Remembering the tales of the human-scorning MageLords, prince Gavin fears he has unleashed a horrible power on the kingdom he loves, while a hunter named Bjorn carries within himself a forbidden power. Original.
Thomas K. Martin was born in a small mining town in the Cumberland Gap region of Kentucky near the West Virginia and Tennessee borders. His father served in the U.S. Air Force, and the family moved frequently when Martin was a child. Martin came to Texas with his parents in 1974 and has lived in and around Dallas / Ft. Worth ever since.
Martin published his first novel, A Two-Edged Sword (the first book of The Delgroth Trilogy), through Ace/Berkley in December 1993. He completed a second series, The Magelord Trilogy, in 1999.
Apart from writing, Martin also works as a computer programmer, creates his own chain mail and serves as a member of The Artemis Society of Dallas. He lives near Dallas with his wife, Mary, and four of their five children.
Sometimes when you are randomly looking for a new author, strolling the Fantasy/SF aisle and picking out books that look good, you pick out one like this. OK, but certainly not running out to read another of his books.
Let me be clear: I do enjoy this book. It's fun, albeit formulaic sword-and-sorcery fantasy. That having been said, I can't in good conscience give it more than two stars. The writing and editing are sub-par, and the characters are little better than archetypes. Does that take away from my enjoyment of Martin's work? Not in the least. But J.R.R. Tolkien he is not.
Too much following around of characters who were but puppets of the villain. I was far more interested in Bjorn than Gavin, as well. I skimmed through the battles because I knew it was just about him being controlled and starting war after war. The only things I did not understand is Valerian's motivation and his purpose.