going to win. The world build in this one got even richer, introducing more details on sorcery, the power of the gods, necromancy and more.
I really loved the moral dilemma Drask is having throughout the book as well. The love interest shaping between him and Tega less so, but I guess they could fit together (Drask seems kinda asexual to me for some reason, don't ask me why...).
Andover is ever my fave baby. He has grown so much but still has this identity clash between his past self from Fellein and his new self shaped by each of the gods.
What I've also loved throughout the whole book but even more so in this installment, is the power of women. There are so many women in here ranging from sexy to pure warmachines that are prominent and well written. I love Swech, I love Nachia, I really liked Delil as well. I like the sisters working for Desh, too and even Cullen and her interactions with her dead friend Deltrea (who finds out Cullen had actually been into girls, something brought up casually but not meaninglessly, more plus points there). There's a huge variety of women in power or at least important to the plot. They even talk among themselves and it's really nice. Not to mention that Goltha's army (iirc) had not only men but also women in their army, as both genders were called to serve. Also, some of the kings in the Sa'ba Taalor camp are female (still called King though, something which I like despite it making it harder to tell them apart, which might've been by design). Also gendershifts are not frowned upon . Few are the books that balance gender so well. It might be nitpicky of me to look for that, but it just soothes my soul when a book does it so effortlessly.
So, in conclusion I give this 4.5 stars. The story was superb, the fights were awesome, my babies survived (seriously, I'm a sucker for happy endings and seeing my faves survive, ok?) and it felt like a wholesome experience to read. The only minus points I'll give is for the few word repetitions that I could've gone without (though at least the word notion doesn't appear as often as it used to), the missing quotation marks or at least some kind of way to tell which sorcerer is talking to whom and the somewhat open ending for a series. I really thought Tides of War would be the continuation of this, but apparently it's not. The author did say that there will be a book (or series?) that will loosely connect to this one with cameos from here. I'm expecting at least Merros and Swech to appear, not least of which is because of their baby . I really hope Andover will still be part of that too, because he's young and an important link that ties both Fellein and the seven forges. Also Drask, as his journey seems the most likely to yield interesting results and maybe even a confrontation . Be that as it may, this mustn't be a negative. So this series still ends on a high note for me and I'm for sure picking up whatever Moore will throw at me next!
But to the book. Oh boy, where to even start. There is so much happening in this, but it pretty much connects seamlessly to the previous installment. Canhoon, the city of wonders, is upping its wonders by actually floating away into the sky and leaving whatever didn't get into the outer wall behind. Most of our Fellein protagonists are in there and have to try to fend for themselves now that they're cut off from the earth. At first this doesn't seem to be too bad - they got rid of the impending invasion after all - but soon proves to be harder than they anticipated. Palace intrigues and hidden enemies make live hard . So does the colder weather the farther up they fly, something the so called silent army does not particularly care about on account of them being made out of stone. They will prove to be an integral force that protects them throughout this installment of the series, though. More often than not, were it not for the silent army, Canhoon would have fallen again before it even reached the bottom.
On the other side we have the Sa'ba Taalor, who are happy to finally get their revenge on Canhoon/Fellein . The respective seven kings have spread out, each trying to use their skills for what the gods deem the best way to meet the sorcery Canhoon - even so far up in the sky - can throw at them. As I'm horrible with names I would've appreciated a chart with the god names and their respective kings (I still get them all mixed up so don't expect consistency on my part), but since that would've entailed including spoilers, I can see why there was none. I still wish there was a map, though, I always get confused the farther away the story gets from where the Forges and Canhoon was before it soared up into the sky.
The story is told through the lens of many people, and as stated above, it's not a once sided affair. You have Nachia, Desh Krohan and Merros trying to find out if Canhoon will land safely or just dash through all the mountains and kill them. You have Andover traveling with Delil to where Canhoon is headed . Then there are Drask, Tega and Nolan , who are also on the way to where Canhoon is headed. Not to forget Cullan (whose name is once mistaken with that of Callan, the ship captain, and had me confused for a whole minute at that point) who has absorbed the mother-vine in her and travels with the Empress and co. in the floating city.
Of course each of the kings are doing their thing, invading city after city, region after region. Meanwhile some of the gods are moving (part of which we've already seen in the previous book). Through this part there are many little side characters that will pave the way for either Fellein or, mostly, the Sa'ba Taalor.
The end is a culmination of Sa'ba Taalor fighting against the silent army as well as their fleshier companions inside the city. Casualties happen on all sides - Fellein, Sa'ba Taalor and those that are neither one nor the other. . It leaves things kind of open with neither side really winning or losing
All in all, this has been a very interesting read. It truly felt like the stakes were high, the forces about even and you couldn't really say who was going to win. The world build in this one got even richer, introducing more details on sorcery, the power of the gods, necromancy and more.
I really loved the moral dilemma Drask is having throughout the book as well. The love interest shaping between him and Tega less so, but I guess they could fit together (Drask seems kinda asexual to me for some reason, don't ask me why...).
Andover is ever my fave baby. He has grown so much but still has this identity clash between his past self from Fellein and his new self shaped by each of the gods.
What I've also loved throughout the whole book but even more so in this installment, is the power of women. There are so many women in here ranging from sexy to pure warmachines that are prominent and well written. I love Swech, I love Nachia, I really liked Delil as well. I like the sisters working for Desh, too and even Cullen and her interactions with her dead friend Deltrea (who finds out Cullen had actually been into girls, something brought up casually but not meaninglessly, more plus points there). There's a huge variety of women in power or at least important to the plot. They even talk among themselves and it's really nice. Not to mention that Goltha's army (iirc) had not only men but also women in their army, as both genders were called to serve. Also, some of the kings in the Sa'ba Taalor camp are female (still called King though, something which I like despite it making it harder to tell them apart, which might've been by design). Also gendershifts are not frowned upon . Few are the books that balance gender so well. It might be nitpicky of me to look for that, but it just soothes my soul when a book does it so effortlessly.
So, in conclusion I give this 4.5 stars. The story was superb, the fights were awesome, my babies survived (seriously, I'm a sucker for happy endings and seeing my faves survive, ok?) and it felt like a wholesome experience to read. The only minus points I'll give is for the few word repetitions that I could've gone without (though at least the word notion doesn't appear as often as it used to), the missing quotation marks or at least some kind of way to tell which sorcerer is talking to whom and the somewhat open ending for a series. I really thought Tides of War would be the continuation of this, but apparently it's not. The author did say that there will be a book (or series?) that will loosely connect to this one with cameos from here. I'm expecting at least Merros and Swech to appear, not least of which is because of their baby . I really hope Andover will still be part of that too, because he's young and an important link that ties both Fellein and the seven forges. Also Drask, as his journey seems the most likely to yield interesting results and maybe even a confrontation . Be that as it may, this mustn't be a negative. So this series still ends on a high note for me and I'm for sure picking up whatever Moore will throw at me next!
February 13, 2017
Really enjoyed this series.
July 17, 2016
Probably 3.5/4 of 5 for this one.
The Silent Army is the fourth installment of what is turning out to be quite an epic fantasy series by James A Moore. If you haven’t started the series yet then please be aware that this review will undoubtedly contain spoilers for the previous books in the series. Also, if you do plan on starting this series I would strongly suggest starting from the beginning in order to really get a feel for all the characters and their different allegiances.
The conclusion of the last book was incredibly dramatic with the Silent Army rising to defend Canhoon (or the City of Wonders, as it is also known) against attack from the Sa’ba Taalor. At the same time the army of the Sa’ba Taalor are on the move, their strategies are in place and although the events at the conclusion of No.3 caused them a momentary blip nothing is unsurmountable to them. Or at least so it seems. Ruthless, determined and with their Gods constantly feeding them guidance they are a force to be feared and they sweep across the land terrorising and transforming it in their wake.
Meanwhile we become re-acquainted with Andover Lashk and his companions who travelled to The Mounds to find out their secrets and probably found out a little more than they bargained for. Andover is finally coming to terms with his own destiny. He’s changed massively since we first met him and is no longer the quiet and fearful character who was so easy to beat into submission. His companions – Tega, Nolan and Drask have all been equally affected by the Mounds and are also trying to understand what exactly these changes mean for them and the role they will play in the future.
The City of Wonders is also undertaking it’s own personal journey. As well as trying to formulate war strategies and protect all the people that have flooded into Canhoon it seems that the City is experiencing it’s own difficulties in terms of mysterious deaths, riots and poisonings.
It is difficult to review this book without giving too much away. Again Moore manages to pull a number of completely unexpected surprises out of the bag – particularly towards the end of the book – which give a whole new meaning to the war that is taking place. Maybe everything isn’t quite as it first seemed and I’m certainly keen to read on and find out more! I’m assuming (or hoping) that there is more of course.
What I can talk about is the Silent Army which I thought was a great creation. A stone army that can literally melt into or appear out of the stone walls. As an army they are quite formidable, they don’t bleed and they feel no fear – however, the slight drawback is they seem to dance to their own tune. That being said, at the moment their own motivations seem to be to protect the Empress so that makes them a great asset.
I won’t go into too much more detail. I can say that this story seems to become more intriguing with each instalment, in fact this is far from what it at first appeared to be – a story of war driven by the desire to seek revenge.
This is another strong book in the series. On balance, I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite out of the series, it has a little bit of a feel of getting from one place to another place in order for another revelation to be made. But, in spite of that this is still a strong instalment with no shortage of action and Moore is excellent at writing dramatic fight and battle scenes.
I would certainly recommend this series.
The Silent Army is the fourth installment of what is turning out to be quite an epic fantasy series by James A Moore. If you haven’t started the series yet then please be aware that this review will undoubtedly contain spoilers for the previous books in the series. Also, if you do plan on starting this series I would strongly suggest starting from the beginning in order to really get a feel for all the characters and their different allegiances.
The conclusion of the last book was incredibly dramatic with the Silent Army rising to defend Canhoon (or the City of Wonders, as it is also known) against attack from the Sa’ba Taalor. At the same time the army of the Sa’ba Taalor are on the move, their strategies are in place and although the events at the conclusion of No.3 caused them a momentary blip nothing is unsurmountable to them. Or at least so it seems. Ruthless, determined and with their Gods constantly feeding them guidance they are a force to be feared and they sweep across the land terrorising and transforming it in their wake.
Meanwhile we become re-acquainted with Andover Lashk and his companions who travelled to The Mounds to find out their secrets and probably found out a little more than they bargained for. Andover is finally coming to terms with his own destiny. He’s changed massively since we first met him and is no longer the quiet and fearful character who was so easy to beat into submission. His companions – Tega, Nolan and Drask have all been equally affected by the Mounds and are also trying to understand what exactly these changes mean for them and the role they will play in the future.
The City of Wonders is also undertaking it’s own personal journey. As well as trying to formulate war strategies and protect all the people that have flooded into Canhoon it seems that the City is experiencing it’s own difficulties in terms of mysterious deaths, riots and poisonings.
It is difficult to review this book without giving too much away. Again Moore manages to pull a number of completely unexpected surprises out of the bag – particularly towards the end of the book – which give a whole new meaning to the war that is taking place. Maybe everything isn’t quite as it first seemed and I’m certainly keen to read on and find out more! I’m assuming (or hoping) that there is more of course.
What I can talk about is the Silent Army which I thought was a great creation. A stone army that can literally melt into or appear out of the stone walls. As an army they are quite formidable, they don’t bleed and they feel no fear – however, the slight drawback is they seem to dance to their own tune. That being said, at the moment their own motivations seem to be to protect the Empress so that makes them a great asset.
I won’t go into too much more detail. I can say that this story seems to become more intriguing with each instalment, in fact this is far from what it at first appeared to be – a story of war driven by the desire to seek revenge.
This is another strong book in the series. On balance, I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite out of the series, it has a little bit of a feel of getting from one place to another place in order for another revelation to be made. But, in spite of that this is still a strong instalment with no shortage of action and Moore is excellent at writing dramatic fight and battle scenes.
I would certainly recommend this series.
February 14, 2017
My review for this book is basically my review for the series.
Well, I am not going to say I really liked this story. Maybe it's because Moore's a horror author, but the whole story was unremittingly grim. I am fairly sure the goal was to explain the complexity and brutality of war, with sympathetic characters on both sides. Unfortunately, I didn't like any of the religions fanatics at all. They have another name, but it's spelled oddly so I'm not going to bother writing it.
Just as a starting point, burning a forest and systematically killing a tree god is not going to endear me to you. Pleasantly for a conquering army, they didn't rape anyone, but it turns out that committing multiple genocides will make me dislike you just as much as being a rapist. If not more. Also, they mind raped a wizard, and tortured whole cities.
One could argue that good people do bad things in war time. Bitter Seeds, which I read recently, is a great example of a story that highlights that. But in this world, none of them are even remotely good. The author seems to explain away their actions by saying that they are loyal to their gods, and that they are therefore not responsible in anyway, but it is inconceivable that a society like that could exist. They frequently put their own childeren in the line of fire, to toughen them up, and while it is possible for people to do pretty much anything to the "other", letting your own childeren die is next to impossible for any normal person. The only way around this is having them all be psychopaths, who are incapable of feeling empathy. I would accept that hypothesis (though I would still have zero sympathy for them) except that we see multiple ones of them care about other people and question their gods. And that makes me not believe in them at all - the actions of individuals don't really make sense and aren't sympathetic, and in the tide of destruction across the continent I clearly see the hand of the author.
I also don't buy the defenders. They have sorcery, and the sorcerers complain bitterly about the cost of their magic and therefore do practically none. But since the leaders of the empire are sending their troops out to die, and watching the invaders literally slaughter every single person in every village they come to, I find this complaining unbelievable. Given that their institutions and the vast majority of their populace are directly threatened, I genuinely can't believe that they didn't start engaging in human sacrifices "for the good of the many". I'm not saying that this course of action is right, but I am fine with watching its moral ambiguities (Again, Bitter Seeds is great), and the failure to act that way is totally implausible.
Some of the characters' relationships are also pretty unbelievable. .
I almost gave it 3 stars for a fully realized world and eloquent writing, but in the context of the plot's implausibility and characters' generally illogical behaviors, I couldn't rank it higher than a 2.
Read via the TPL
Well, I am not going to say I really liked this story. Maybe it's because Moore's a horror author, but the whole story was unremittingly grim. I am fairly sure the goal was to explain the complexity and brutality of war, with sympathetic characters on both sides. Unfortunately, I didn't like any of the religions fanatics at all. They have another name, but it's spelled oddly so I'm not going to bother writing it.
Just as a starting point, burning a forest and systematically killing a tree god is not going to endear me to you. Pleasantly for a conquering army, they didn't rape anyone, but it turns out that committing multiple genocides will make me dislike you just as much as being a rapist. If not more. Also, they mind raped a wizard, and tortured whole cities.
One could argue that good people do bad things in war time. Bitter Seeds, which I read recently, is a great example of a story that highlights that. But in this world, none of them are even remotely good. The author seems to explain away their actions by saying that they are loyal to their gods, and that they are therefore not responsible in anyway, but it is inconceivable that a society like that could exist. They frequently put their own childeren in the line of fire, to toughen them up, and while it is possible for people to do pretty much anything to the "other", letting your own childeren die is next to impossible for any normal person. The only way around this is having them all be psychopaths, who are incapable of feeling empathy. I would accept that hypothesis (though I would still have zero sympathy for them) except that we see multiple ones of them care about other people and question their gods. And that makes me not believe in them at all - the actions of individuals don't really make sense and aren't sympathetic, and in the tide of destruction across the continent I clearly see the hand of the author.
I also don't buy the defenders. They have sorcery, and the sorcerers complain bitterly about the cost of their magic and therefore do practically none. But since the leaders of the empire are sending their troops out to die, and watching the invaders literally slaughter every single person in every village they come to, I find this complaining unbelievable. Given that their institutions and the vast majority of their populace are directly threatened, I genuinely can't believe that they didn't start engaging in human sacrifices "for the good of the many". I'm not saying that this course of action is right, but I am fine with watching its moral ambiguities (Again, Bitter Seeds is great), and the failure to act that way is totally implausible.
Some of the characters' relationships are also pretty unbelievable. .
I almost gave it 3 stars for a fully realized world and eloquent writing, but in the context of the plot's implausibility and characters' generally illogical behaviors, I couldn't rank it higher than a 2.
Read via the TPL
May 23, 2016
The silent army having risen in the last book is the direct pickup of this one. The silent army defends the flying canhoon from the might of the armies of the sabba talor. The army continues to fight the emeny that is hidden away is the city before it began to fly at the end of the city of wonders. The city begins to fall and the armies of the sabba talor gather where they think the city will fall.
