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Ismark: The Marked Boy
In the fantasy land of Ismark a child slave called Eirick has his life thrown into chaos and adventure by a blaze in his slave encampment. Thus starts the journey where we join Eirick on his life exploring new places and battling cultures.
Meanwhile around him lays a more hidden world of political manipulation, greed, treachery and barbarism.
In this first book of the new Ismark series we enter an exciting and wonderful original fantasy world inspired by ancient Norse culture as well as touches of Roman and Persian culture as well as adventures exploring the darker and more noble aspects of people that must live in such a world.
This is the first book by Norwegian author JH Lillevik who has written many short stories, comics, scripts and articles for over 20 years.
Enjoy.
Meanwhile around him lays a more hidden world of political manipulation, greed, treachery and barbarism.
In this first book of the new Ismark series we enter an exciting and wonderful original fantasy world inspired by ancient Norse culture as well as touches of Roman and Persian culture as well as adventures exploring the darker and more noble aspects of people that must live in such a world.
This is the first book by Norwegian author JH Lillevik who has written many short stories, comics, scripts and articles for over 20 years.
Enjoy.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 14, 2017
2 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 25, 2017
I first met this story at an early stage in its development, when the author shared some initial thoughts and drafts with me and few other friends on social media. I find it an exciting and privileged position to be able to see how the story has developed from its early stages to this final published novel.
The story has many dark elements. We join Lillevik's eponymous hero Eirik the marked boy when he is a brutally mistreated slave in a mining community, part of the half conquered land of Ismark. From there Eirik's life takes a series of turns for the worse in a succession of trials that would test the fortitude of a saint. However, Eirik survives where others do not, and finds spiritual strength in the midst of debilitating physical weakness. Sustained by dream-like memories of friends, relatives and homes he has lost, he strives to adapt to the challenges and opportunities of rapidly changing circumstances.
At 271 pages, the book is relative short for a fantasy epic and this allows it to start at a reasonable pace and accelerate rapidly as it approaches its shattering conclusion. I can see where some of the authorial excursions on those initial drafts have been trimmed back to allow us to get to grips more quickly with Eirik's journey - both in geographical and developmental terms.
The world building is intriguing. Various nations struggle against the might of the Sorian Empire, in its determination to subjugate the rest of the world through military or economic might. The Sorian's reminded me of many historical and fictional archetypes, most notably Rome, or ancient China. However, one particularly memorable character put me in mind of none other than Jabba the Hut from Star Wars.
The Sorians built their empire by stealing cities from a sophisticated dwarven civilisation and Lillevik leaves a few loose threads hanging, temptingly - to assure us that dwarves have a bigger part to play in Eirik's story than the magnificence of their architecture.
There are other characters too, besides Eirik and his immediate Ismarkian associates, that the reader will look forward to hearing more from: Master Cal - the inept Sorian merchant; Rhun - the Wrenian spy and his charming companion Amalie; Kef - the Sorian with friends in high places and swords with sharp edges.
Lillevik's writing is a little raw in places, and there is the occasional misplaced word or typo which a skilled editor's eye might have tidied up. However, the story has at its heart the endurance and triumph of the human spirit. There were times, when I felt we were being told rather than shown the characters' experience of and reaction to adversity, but Lillevik's eagerness, in this his debut novel, is understandably to convey the shape and urgency of his story.
As E.M.Forster said nearly a century ago in Aspects of the Novel "The story... can only have one merit: that of making the audience want to know what happens next." Lillevik's story - with its nicely judged denoument - succeeded in that.
The story has many dark elements. We join Lillevik's eponymous hero Eirik the marked boy when he is a brutally mistreated slave in a mining community, part of the half conquered land of Ismark. From there Eirik's life takes a series of turns for the worse in a succession of trials that would test the fortitude of a saint. However, Eirik survives where others do not, and finds spiritual strength in the midst of debilitating physical weakness. Sustained by dream-like memories of friends, relatives and homes he has lost, he strives to adapt to the challenges and opportunities of rapidly changing circumstances.
At 271 pages, the book is relative short for a fantasy epic and this allows it to start at a reasonable pace and accelerate rapidly as it approaches its shattering conclusion. I can see where some of the authorial excursions on those initial drafts have been trimmed back to allow us to get to grips more quickly with Eirik's journey - both in geographical and developmental terms.
The world building is intriguing. Various nations struggle against the might of the Sorian Empire, in its determination to subjugate the rest of the world through military or economic might. The Sorian's reminded me of many historical and fictional archetypes, most notably Rome, or ancient China. However, one particularly memorable character put me in mind of none other than Jabba the Hut from Star Wars.
The Sorians built their empire by stealing cities from a sophisticated dwarven civilisation and Lillevik leaves a few loose threads hanging, temptingly - to assure us that dwarves have a bigger part to play in Eirik's story than the magnificence of their architecture.
There are other characters too, besides Eirik and his immediate Ismarkian associates, that the reader will look forward to hearing more from: Master Cal - the inept Sorian merchant; Rhun - the Wrenian spy and his charming companion Amalie; Kef - the Sorian with friends in high places and swords with sharp edges.
Lillevik's writing is a little raw in places, and there is the occasional misplaced word or typo which a skilled editor's eye might have tidied up. However, the story has at its heart the endurance and triumph of the human spirit. There were times, when I felt we were being told rather than shown the characters' experience of and reaction to adversity, but Lillevik's eagerness, in this his debut novel, is understandably to convey the shape and urgency of his story.
As E.M.Forster said nearly a century ago in Aspects of the Novel "The story... can only have one merit: that of making the audience want to know what happens next." Lillevik's story - with its nicely judged denoument - succeeded in that.