The city falls andd the armies move in to fight this battle. All the while the gods of the daxxa talor are moving to new locations in and around felien to ensure their victory over the felien empire. Drask and Andover are traveling to the city of wonders to confront the felleins and andover to fight in the name of the gods in one on one combat. Andover defeats the felien sorcerer desh krohan but spares his life due to the kindness that desh had showed him. The gods aim to move the final of their mountains onto canhoon but drash uses the power he gained from within the forbidden mounds to stop the and forces the gods to remain silent for a time. The sabba tolor retreat and felien is spared.
As with the previous books this one can appeal to a variety of people but mostly to those who especially enjoy the fantasy or even the science fiction genres. It has many magical elements to the book but is still manages to retain some realism to it so it may even hold some appeal to those who enjoy non fiction books. It may be better for older people though as it does contain some mature content such as graphic violence in the form of war and combat. It can provide a good experience for people that like to root for the underdog as the main groups of people that you follow are being constantly pushed back by their enemies and being forced into retreat again and again. It is also a very good coming of age story for one of the characters that you follow named andover. He changes greatly and can be viewed as the main protagonists in some ways throughout the entire story.
This was my favourite of the series so far as the author has been able to stay away from just story development and move into the deep story and make is what he wanted it to be. This was his first chance to go all out and it really showed in this being the best of the series so far. It really captured the style that the other books had in the character switching and made it even better with the introduction of some new characters and some other that were build upon even more than in the last books. The war that has been hinted at in the other books has come to full fruition and even an end of sorts but it will continue in the next book in the series. This was by far the best book in the seven forges series and that's saying alot since the other books were so well written and fantastic.
The city falls andd the armies move in to fight this battle. All the while the gods of the daxxa talor are moving to new locations in and around felien to ensure their victory over the felien empire. Drask and Andover are traveling to the city of wonders to confront the felleins and andover to fight in the name of the gods in one on one combat. Andover defeats the felien sorcerer desh krohan but spares his life due to the kindness that desh had showed him. The gods aim to move the final of their mountains onto canhoon but drash uses the power he gained from within the forbidden mounds to stop the and forces the gods to remain silent for a time. The sabba tolor retreat and felien is spared.
As with the previous books this one can appeal to a variety of people but mostly to those who especially enjoy the fantasy or even the science fiction genres. It has many magical elements to the book but is still manages to retain some realism to it so it may even hold some appeal to those who enjoy non fiction books. It may be better for older people though as it does contain some mature content such as graphic violence in the form of war and combat. It can provide a good experience for people that like to root for the underdog as the main groups of people that you follow are being constantly pushed back by their enemies and being forced into retreat again and again. It is also a very good coming of age story for one of the characters that you follow named andover. He changes greatly and can be viewed as the main protagonists in some ways throughout the entire story.
This was my favourite of the series so far as the author has been able to stay away from just story development and move into the deep story and make is what he wanted it to be. This was his first chance to go all out and it really showed in this being the best of the series so far. It really captured the style that the other books had in the character switching and made it even better with the introduction of some new characters and some other that were build upon even more than in the last books. The war that has been hinted at in the other books has come to full fruition and even an end of sorts but it will continue in the next book in the series. This was by far the best book in the seven forges series and that's saying alot since the other books were so well written and fantastic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2017
2GR* - My actual rating is 5 out of 10.
Books 1-4:
Good, unpredictable story. In the end dome of the subplots felt unnecessary. The ending of the series felt rushed, forced and left me unsatisfied, hence my lower rating for book 4. Writing felt a tad unpolished and suffered a bit from too many POV's. Still a likeable series, recommended for sword & sorcery fans.
Books 1-4:
Good, unpredictable story. In the end dome of the subplots felt unnecessary. The ending of the series felt rushed, forced and left me unsatisfied, hence my lower rating for book 4. Writing felt a tad unpolished and suffered a bit from too many POV's. Still a likeable series, recommended for sword & sorcery fans.
July 26, 2016
Excellent ending to this quartet, can't wait to see where the storyline goes next!
June 8, 2016
Wow.
That one word sums up,the experience I've had with this entire series. The amount of thought and depth that went into this book and the others in the series is truly amazing.
That one word sums up,the experience I've had with this entire series. The amount of thought and depth that went into this book and the others in the series is truly amazing.
June 19, 2016
Fantastic read.
September 1, 2016
I love this series.... Action, adventure, magic, trials and tribulations. A myriad of Heros
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