August 30, 2021
Being a fan of Norse flavored fantasy, I was excited to get a chance to review Ismark: The Marked Boy. Finding that it also had a bit of Roman and Persian flavor thrown in to the mix, I was curious to see what the author created. What I discovered was a gritty fantasy world filled with struggle, desperation, hope and betrayal, with enough action to keep any fantasy fan interested.
The characters in this book are definitely a strength, especially the main protagonist, Eirick. We see Eirick have an interesting character arc, starting as a slave in a mining town in his conquered country, and proceeding through various trials to becoming a successful fighter in the Arena in a large city in the Sorian Empire, where his struggles only continue, but which opens a path for future hope for Eirick and his companions.
The secondary characters are an interesting bunch, including an educated healer woman enslaved with Eirick, his overseer, who is a former warrior coasting on past glories. There is also a subplot about Eirick’s former master, who is on the run from his debts and has struggles of his own. We get to see all these story lines weave around each other, and collide in the final climactic conflagration.
The author did an excellent job creating a world that has some fantastical elements, but also has some resemblance to the ancient world. Ismark has a very Scandinavian feel to it, While the Sorian Empire and the Free Cities Islands seem to have a bit of the Roman and Persian influence I mentioned earlier. They are rivals, with the bigger Sorian Empire being the played off by the Free Cities political wiles. Its very interesting watching the dynamics of the world play out.
With its various cultural and story line elements, I can see Ismark appealing to a lot of fantasy fans. With it’s emphasis one more realistic fantasy elements, I can even see it appeal to fans of historical fiction. I am excited to see where the author takes this world in future installments.
The characters in this book are definitely a strength, especially the main protagonist, Eirick. We see Eirick have an interesting character arc, starting as a slave in a mining town in his conquered country, and proceeding through various trials to becoming a successful fighter in the Arena in a large city in the Sorian Empire, where his struggles only continue, but which opens a path for future hope for Eirick and his companions.
The secondary characters are an interesting bunch, including an educated healer woman enslaved with Eirick, his overseer, who is a former warrior coasting on past glories. There is also a subplot about Eirick’s former master, who is on the run from his debts and has struggles of his own. We get to see all these story lines weave around each other, and collide in the final climactic conflagration.
The author did an excellent job creating a world that has some fantastical elements, but also has some resemblance to the ancient world. Ismark has a very Scandinavian feel to it, While the Sorian Empire and the Free Cities Islands seem to have a bit of the Roman and Persian influence I mentioned earlier. They are rivals, with the bigger Sorian Empire being the played off by the Free Cities political wiles. Its very interesting watching the dynamics of the world play out.
With its various cultural and story line elements, I can see Ismark appealing to a lot of fantasy fans. With it’s emphasis one more realistic fantasy elements, I can even see it appeal to fans of historical fiction. I am excited to see where the author takes this world in future installments.
December 1, 2017
An Excellent & Seminal Book to a Hopefully Long Lived Series
A brooding, dark, yet uplifting novel of a boy becoming a man while overcoming the chains placed upon him.
It is a remarkable page turner, following a slave, his old master, & the new taskmaster who takes him in as an arena fighter.
It's not difficult to read, nor entirely childish.
A dark atmosphere is tempered by hope of escape, amidst cultures that feel familiar, but are in their own ways alien.
The only disappointing thing about this book is that there is not one more yet to read.
If the quality continues as is, however, this may be a series to watch, & certainly to remember.
A brooding, dark, yet uplifting novel of a boy becoming a man while overcoming the chains placed upon him.
It is a remarkable page turner, following a slave, his old master, & the new taskmaster who takes him in as an arena fighter.
It's not difficult to read, nor entirely childish.
A dark atmosphere is tempered by hope of escape, amidst cultures that feel familiar, but are in their own ways alien.
The only disappointing thing about this book is that there is not one more yet to read.
If the quality continues as is, however, this may be a series to watch, & certainly to remember.
August 31, 2018
Engaging Story
I quite enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one. The characters are are varied and interesting, and the plot is engaging.
The descriptions of the locations and events do not drag on forever and are not too heavy handed...you know what's happening and how things look with some wiggle room for your imagination.If you enjoy books from the Dragonlance series then this title will be right up your alley.
The only issue I had was the pacing in the very beginning. The first couple of chapters or so crawled a bit but after that the plot moved forward in a way that kept you wanting to read more, even if it was 2 a.m. and you could barely keep your eyes open.
Definitely recommend!
I quite enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one. The characters are are varied and interesting, and the plot is engaging.
The descriptions of the locations and events do not drag on forever and are not too heavy handed...you know what's happening and how things look with some wiggle room for your imagination.If you enjoy books from the Dragonlance series then this title will be right up your alley.
The only issue I had was the pacing in the very beginning. The first couple of chapters or so crawled a bit but after that the plot moved forward in a way that kept you wanting to read more, even if it was 2 a.m. and you could barely keep your eyes open.
Definitely recommend!
January 11, 2018
It is a really intriguing story from a universe you know has much more to offer. The main characters journey starts to really pull you in so much that you get really angry when the book end.
It is a book which ones you get hooked won't leave you off it so eeasily. I am really looking forward to the second one!
It is a book which ones you get hooked won't leave you off it so eeasily. I am really looking forward to the second one!
January 11, 2018
Ismark, nutshelled, is a bit like redoing Conan but with the spin of a Nordic-style mythos. A slow burn of a first-time novel which picks up pace and style about halfway through. By the end, I was definitely invested and looking forward to the next installment!
March 1, 2022
This book was a well written and well paced introduction into a new fantasy world. I really liked how engaging the characters were as individuals. Each distinct from the other in meaningful ways.
May 13, 2018
Great story, and I would probably have given it 4 stars if it hadn't been in need of some editing.
July 21, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews