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Light in the Dark #1
Shattered Dreams
Epic Fantasy filled to the brim with Grimdark Reality
If one looks too long into the abyss, the abyss looks back. Drangar Ralgon has been avoiding the abyss's gaze for far too long and now he turns to face it.
For a hundred years the young kingdom of Danastaer has thrived in peace. Now their northern neighbor, mighty Chanastardh, has begun a cunning invasion.
Thrust into events far beyond his control, the mercenary Drangar Ralgon flees his solitary life as a shepherd to evade the coming war and take responsibility for his crimes.
In Dunthiochagh, Danastaer's oldest city, the holy warrior Kildanor uncovers the enemy's plans for invasion.
As ancient forces reach forth to shape the world once more, the sorceress Ealisaid wakes from a century of hibernation only to realize the Dunthiochagh she knew is no more. Magic, believed long gone, returns, and with it comes an elven wizard sent to recover a dangerous secret.
If one looks too long into the abyss, the abyss looks back. Drangar Ralgon has been avoiding the abyss's gaze for far too long and now he turns to face it.
For a hundred years the young kingdom of Danastaer has thrived in peace. Now their northern neighbor, mighty Chanastardh, has begun a cunning invasion.
Thrust into events far beyond his control, the mercenary Drangar Ralgon flees his solitary life as a shepherd to evade the coming war and take responsibility for his crimes.
In Dunthiochagh, Danastaer's oldest city, the holy warrior Kildanor uncovers the enemy's plans for invasion.
As ancient forces reach forth to shape the world once more, the sorceress Ealisaid wakes from a century of hibernation only to realize the Dunthiochagh she knew is no more. Magic, believed long gone, returns, and with it comes an elven wizard sent to recover a dangerous secret.
518 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 19, 2016
33 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
Ulff Lehmann
12 books104 followersUlff Lehmann has spent quite a while waiting on his Midlife Crisis, and decided he won't go there. For the past two decades he has been developing the stories he is now publishing. Born and bred in Germany, Ulff chose to write in English when he realized he had spent most of his adult life reading English instead of his mother tongue, and brings with him the oftentimes Grimm outlook of his country's fairy-tales to his stories. A wordsmith with a poet's heart, Ulff's goal is to create a world filled with believable people.
According to his friends, his place is utter chaos and filled to the brim with books, CDs, and DVDs. In an earlier part of his life, Ulff turned his love for music outward, singing in two bands. Nowadays the only singing he does is in concert with his shower, and it thinks his voice is still acceptable. His passion for movies led him to begin Movie and TV studies at university, begin being the operative word. He didn't finish. Instead life pulled him this way and that until he finally understood he was a storyteller.
According to his friends, his place is utter chaos and filled to the brim with books, CDs, and DVDs. In an earlier part of his life, Ulff turned his love for music outward, singing in two bands. Nowadays the only singing he does is in concert with his shower, and it thinks his voice is still acceptable. His passion for movies led him to begin Movie and TV studies at university, begin being the operative word. He didn't finish. Instead life pulled him this way and that until he finally understood he was a storyteller.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
December 19, 2022
Reading this a second time because Ulff deserves a better review - and my old phone went bust and I have none of my review notes.
I've been in a very dark place in the last few months. So much feels like it's been falling apart - I struggle to write reviews, which was always my way of expressing myself.
Shattered Dreams was there for me when I was close to having a panic attack or giving up on something difficult. Every character was so beautifully crafted that their humanity seeped from the pages. I felt that, for the first time in months, someone understood.
And I'll be damned if it wasn't a bunch of characters - or rather Ulff himself, who helped me.
Move out of the way, Steven Erikson. There's a new grim dark man in town.
Get thee to a nunnery, Yennefer, because Ealisaid could kick your ass any day.
My apologies to Andrzej Sapkowski, but Ulff Lehmann did it better, man
If you're jaded by recent high fantasy, please, read this. Even if you're not jaded, read this book immediately. You won't be disappointed in this masterpiece.
Edit: second reread was marvelous. Ulff's writing is at war with the likes of Brandon Sanderson, Steven Erikson, and many more. I implore you read this book
I've been in a very dark place in the last few months. So much feels like it's been falling apart - I struggle to write reviews, which was always my way of expressing myself.
Shattered Dreams was there for me when I was close to having a panic attack or giving up on something difficult. Every character was so beautifully crafted that their humanity seeped from the pages. I felt that, for the first time in months, someone understood.
And I'll be damned if it wasn't a bunch of characters - or rather Ulff himself, who helped me.
Move out of the way, Steven Erikson. There's a new grim dark man in town.
Get thee to a nunnery, Yennefer, because Ealisaid could kick your ass any day.
If you're jaded by recent high fantasy, please, read this. Even if you're not jaded, read this book immediately. You won't be disappointed in this masterpiece.
Edit: second reread was marvelous. Ulff's writing is at war with the likes of Brandon Sanderson, Steven Erikson, and many more. I implore you read this book
February 19, 2020
I received a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Ulff!
Shattered Dreams is a dark high-fantasy tale that is ripe with unique characters and a well thought out world that has mercenaries, elves, wizardesses and a talking squirrel. So if you’re a fan of medium-sized rodents that could talk the hind legs off a donkey then stop reading this review and buy this book!
‘No death is as slow as life.’
Ulff Lehmann catapults the reader into a dark Germanic fantasy land that is true epic-fantasy. When I read the first chapter, I was gripped. With the prose, the intriguing names, the plot. There is a whole lot of history of war between wizards and elves and the abandoning of the land leaving humans to get up to their tricks alone. Shattered Dreams introduces to us two nations, Chanastardh and Danastaer, who are now at war due to various reasons; greed, lazy kings plus a few more.
There is a lot to like here. It is a unique land that really does feel set apart from many other fantasy settings. Lehmann has done a terrific job of carving his own world with plenty of backstory and world-building that felt original and not a rehash of the same fantasy tropes, names, settings and history. It is epic, with a large cast of characters and written well, with a good ratio of description to dialogue, and an even better ratio of plot carrying to action sequences.
‘Complacency is the greatest foe of peace.’
When I said there is a large cast of characters, I meant it - there are 8 POVs here and a host of secondary characters. Drangar the mercenary is a standout, a mysterious past and a battle within his own mind, he is fearsome but crippled by what he has done. Kildanor is a Chosen knight attempting to unveil a plot and Ealisaid is a wizardess who is unknowingly the last of her magical order. These are but a few of this vast list of characters and were written well to include plenty of character development and enjoyable threads. They create a believable plot and have some witty and character-building interactions that carry the book.
Lehmann’s characters are certainly original. As are their names. Now this was the main difficulty I faced, which I have seen other readers agree with. They are long-winded, some extremely similar, and although Ulff provides a pronunciation guide to certain sounds at the beginning of his book, I still struggled with separating the characters / places. Especially in the first third of Shattered Dreams. It is hard to be truly immersed when you are concentrating on the names and having to flick back through to remember.
‘The doom that awaited those who took their own life made him shiver.’
Being book 1 of a series, I felt Shattered Dreams certainly had slow moments without much character progression. The middle third felt slower than it needed to be and at 518 pages its not the shortest of books. However, there is a lot of enjoyable moments throughout and once I got past the names, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Book 1 definitely felt like a set-up for the rest of the series which I will 100% continue.
‘He finally knew the source of his misery.’
4/5 - Dark fantasy that is an excellent portrayal of good vs evil. Enough characters to drink a tavern dry, a clear and cohesive prose and a talking squirrel. Shattered Dreams is a solid beginning into the world Ulff Lehmann has created.
Shattered Dreams is a dark high-fantasy tale that is ripe with unique characters and a well thought out world that has mercenaries, elves, wizardesses and a talking squirrel. So if you’re a fan of medium-sized rodents that could talk the hind legs off a donkey then stop reading this review and buy this book!
‘No death is as slow as life.’
Ulff Lehmann catapults the reader into a dark Germanic fantasy land that is true epic-fantasy. When I read the first chapter, I was gripped. With the prose, the intriguing names, the plot. There is a whole lot of history of war between wizards and elves and the abandoning of the land leaving humans to get up to their tricks alone. Shattered Dreams introduces to us two nations, Chanastardh and Danastaer, who are now at war due to various reasons; greed, lazy kings plus a few more.
There is a lot to like here. It is a unique land that really does feel set apart from many other fantasy settings. Lehmann has done a terrific job of carving his own world with plenty of backstory and world-building that felt original and not a rehash of the same fantasy tropes, names, settings and history. It is epic, with a large cast of characters and written well, with a good ratio of description to dialogue, and an even better ratio of plot carrying to action sequences.
‘Complacency is the greatest foe of peace.’
When I said there is a large cast of characters, I meant it - there are 8 POVs here and a host of secondary characters. Drangar the mercenary is a standout, a mysterious past and a battle within his own mind, he is fearsome but crippled by what he has done. Kildanor is a Chosen knight attempting to unveil a plot and Ealisaid is a wizardess who is unknowingly the last of her magical order. These are but a few of this vast list of characters and were written well to include plenty of character development and enjoyable threads. They create a believable plot and have some witty and character-building interactions that carry the book.
Lehmann’s characters are certainly original. As are their names. Now this was the main difficulty I faced, which I have seen other readers agree with. They are long-winded, some extremely similar, and although Ulff provides a pronunciation guide to certain sounds at the beginning of his book, I still struggled with separating the characters / places. Especially in the first third of Shattered Dreams. It is hard to be truly immersed when you are concentrating on the names and having to flick back through to remember.
‘The doom that awaited those who took their own life made him shiver.’
Being book 1 of a series, I felt Shattered Dreams certainly had slow moments without much character progression. The middle third felt slower than it needed to be and at 518 pages its not the shortest of books. However, there is a lot of enjoyable moments throughout and once I got past the names, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Book 1 definitely felt like a set-up for the rest of the series which I will 100% continue.
‘He finally knew the source of his misery.’
4/5 - Dark fantasy that is an excellent portrayal of good vs evil. Enough characters to drink a tavern dry, a clear and cohesive prose and a talking squirrel. Shattered Dreams is a solid beginning into the world Ulff Lehmann has created.
November 23, 2018
Review for Grimdark Magazine https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/ I received a free copy of the book for an honest review.
Overall: 3.0*
Grimdark: 2/5 – While there’s an allotment of despicable characters I think this was more epic than grimdark. To be GD, for me, you can’t just tell me somebody is experiencing grief. You have to take me inside their head and make me feel that grief. You can't describe a battle scene or torture. I want to know how that feels to the victim. "in his moment of grief understanding overwhelmed him", ok but what were the flood of emotions and how did they make him feel physically? The battle depictions as well were cut and dry. I would have liked more details into the gore, fatigue, etc.
Writing 4/5 – I liked the author’s writing style. He’s direct and the story flows. He’s a very sensory writer. Lots of vivid scenes and descriptions. He doesn’t have a lot of underlying themes or information dumps which require you to figure out where things are going or what the bigger picture is. I prefer both styles but find some authors try for symbolism and plots within in plots and either fail miserably or it comes off contrived. Ulff doesn’t go there focusing on his strengths.
Action 4/5 – The pacing was really good after the first few chapters and playing into the writer’s sensory style things move quickly.
Humor 2/5 - The author made a few attempts but one of the things I really like about GD is caustic banter especially in the face of disaster. There was never that laugh out loud moment where the wife or kids says what was so funny and I have to say you wouldn't understand or a wee bit too adult for you sweetheart.
The book starts out in the prologue with what reads like historical fiction. It’s really well done and visions of Westeros were dancing in my head. The places and names taking on a very interesting backdrop.
Chapter one totally switches gears with a scene which one part Hansel and Gretel gone seriously wrong and the other part once again reminding me of ASOIAF and the opening to that series beyond the wall. This was a second prologue of sorts as the next we chapters some other disposable characters are seen and never seen again but with the intention of introducing two main characters.
I was a bit concerned at this point that the author was going to be all over the map but things settled down. From here the action is nonstop in every chapter. For those who are action junkies preferring a quick pacing this will definitely appeal to you.
For me it was a quick and enjoyable read and I’ll continue the series but, and there always is when there’s a preface, for me what I want more out of the author in the future are those inner details I spoke of before. Don’t just tell me they’re in pain, cold, etc. A great book or author makes you feel empathy for the characters by showing you how and why the character is feeling those things. This was definitely a telling, a good telling, a good story but simply not great.
Overall: 3.0*
Grimdark: 2/5 – While there’s an allotment of despicable characters I think this was more epic than grimdark. To be GD, for me, you can’t just tell me somebody is experiencing grief. You have to take me inside their head and make me feel that grief. You can't describe a battle scene or torture. I want to know how that feels to the victim. "in his moment of grief understanding overwhelmed him", ok but what were the flood of emotions and how did they make him feel physically? The battle depictions as well were cut and dry. I would have liked more details into the gore, fatigue, etc.
Writing 4/5 – I liked the author’s writing style. He’s direct and the story flows. He’s a very sensory writer. Lots of vivid scenes and descriptions. He doesn’t have a lot of underlying themes or information dumps which require you to figure out where things are going or what the bigger picture is. I prefer both styles but find some authors try for symbolism and plots within in plots and either fail miserably or it comes off contrived. Ulff doesn’t go there focusing on his strengths.
Action 4/5 – The pacing was really good after the first few chapters and playing into the writer’s sensory style things move quickly.
Humor 2/5 - The author made a few attempts but one of the things I really like about GD is caustic banter especially in the face of disaster. There was never that laugh out loud moment where the wife or kids says what was so funny and I have to say you wouldn't understand or a wee bit too adult for you sweetheart.
The book starts out in the prologue with what reads like historical fiction. It’s really well done and visions of Westeros were dancing in my head. The places and names taking on a very interesting backdrop.
Chapter one totally switches gears with a scene which one part Hansel and Gretel gone seriously wrong and the other part once again reminding me of ASOIAF and the opening to that series beyond the wall. This was a second prologue of sorts as the next we chapters some other disposable characters are seen and never seen again but with the intention of introducing two main characters.
I was a bit concerned at this point that the author was going to be all over the map but things settled down. From here the action is nonstop in every chapter. For those who are action junkies preferring a quick pacing this will definitely appeal to you.
For me it was a quick and enjoyable read and I’ll continue the series but, and there always is when there’s a preface, for me what I want more out of the author in the future are those inner details I spoke of before. Don’t just tell me they’re in pain, cold, etc. A great book or author makes you feel empathy for the characters by showing you how and why the character is feeling those things. This was definitely a telling, a good telling, a good story but simply not great.
November 28, 2017
This book often gets compared to George RR Martin but I'm going to disagree: I think Shattered Dreams has a lot more subtlety going for it, and while it may be less of a page-turner than Game of Thrones, I believe it is a more literary take on what can all too often be a trashy genre.
Lehmann's protagonist, Drangar Ralgon, is a man haunted by his past. A former mercenary who killed his wife in a mysterious blackout, Drangar lives as a hermit, talks to himself, broods, and takes to sharpening his sword in public when he is eventually teased out of exile by a coming war. He is, in short, desperately unhinged by circumstances that, it transpires, he has done little to deserve. This then is a tale of redemption, told against the backdrop of a human civilization inherited from a more advanced elvish race who have long vanished to another plane, and its descent into war and treachery as the kingdom of Chanastardh turns on its former ally Danastaer.
As the two kingdoms clash, demonic forces are gathering on the brink. A stolen artefact presages their return, and one elven warlock by the name of Lloreanthoran is moved by these events to take an interest in the feckless mortal race once more. In his effort to get to the bottom of this mystery he reactivates his squirrel familiar Bright Eyes (a delightful nod to Watership Down that seems incongruous with this gritty tale but actually works brilliantly; I LOVED this support character), and begins tracking down the demonologist Danachaiman, who one suspects will be the arch-villain of this epic trilogy.
The story follows multiple POVs (I think this together with the earthy medieval setting is why Lehmann's book is being compared to Martin a lot) and will reward re-reading, as there is a lot of information packed into its 150k words. I thought the muscular prose was austere yet evocative, and Ulff's style of storytelling wouldn't look out of place in the 1950s. Which, for this reader, is definitely a good thing. That being said, the dialogue is more modern and seems to alternate between English and American idioms, which is in itself unusual (though some purists may find this occasionally jarring).
I won't enumerate all the support characters here as they are too many, but I especially liked Kildanor, who belongs to a select race of soldiers (the Chosen) that have forsaken mortality to serve their kingdom, and Ealisaid, a sorceress (sorry, Wizardess!) who awakens from a century-old slumber to find she has more power than she knows what to do with. Her journey as she learns to control her powers through the medium of sexual love was original (and pretty racy), though I reckon she could do much better than her chosen paramour, a 'regular jock' soldier guy who seemed a bit dull to me (Ulff, I want her phone number please ;)).
The tone of this novel is brooding and tragic, and one gets a feeling of unremitting bleakness throughout, punctuated only by the odd splash of humour, and this is usually sardonic in any case. I suppose people would say this makes Shattered Dreams typically grimdark, but I have to say I thought Lehmann was actually quite restrained with the sex, violence and swearing - and for that he gets another nod of appreciation. If this is grimdark, it is a more intelligent permutation of the sub-genre that doesn't go for shock tactics to impress. Why Lehmann put a sex/violence warning sticker on the old cover is beyond me, quite frankly.
My only criticism was going to be the odd typo and missing word here and there, but I'm pleased to report that Shattered Dreams has since been picked up by a publisher - no doubt they'll iron out the few flaws that got through the original edition. And I'd like to stress here that Lehmann's English is a lot better than that of many native speakers - all in all this is an outstanding debut and will appeal to intelligent fantasy fans.
Lehmann's protagonist, Drangar Ralgon, is a man haunted by his past. A former mercenary who killed his wife in a mysterious blackout, Drangar lives as a hermit, talks to himself, broods, and takes to sharpening his sword in public when he is eventually teased out of exile by a coming war. He is, in short, desperately unhinged by circumstances that, it transpires, he has done little to deserve. This then is a tale of redemption, told against the backdrop of a human civilization inherited from a more advanced elvish race who have long vanished to another plane, and its descent into war and treachery as the kingdom of Chanastardh turns on its former ally Danastaer.
As the two kingdoms clash, demonic forces are gathering on the brink. A stolen artefact presages their return, and one elven warlock by the name of Lloreanthoran is moved by these events to take an interest in the feckless mortal race once more. In his effort to get to the bottom of this mystery he reactivates his squirrel familiar Bright Eyes (a delightful nod to Watership Down that seems incongruous with this gritty tale but actually works brilliantly; I LOVED this support character), and begins tracking down the demonologist Danachaiman, who one suspects will be the arch-villain of this epic trilogy.
The story follows multiple POVs (I think this together with the earthy medieval setting is why Lehmann's book is being compared to Martin a lot) and will reward re-reading, as there is a lot of information packed into its 150k words. I thought the muscular prose was austere yet evocative, and Ulff's style of storytelling wouldn't look out of place in the 1950s. Which, for this reader, is definitely a good thing. That being said, the dialogue is more modern and seems to alternate between English and American idioms, which is in itself unusual (though some purists may find this occasionally jarring).
I won't enumerate all the support characters here as they are too many, but I especially liked Kildanor, who belongs to a select race of soldiers (the Chosen) that have forsaken mortality to serve their kingdom, and Ealisaid, a sorceress (sorry, Wizardess!) who awakens from a century-old slumber to find she has more power than she knows what to do with. Her journey as she learns to control her powers through the medium of sexual love was original (and pretty racy), though I reckon she could do much better than her chosen paramour, a 'regular jock' soldier guy who seemed a bit dull to me (Ulff, I want her phone number please ;)).
The tone of this novel is brooding and tragic, and one gets a feeling of unremitting bleakness throughout, punctuated only by the odd splash of humour, and this is usually sardonic in any case. I suppose people would say this makes Shattered Dreams typically grimdark, but I have to say I thought Lehmann was actually quite restrained with the sex, violence and swearing - and for that he gets another nod of appreciation. If this is grimdark, it is a more intelligent permutation of the sub-genre that doesn't go for shock tactics to impress. Why Lehmann put a sex/violence warning sticker on the old cover is beyond me, quite frankly.
My only criticism was going to be the odd typo and missing word here and there, but I'm pleased to report that Shattered Dreams has since been picked up by a publisher - no doubt they'll iron out the few flaws that got through the original edition. And I'd like to stress here that Lehmann's English is a lot better than that of many native speakers - all in all this is an outstanding debut and will appeal to intelligent fantasy fans.
March 23, 2018
Obviously I think Shattered Dreams is a great book. I wrote the thing, would be bloody stupid of me to say the book sucks, right?
I wrote a novel I would like to read, and I did. Whether what I like to read is to your liking is up to you. Though I read Shattered Dreams multiple times, and my totally biased opinion is: this book is awesome!
I wrote a novel I would like to read, and I did. Whether what I like to read is to your liking is up to you. Though I read Shattered Dreams multiple times, and my totally biased opinion is: this book is awesome!
January 10, 2018
You know how you always see "In the style of GRRM" on the back cover of books or in blog reviews? Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann is the only book I've read that actually deserves the comparison.
For two years the mercenary Drangar Ralgon has kept his back to his dark past. Afraid to live, afraid to die, Drangar tried to ignore the abyss that lies behind him. Now, faced with a war he wants nothing to do with, he finally turns around and gazes back.
Complacency is the greatest foe of peace. Once the things our forbears have struggled and died for become as much a fixture in life as sleeping and waking, we take them for granted. Peace is something we have to strive for each and every day.
The first word that comes to mind when thinking of Shattered Dreams is "pragmatic". Ulff Lehmann pulls no punches when it comes to portraying a medieval world and its gritty realism, despite the fact that the fantastical elements play a vital role in the story. This is even harder to do when you have to deal with multiple POVs and therefore different perspectives, but Lehmann pulls it off nicely. The aforementioned POVs are from accurately portrayed and nicely crafted characters that grow and develop throughout the story. Finally, the magic system is carefully and methodically introduced, playing a vital role but not overshadowing the story Ulff Lehmann wanted to say.
I always try to point out both the negative and positive aspects of the books that I review. With Shattered Dreams, this is rather hard to do. For once, there are no obvious negative traits. I'm not saying that it is an infallible novel, but it is clear from the very start that Lehmann poured thousands of hours of work into grinding, honing and planishing this book into the best version he could possibly produce. Shattered Dreams', or rather Lehmann's, only fault, is that the book was written with a bigger perspective in mind; It feels more like the first episode in a series, than the first season. While this would be acceptable for a season writer, it's not the best start for a debut author.
All in all, Shattered Dreams is a quality book that I would recommend to fans of GRRM and/or those of Low Fantasy epics, although you may want to wait a little bit until the publication of the second installment.
You can read more of my reviews over on http://BookNest.eu
For two years the mercenary Drangar Ralgon has kept his back to his dark past. Afraid to live, afraid to die, Drangar tried to ignore the abyss that lies behind him. Now, faced with a war he wants nothing to do with, he finally turns around and gazes back.
Complacency is the greatest foe of peace. Once the things our forbears have struggled and died for become as much a fixture in life as sleeping and waking, we take them for granted. Peace is something we have to strive for each and every day.
The first word that comes to mind when thinking of Shattered Dreams is "pragmatic". Ulff Lehmann pulls no punches when it comes to portraying a medieval world and its gritty realism, despite the fact that the fantastical elements play a vital role in the story. This is even harder to do when you have to deal with multiple POVs and therefore different perspectives, but Lehmann pulls it off nicely. The aforementioned POVs are from accurately portrayed and nicely crafted characters that grow and develop throughout the story. Finally, the magic system is carefully and methodically introduced, playing a vital role but not overshadowing the story Ulff Lehmann wanted to say.
I always try to point out both the negative and positive aspects of the books that I review. With Shattered Dreams, this is rather hard to do. For once, there are no obvious negative traits. I'm not saying that it is an infallible novel, but it is clear from the very start that Lehmann poured thousands of hours of work into grinding, honing and planishing this book into the best version he could possibly produce. Shattered Dreams', or rather Lehmann's, only fault, is that the book was written with a bigger perspective in mind; It feels more like the first episode in a series, than the first season. While this would be acceptable for a season writer, it's not the best start for a debut author.
All in all, Shattered Dreams is a quality book that I would recommend to fans of GRRM and/or those of Low Fantasy epics, although you may want to wait a little bit until the publication of the second installment.
You can read more of my reviews over on http://BookNest.eu
October 6, 2019
This gets 5-stars for me.
This is a very well written and intelligent dark fantasy. It is a little hard to keep focus at times because of different things going on with different characters but by the end, I had managed to tie things together, (I think) lol.
This is a dark tale but it is very different from the grimdark that I have read recently. In my opinion, it is a more traditional way of portraying good versus evil, light versus darkness than the way that other authors in the genre might approach it.
It has strong lead characters, both male and female, a magic system that grows with the story, and a good deal of combat. So far my favourite character is probably a toss-up between Kildanor and Drangar Ralgon, though there are plenty of others to choose from.
There are lighter moments in this book highlighted by Bright-Eyes (a red squirrel familiar). I would have liked to hear a little more about the elves but I think that will come in book 2. Drangar Ralgon is a mercenary with a dark past but is he a villain or is he just being set up? I liked his character from the beginning and I think other readers will feel the same.
The author, like so many others, used experiences from his own life in his characters. My all-time favourite author (David Gemmell) based many of his characters on his stepfather. I won't go into details as it is not my place to share the author's private life.
Ulff Lehmann has gone straight into my all-time top 10 favourite authors with this book and I highly recommend reading it! It was planned as a trilogy but will now likely be a 5-book series; there's a lot to fit in!
If I were asked to be picky then I would say that like many debut authors it is difficult to know where to end your first book in a series. I was told this by my life-long friend when he read my own first book. Just be aware that this is book 1 of a series and will continue; it is not a stand-alone.
I look forward to reading book 2 Shattered Hopes in the near future!
Thanks for reading.
This is a very well written and intelligent dark fantasy. It is a little hard to keep focus at times because of different things going on with different characters but by the end, I had managed to tie things together, (I think) lol.
This is a dark tale but it is very different from the grimdark that I have read recently. In my opinion, it is a more traditional way of portraying good versus evil, light versus darkness than the way that other authors in the genre might approach it.
It has strong lead characters, both male and female, a magic system that grows with the story, and a good deal of combat. So far my favourite character is probably a toss-up between Kildanor and Drangar Ralgon, though there are plenty of others to choose from.
There are lighter moments in this book highlighted by Bright-Eyes (a red squirrel familiar). I would have liked to hear a little more about the elves but I think that will come in book 2. Drangar Ralgon is a mercenary with a dark past but is he a villain or is he just being set up? I liked his character from the beginning and I think other readers will feel the same.
The author, like so many others, used experiences from his own life in his characters. My all-time favourite author (David Gemmell) based many of his characters on his stepfather. I won't go into details as it is not my place to share the author's private life.
Ulff Lehmann has gone straight into my all-time top 10 favourite authors with this book and I highly recommend reading it! It was planned as a trilogy but will now likely be a 5-book series; there's a lot to fit in!
If I were asked to be picky then I would say that like many debut authors it is difficult to know where to end your first book in a series. I was told this by my life-long friend when he read my own first book. Just be aware that this is book 1 of a series and will continue; it is not a stand-alone.
I look forward to reading book 2 Shattered Hopes in the near future!
Thanks for reading.
October 21, 2020
5 shattered stars
for the beginning of a rich tale that has already gained a place among my Top 5 of All-time-favorite sweeping fantasy series, alongside Malazan by Steven Erikson; Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts, The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
If you are a fan of any of those, there's a high chance you're going to love Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann too.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner
I've read this in a buddy read with my good friend Daniel, over at Fantasy Buddy Reads. And the first comment both of us had after just a few chapters was: 'Malazan anyone'? Because Shattered Dreams will plunge the reader straight into a whirlwind of places, events and characters that readers will have a bit of a tough time getting a hold of. And just as with Gardens of the Moon, you need to wait it out, trust the author and keep reading. Because the pieces will slowly fall into place and you'll just as slowly get your bearings.
At its core, this book and implicitly this series, deals with ancient forces reaching forth to shape the world once more, with not only humanity, but several other races caught in between.
"Complacency is the greatest foe of peace." This strong and meaningful sentence represents the opening of Ulff's series and subsequently, the root cause for its events. Because humans never learn from their past and take way too much for granted.
For a hundred years the young kingdom of Danastaer has thrived in peace. After a long and bloody war had raged in between Elves and Wizards and ravaged the world. It had eventually ended in the retreat of Elves beyond the Veil of Dreams, as well as the death of all wizards and that of magic itself. Or so it was believed.
Humanity was left to recover, thinking their troubles were at an end.
But the mighty kingdom of Chanastardh, taking advantage of the complacency of Danastaer, has begun a cunning invasion that threatens to bring about another ruthlessly bloody war.
Drangar Ralgon is a shepherd haunted by a dark past.
'Once, people had called him Scyhte, the wall breaker. Now he was just a shepherd but even that life seemed at an end.' Because old instincts die hard and one used to killing will probably slip back into the habit if ruffled enough. So Drangar is forced to flee the place he had chosen to spend the remainder of his life in obscurity. Not only that. He also decides to finally face his past and submit to justice for his crimes. But is he truly a villain? Hard to tell because of the way his past haunts him.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner
Jesgar, also known as The Hand, is a famous thief. But one of a special kind. He doesn't break into houses to steal. He does it simply because he can. And because it's a thrilling adventure. He gets recruited to be 'bait' and help discover a traitor among noblemen. But the plan works a little bit too good and more than one traitor is revealed. So Jesgar is thrust into the middle of a game of espionage and intrigue that can prove challenging even for one as good as himself.
Then we have Kildanor the Chosen, a holy warrior and adviser to the Baron of Dunthiochagh, Danastaer's oldest city. Just like his brethren, Kalindar doesn't age. The Chosen have given up their mortality to serve the God of Sun and War. A now outlawed God of a hidingly practiced religion. Kildanor uncovers the enemy's plans for invasion and tries his best to foil them.
Their stories make up the main threads of this novel. But they are intertwined with several others.
An Elf who takes responsibility for an unwitting error made by his people. A wizardess who wakes after a century of slumber to discover that the world she once knew is long gone. And many more.
Ulff Lehmann gives us demonologists trying to summon untold horrors, as well as Gods, spirits and creatures in between. Lightbringer being the most intriguing of them all.
Written in multiple POVs and with several separate plot lines, Shattered Dreams is a richly layered and complex fantasy series that will be a bit difficult to follow if one doesn't pay attention.
War is the basis but so much more is built around it. The finer points of justice, as well as the perspective of truth, Religion as a means of control and persecution, fanaticism, as well as light versus dark and good versus evil.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner
The wordbuilding is complex and yet, easy to follow if you just sit back and wait for the explanation. Extremely well written and beautifully polished, this exceptional debut will give you well paced action with vivid scenes and absolutely none of the info-dump readers generally resent.
And then there are the characters. Masterfully written characters. Particularly Drangar. His depression practically jumps off the page and makes the reader want to either shake him or give him a solid hug! His dance at the edge of the abyss on that knife edge that may any time tip him over - brilliant!
Drangar is one of the most complex and well-written characters I have ever met. And taking into account the fact that he spends half the book as a corpse, that should tell you something!
Kildanor is also no less. Complex and just as beautifully fleshed out, he ranks second on my list of favorites.
Intelligent, intense and ingenious, this is a read for those who prefer sprawling dark fantasy - not the laugh out loud kind of grimdark, but the subtle humor kind.
The kind where a thief sets a bookmark between the pages of a book he was reading inside a house he had just broken in. The kind where a holy man compares a prisoner with ropes and tools; and old warrior friends bicker about being a bastard somewhat like this:
'Bastards!'
'No, born and bred to a true family.' Kildanor said.
'Me too.' Nerran added. 'Not his though.'
Now I'm not saying that Ulff doesn't give us laugh out loud moments. Because he does, especially when Bright Eyes is concerned. And you have got to love that little bugger.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner
But these are few compared to the majority of more subtle fun.
Sprawling, beautifully layered, and outstandingly subtle, Shattered Dreams is one of those rare and brilliant series that you need to read slow and pay attention to. You need to savor it, the way you would do with a rare 1947 Château Cheval Blanc. Because it is that good.
I'll be continuing with the rest of the series and highly recommend it to all high dark fantasy lovers out there.
With a little mention:
YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS PEOPLE!
It is BRILLIANT!
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
for the beginning of a rich tale that has already gained a place among my Top 5 of All-time-favorite sweeping fantasy series, alongside Malazan by Steven Erikson; Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts, The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
If you are a fan of any of those, there's a high chance you're going to love Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann too.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner
I've read this in a buddy read with my good friend Daniel, over at Fantasy Buddy Reads. And the first comment both of us had after just a few chapters was: 'Malazan anyone'? Because Shattered Dreams will plunge the reader straight into a whirlwind of places, events and characters that readers will have a bit of a tough time getting a hold of. And just as with Gardens of the Moon, you need to wait it out, trust the author and keep reading. Because the pieces will slowly fall into place and you'll just as slowly get your bearings.
At its core, this book and implicitly this series, deals with ancient forces reaching forth to shape the world once more, with not only humanity, but several other races caught in between.
"Complacency is the greatest foe of peace." This strong and meaningful sentence represents the opening of Ulff's series and subsequently, the root cause for its events. Because humans never learn from their past and take way too much for granted.
For a hundred years the young kingdom of Danastaer has thrived in peace. After a long and bloody war had raged in between Elves and Wizards and ravaged the world. It had eventually ended in the retreat of Elves beyond the Veil of Dreams, as well as the death of all wizards and that of magic itself. Or so it was believed.
Humanity was left to recover, thinking their troubles were at an end.
But the mighty kingdom of Chanastardh, taking advantage of the complacency of Danastaer, has begun a cunning invasion that threatens to bring about another ruthlessly bloody war.
Drangar Ralgon is a shepherd haunted by a dark past.
'Once, people had called him Scyhte, the wall breaker. Now he was just a shepherd but even that life seemed at an end.' Because old instincts die hard and one used to killing will probably slip back into the habit if ruffled enough. So Drangar is forced to flee the place he had chosen to spend the remainder of his life in obscurity. Not only that. He also decides to finally face his past and submit to justice for his crimes. But is he truly a villain? Hard to tell because of the way his past haunts him.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner
Jesgar, also known as The Hand, is a famous thief. But one of a special kind. He doesn't break into houses to steal. He does it simply because he can. And because it's a thrilling adventure. He gets recruited to be 'bait' and help discover a traitor among noblemen. But the plan works a little bit too good and more than one traitor is revealed. So Jesgar is thrust into the middle of a game of espionage and intrigue that can prove challenging even for one as good as himself.
Then we have Kildanor the Chosen, a holy warrior and adviser to the Baron of Dunthiochagh, Danastaer's oldest city. Just like his brethren, Kalindar doesn't age. The Chosen have given up their mortality to serve the God of Sun and War. A now outlawed God of a hidingly practiced religion. Kildanor uncovers the enemy's plans for invasion and tries his best to foil them.
Their stories make up the main threads of this novel. But they are intertwined with several others.
An Elf who takes responsibility for an unwitting error made by his people. A wizardess who wakes after a century of slumber to discover that the world she once knew is long gone. And many more.
Ulff Lehmann gives us demonologists trying to summon untold horrors, as well as Gods, spirits and creatures in between. Lightbringer being the most intriguing of them all.
Written in multiple POVs and with several separate plot lines, Shattered Dreams is a richly layered and complex fantasy series that will be a bit difficult to follow if one doesn't pay attention.
War is the basis but so much more is built around it. The finer points of justice, as well as the perspective of truth, Religion as a means of control and persecution, fanaticism, as well as light versus dark and good versus evil.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner
The wordbuilding is complex and yet, easy to follow if you just sit back and wait for the explanation. Extremely well written and beautifully polished, this exceptional debut will give you well paced action with vivid scenes and absolutely none of the info-dump readers generally resent.
And then there are the characters. Masterfully written characters. Particularly Drangar. His depression practically jumps off the page and makes the reader want to either shake him or give him a solid hug! His dance at the edge of the abyss on that knife edge that may any time tip him over - brilliant!
Drangar is one of the most complex and well-written characters I have ever met. And taking into account the fact that he spends half the book as a corpse, that should tell you something!
Kildanor is also no less. Complex and just as beautifully fleshed out, he ranks second on my list of favorites.
Intelligent, intense and ingenious, this is a read for those who prefer sprawling dark fantasy - not the laugh out loud kind of grimdark, but the subtle humor kind.
The kind where a thief sets a bookmark between the pages of a book he was reading inside a house he had just broken in. The kind where a holy man compares a prisoner with ropes and tools; and old warrior friends bicker about being a bastard somewhat like this:
'Bastards!'
'No, born and bred to a true family.' Kildanor said.
'Me too.' Nerran added. 'Not his though.'
Now I'm not saying that Ulff doesn't give us laugh out loud moments. Because he does, especially when Bright Eyes is concerned. And you have got to love that little bugger.
fan art by The Magic Book Corner
But these are few compared to the majority of more subtle fun.
Sprawling, beautifully layered, and outstandingly subtle, Shattered Dreams is one of those rare and brilliant series that you need to read slow and pay attention to. You need to savor it, the way you would do with a rare 1947 Château Cheval Blanc. Because it is that good.
I'll be continuing with the rest of the series and highly recommend it to all high dark fantasy lovers out there.
With a little mention:
YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS PEOPLE!
It is BRILLIANT!
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
October 18, 2017
The first chapter of any novel makes promises to the reader. The first chapter of Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann promises that this will be a book where nothing is held sacred, that anything and anyone is fair game to ravage and defile. I’m not sure those promises held true throughout the whole of the book, but I did enjoy Shattered Dreams enormously – much better than I would have if the novel had ended as hopelessly as I’d feared it would.
I was happily surprised to find this a well-rendered story of tragic romance and a battered hero’s quest for redemption.
Enter the hero, Drangar Ralgon. Possibly a murderer. Possibly a victim. For most of the book, we’re left to wonder—all we know is that he thinks he killed his beloved some years before, an act which destroyed his life and set him on a path of self-destruction. If that wasn’t enough of a burden, this self-loathing warrior becomes the target of a series of brutal attacks that threaten to destroy him, body and soul.
This is a story that benefits from multiple story arcs, and Drangar’s is just one. We also meet two very strong female characters, the wizardess Ealisaid and the warrior Anne Cirrain. There is also a large and diverse supporting cast: priests, elves, sentient squirrels (whom I loved!), demons, demonologists – you get the idea. This is a richly populated world.
The only criticism I have is the story could have benefitted from a little more world building, but that I assume will be delivered in the sequel. Otherwise, the book flowed very well. It was well-edited and well-written, with a good pace and solid characterization. The main character’s physical and mental anguish drew me in and kept me flipping pages. There was a good amount of mystery built into the plot also served to keep the suspense elevated.
I would highly recommend Shattered dreams to adult fans of dark fantasy.
I was happily surprised to find this a well-rendered story of tragic romance and a battered hero’s quest for redemption.
Enter the hero, Drangar Ralgon. Possibly a murderer. Possibly a victim. For most of the book, we’re left to wonder—all we know is that he thinks he killed his beloved some years before, an act which destroyed his life and set him on a path of self-destruction. If that wasn’t enough of a burden, this self-loathing warrior becomes the target of a series of brutal attacks that threaten to destroy him, body and soul.
This is a story that benefits from multiple story arcs, and Drangar’s is just one. We also meet two very strong female characters, the wizardess Ealisaid and the warrior Anne Cirrain. There is also a large and diverse supporting cast: priests, elves, sentient squirrels (whom I loved!), demons, demonologists – you get the idea. This is a richly populated world.
The only criticism I have is the story could have benefitted from a little more world building, but that I assume will be delivered in the sequel. Otherwise, the book flowed very well. It was well-edited and well-written, with a good pace and solid characterization. The main character’s physical and mental anguish drew me in and kept me flipping pages. There was a good amount of mystery built into the plot also served to keep the suspense elevated.
I would highly recommend Shattered dreams to adult fans of dark fantasy.
January 22, 2018
This book was part of Fantasy Factions grouping and has since been eliminated - their review here: http://fantasy-faction.com/2017/spfbo...
--------------------------------
PLOT:
Shattered Dreams is an extremely ambitious debut novel with many different POV's and plot lines. It's hard to summarize this kind of book because the plotlines don't intersect until later on and to talk about some of that would be spoilery.
Drangar, one of the main characters, had been posing as a lone shepherd for a number of years in a backwater town. Mostly keeping to himself, rarely smiling, and never interacting with other people other than to sell wool and mutton to them he's lived there for several years laying low.
A lords nephew comes to town and starts harassing the village people, mostly focused on a young woman he's trying to force into bed with him. Drangar steps in and forces the nobleman to back off, and then leaves the inn. The nobleman doesn't take well to being shut down in public and runs after Drangar with the fight that ensued left the nobleman dead - forcing Drangar to go on the run.
Jesgar, also known as The Hand is a thrill seeker, he loves breaking into peoples houses just to get an adrenaline rush. He doesn't actually take anything, he doesn't care much about jewels or other items of value, he just gets a kick out of rummaging around in other peoples homes. He gets recruited by a Chosen to be 'bait', the Chosen asks him to let himself be seen sneaking into a nobleman's house and get himself arrested. The idea is that there are traitors among the upper class of the city who are working on overthrowing the government, and having a 'thief' break into one of their houses may force their hand into doing something rash. The plan kind of works and he's sent off to go be a spy for the Palace in another city because people are being murdered and cities are falling to the enemy without being under siege - it has to be espionage.
Kalidnar is a Chosen, like Drangar, and has been an advisor to Baron, he's the one who sets Jesgar on his mission. He's over a century old because the Chosen don't age, they've given up their mortality to serve the God of Sun and War - it's an outlawed religion with most of the remaining Chosen going undercover.
Lloreathaoran is an old elf mage who's living in The Veil of Dreams, and he's been contacted by spirits and familiars that the tomb the elves built to seal away ancient dark magic is breaking, he has to return to the mortal realm and prevent the Stone of Blood (sacrificial device) and the tomes from getting into the wrong hands.
There are several other pretty large plotlines going on with other characters, but these are the ones that interested me the most - this section is getting long.
Final Score: 8.75/10
Why: There is so much going on in this book it really impressed me. Having that many moving parts does make it hard to keep track of it all at points - but when it all comes together it's very rewarding. The more SFF's I read the more impressive it becomes when someone sets out to do something crazy complex and manages to pull it off. I think most authors are told their first book shouldn't have ass loads of POV's and plotlines, and Ulff was like "naaahhh, Imma do it".
------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTERS:
Drangar is kind of older, he's been out of the army for a while and you're not sure at first why he's been disgraced, just that he was driven out a few years before. He's haunted by things that happened in his past, there's hints that he caused a lot of pain and he slaughtered villagers young and old during some kind of craze. He hears voices and we don't know if he's gone insane or if there's some kind of spirit or if his dog is talking to him. He put himself at a lot of risk killing the nobleman instead of just minding his own business. He felt that the killing was justice, and not murder since the lordling had been harassing and would continue to harass these people if he wasn't stopped. He also knows that by doing so he's put a bounty on his head. He's a very interesting character, I liked his background and his development as the story went on.
Kildanor is a Chosen like Drangar, and takes his loyalties seriously. He's been an advisor to the Baron for a long time, over 50 years and has served him well and faithfully. He's trying to figure out why and how cities are falling to sabotage and it's driving him to work with people he never would have thought of as a friend.
Lloreatharon has grown to dislike his own people, he's extremely fed up in living in a plastic bubble the elves set outside of the realm of mortals to hide themselves in. He's watching generations of elves grow up in this false world despising the fact they feel no need to know what the real world is like. Despite the horrible circumstances of him returning to the mortal world, he's probably secretly enjoying it.
Ealisaid is introduced later on in the story, she wakes up after being put into hibernation by the Pheonix Wizards, who are all long dead when she's awoken. She freaks out not knowing what's going on and is imprisoned before she can do any more damage. She's been told she's the last one alive, and at first, she denied it... but soon came to realize they were probably not lying to her and that she's alone in the world now, awaiting trial for her 'crimes' when she awoke. She's sort of a broken and lonely character to start out with.
Final Score: 8/10
Why: Trying to write a story with this many POV's is difficult, there isn't as much page time spent on each character to flesh them out the way a single pov or dual pov can accomplish. However, it can also expand the world, give new perspective and see things through different lenses and in that way it can really enhance the storytelling if done properly. I do feel like I got to know the main characters, the characters with just one or two smaller chapters I didn't get to know as much - but I found them extremely interesting. Having a squirrel Familiar as a POV was an interesting choice, and made for fun reading despite it not being a 'fleshed out' character in the traditional sense.
-------------------------------------------
WORLD BUILDING:
The Chosen are said to be blessed by the God of Sun and War - they have special abilities that can command people to do as they want. When Drangar encountered the lord in the tavern he commanded him to "behave", and the lord dropped his sword he was about to use on Drangar. Lesganagh, the God of Sun and War has been an outlawed religion for a few decades.
There's a thieves guild in the city where The Hand lives, they take out any competition that isn't linked to them. The Hand never trained with them or paid them any dues, if they find out it could mean trouble for him.
Elves are a fallen culture, humanity doesn't know why the elves left or what happened to them - and many assume that magic left the world when the elves did.
There's lots of talk about old wars, The Demon Wars, the Wizard Wars, the Heir Wars - they've all left their mark on society and the landscape. Deep and unnatural gouges score the mountainside from the old Wizard Wars.
There are multiple Veils in this world, Veil of Fire was put up by the Dragons to keep them away from the mortals issues. The Veil of Dreams is where the Elves are hiding out.... there are hints at the Realm of Gloom and others. During one of the Wars the humans broke the Veil of Fire and brought dragons into the fighting.
Spirits and familiars are things, as well as ghosts - one of the smaller pov's is a Squirrel Familiar who works with Lloreathoran.
Final Score: 8.75/10
Why: Most if not all aspects of world building were touched on, geography, history, lore, gods, the culture of the people, etc. Although it could be hard to follow with SO MANY LONG NAMES it was very well done.
------------------------------
Pacing/Prose/Tone:
The book opens with two children and a dog being murdered, so right from the start you know that this is going to be a grim book. It wasn't over the top, but this def wasn't "light" reading.
Pacing Final Score: 6.5/10
Why: Getting into this book took some time, but once I did I had a lot of fun. In the beginning there are just so many POV switches, where the POV's don't seem to have anything to do with each other it jarred me, and I lost interest a few times and went to do something else. If you read this book and feel that way, stay persistent! This is a book that rewards a patient reader, once I got to about 40% I was completely invested and then flew through the rest of the book.
Writing Final Score: 7/10
Why: So, I knew going into this book that the author's first language is not English, so I was kind of looking for examples of where I could tell. To be frank, if I hadn't known and wasn't looking I wouldn't have been able to tell - it's extremely impressive to write a book like this in a second language. I'm taking points off mostly for dialogue and editing errors - there were a handful of misplaced !'s midsentence and things like that.
---------------------
ORIGINALITY:
Final Score: 8/10
Why: This book just had everything, and did it with its own certain twists on common ideas. The religion and culture are completely their own thing, and despite me seeing a lot of 'evil escaping imprisonment.... evil tomes in the wrong hands' - there was so much more going on than just that it kept it really entertaining.
-------------------------------
AUDIENCE:
For people who like complex world building
For people who like multi pov
For people who can be patient with slow starts to large stories
For people who like female pov
For people who like non human pov
For people who like animal companions
For people who like depressed/suicidal pov's
----------------------
Wrap Up:
Final Score: 47/60 or 7.83/10 or 4 stars on Goodreads
Will I read the sequel, Shattered Hopes? Yes, I've put it on my schedule to read after I'm done with my current schedule.
--------------------------------
PLOT:
Shattered Dreams is an extremely ambitious debut novel with many different POV's and plot lines. It's hard to summarize this kind of book because the plotlines don't intersect until later on and to talk about some of that would be spoilery.
Drangar, one of the main characters, had been posing as a lone shepherd for a number of years in a backwater town. Mostly keeping to himself, rarely smiling, and never interacting with other people other than to sell wool and mutton to them he's lived there for several years laying low.
A lords nephew comes to town and starts harassing the village people, mostly focused on a young woman he's trying to force into bed with him. Drangar steps in and forces the nobleman to back off, and then leaves the inn. The nobleman doesn't take well to being shut down in public and runs after Drangar with the fight that ensued left the nobleman dead - forcing Drangar to go on the run.
Jesgar, also known as The Hand is a thrill seeker, he loves breaking into peoples houses just to get an adrenaline rush. He doesn't actually take anything, he doesn't care much about jewels or other items of value, he just gets a kick out of rummaging around in other peoples homes. He gets recruited by a Chosen to be 'bait', the Chosen asks him to let himself be seen sneaking into a nobleman's house and get himself arrested. The idea is that there are traitors among the upper class of the city who are working on overthrowing the government, and having a 'thief' break into one of their houses may force their hand into doing something rash. The plan kind of works and he's sent off to go be a spy for the Palace in another city because people are being murdered and cities are falling to the enemy without being under siege - it has to be espionage.
Kalidnar is a Chosen, like Drangar, and has been an advisor to Baron, he's the one who sets Jesgar on his mission. He's over a century old because the Chosen don't age, they've given up their mortality to serve the God of Sun and War - it's an outlawed religion with most of the remaining Chosen going undercover.
Lloreathaoran is an old elf mage who's living in The Veil of Dreams, and he's been contacted by spirits and familiars that the tomb the elves built to seal away ancient dark magic is breaking, he has to return to the mortal realm and prevent the Stone of Blood (sacrificial device) and the tomes from getting into the wrong hands.
There are several other pretty large plotlines going on with other characters, but these are the ones that interested me the most - this section is getting long.
Final Score: 8.75/10
Why: There is so much going on in this book it really impressed me. Having that many moving parts does make it hard to keep track of it all at points - but when it all comes together it's very rewarding. The more SFF's I read the more impressive it becomes when someone sets out to do something crazy complex and manages to pull it off. I think most authors are told their first book shouldn't have ass loads of POV's and plotlines, and Ulff was like "naaahhh, Imma do it".
------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTERS:
Drangar is kind of older, he's been out of the army for a while and you're not sure at first why he's been disgraced, just that he was driven out a few years before. He's haunted by things that happened in his past, there's hints that he caused a lot of pain and he slaughtered villagers young and old during some kind of craze. He hears voices and we don't know if he's gone insane or if there's some kind of spirit or if his dog is talking to him. He put himself at a lot of risk killing the nobleman instead of just minding his own business. He felt that the killing was justice, and not murder since the lordling had been harassing and would continue to harass these people if he wasn't stopped. He also knows that by doing so he's put a bounty on his head. He's a very interesting character, I liked his background and his development as the story went on.
Kildanor is a Chosen like Drangar, and takes his loyalties seriously. He's been an advisor to the Baron for a long time, over 50 years and has served him well and faithfully. He's trying to figure out why and how cities are falling to sabotage and it's driving him to work with people he never would have thought of as a friend.
Lloreatharon has grown to dislike his own people, he's extremely fed up in living in a plastic bubble the elves set outside of the realm of mortals to hide themselves in. He's watching generations of elves grow up in this false world despising the fact they feel no need to know what the real world is like. Despite the horrible circumstances of him returning to the mortal world, he's probably secretly enjoying it.
Ealisaid is introduced later on in the story, she wakes up after being put into hibernation by the Pheonix Wizards, who are all long dead when she's awoken. She freaks out not knowing what's going on and is imprisoned before she can do any more damage. She's been told she's the last one alive, and at first, she denied it... but soon came to realize they were probably not lying to her and that she's alone in the world now, awaiting trial for her 'crimes' when she awoke. She's sort of a broken and lonely character to start out with.
Final Score: 8/10
Why: Trying to write a story with this many POV's is difficult, there isn't as much page time spent on each character to flesh them out the way a single pov or dual pov can accomplish. However, it can also expand the world, give new perspective and see things through different lenses and in that way it can really enhance the storytelling if done properly. I do feel like I got to know the main characters, the characters with just one or two smaller chapters I didn't get to know as much - but I found them extremely interesting. Having a squirrel Familiar as a POV was an interesting choice, and made for fun reading despite it not being a 'fleshed out' character in the traditional sense.
-------------------------------------------
WORLD BUILDING:
The Chosen are said to be blessed by the God of Sun and War - they have special abilities that can command people to do as they want. When Drangar encountered the lord in the tavern he commanded him to "behave", and the lord dropped his sword he was about to use on Drangar. Lesganagh, the God of Sun and War has been an outlawed religion for a few decades.
There's a thieves guild in the city where The Hand lives, they take out any competition that isn't linked to them. The Hand never trained with them or paid them any dues, if they find out it could mean trouble for him.
Elves are a fallen culture, humanity doesn't know why the elves left or what happened to them - and many assume that magic left the world when the elves did.
There's lots of talk about old wars, The Demon Wars, the Wizard Wars, the Heir Wars - they've all left their mark on society and the landscape. Deep and unnatural gouges score the mountainside from the old Wizard Wars.
There are multiple Veils in this world, Veil of Fire was put up by the Dragons to keep them away from the mortals issues. The Veil of Dreams is where the Elves are hiding out.... there are hints at the Realm of Gloom and others. During one of the Wars the humans broke the Veil of Fire and brought dragons into the fighting.
Spirits and familiars are things, as well as ghosts - one of the smaller pov's is a Squirrel Familiar who works with Lloreathoran.
Final Score: 8.75/10
Why: Most if not all aspects of world building were touched on, geography, history, lore, gods, the culture of the people, etc. Although it could be hard to follow with SO MANY LONG NAMES it was very well done.
------------------------------
Pacing/Prose/Tone:
The book opens with two children and a dog being murdered, so right from the start you know that this is going to be a grim book. It wasn't over the top, but this def wasn't "light" reading.
Pacing Final Score: 6.5/10
Why: Getting into this book took some time, but once I did I had a lot of fun. In the beginning there are just so many POV switches, where the POV's don't seem to have anything to do with each other it jarred me, and I lost interest a few times and went to do something else. If you read this book and feel that way, stay persistent! This is a book that rewards a patient reader, once I got to about 40% I was completely invested and then flew through the rest of the book.
Writing Final Score: 7/10
Why: So, I knew going into this book that the author's first language is not English, so I was kind of looking for examples of where I could tell. To be frank, if I hadn't known and wasn't looking I wouldn't have been able to tell - it's extremely impressive to write a book like this in a second language. I'm taking points off mostly for dialogue and editing errors - there were a handful of misplaced !'s midsentence and things like that.
---------------------
ORIGINALITY:
Final Score: 8/10
Why: This book just had everything, and did it with its own certain twists on common ideas. The religion and culture are completely their own thing, and despite me seeing a lot of 'evil escaping imprisonment.... evil tomes in the wrong hands' - there was so much more going on than just that it kept it really entertaining.
-------------------------------
AUDIENCE:
For people who like complex world building
For people who like multi pov
For people who can be patient with slow starts to large stories
For people who like female pov
For people who like non human pov
For people who like animal companions
For people who like depressed/suicidal pov's
----------------------
Wrap Up:
Final Score: 47/60 or 7.83/10 or 4 stars on Goodreads
Will I read the sequel, Shattered Hopes? Yes, I've put it on my schedule to read after I'm done with my current schedule.
December 27, 2016
While “Shattered Dreams” is not my usual genre, I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The characters were rich and engaging and the story was fantastical. The first chapter pulls you in. I liked how Lehmann blended the cast of characters - some other worldly and some human. I also appreciated how the his fantasy world would often mirror reality.
If you like reading good books, you will enjoy this one.
The characters were rich and engaging and the story was fantastical. The first chapter pulls you in. I liked how Lehmann blended the cast of characters - some other worldly and some human. I also appreciated how the his fantasy world would often mirror reality.
If you like reading good books, you will enjoy this one.
May 12, 2017
I'm a big fan of Mark Lawrence's Self Published Fantasy Blog Off and while I don't participate in it, I always use it as an option to find new and exciting books to review. One of these books is Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann, an author I will freely admit to have talked to before I read his work back when we were both posters on the Forgotten Realms Candlekeep forums. So, take this review with a grain of salt but also note I've never been one to shy away from telling the truth about friends or their work.
So, what did I think?
Shattered Dreams is an entertaining dark low fantasy novel about a Germanic kingdom under siege by an invading army, a religious cult devoted to the god of war, traumatized veterans, an elven wizard, and a talking squirrel. The fact this has a talking squirrel and this is still one of the grittier fantasy novels I've read since Game of Thrones. Indeed, despite the elven sections having high fantasy magic, the majority of the setting is a dark lawless world where life is cheap. Eventually, it becomes about a siege, a conspiracy, and a book which can end the world.
My favorite character is Dragnar Ralgon, who is a veteran traumatized by his experiences and driven to the point of suicide attempts. He makes an unlikely hero but events shift around him that links his personal tragedies to the larger threats in the kingdom. None of the characters are actually all that heroic, though, as they're all driven by various motives ranging from religious fanaticism to trying to make a last meaningful accomplishment before they are too old to fight.
Generally, the best part of this book are the parts which deal with the grizzled old veterans of the story like the Chosen, Riders, and Dragnar. This is the area where Ulff Lehmann's writing shines. He's also very good at building believable religions and conflicts with elaborate histories alluded to without indulging in unnecessary exposition.
There's a lot of good world-building which flows naturally through the text. The action in the book is minimalist but plentiful with a single blow of the sword usually enough to kill whatever it hits. Life is savage and cheap in the setting without any magical healing or unusually swift recoveries. Despite this, the most distressing death in the story was a most unexpected character. There's also a number of chaotic battle sequences where the results of the conflict are only determined after the final results.
There's a few flaws in the book which I think would have made it better. As much as I love the characters, their names are extremely hard to pronounce and the book would have benefited from a guide at the beginning like Mark Lawrence's Red Sister to consult. Maybe also a short description of who the various factions are and what they're up to. I also think the book could have used some more descriptions.
George R.R. Martin wasted unnecessary pages on description but I found I wanted to know the symbols and appearance of characters better than done here. It seems so realized that it deserves it, even if it would expand the world significantly. Finally, I think the book jumped around a bit more and would have been better breaking up the character sections with chapters. Again, I seem to be recommending it be more like A Song of Ice and Fre but it's a rare book that achieves that comparison.
The big appeal of the book is the "used universe" feel as this is the kind of planet where people actually live. There's talk of brothels, food, random events, and plenty of people have normal jobs alongside the mercs as well as wizards. Indeed, my favorite par of the book was a short scene where the High General has to make sure his troops pay for the food they eat as well as brothels they frequent even if they get free lodging.
In conclusion, while not perfect, it's a really detailed and interesting world, One I look forward to reading more of.
9/10
So, what did I think?
Shattered Dreams is an entertaining dark low fantasy novel about a Germanic kingdom under siege by an invading army, a religious cult devoted to the god of war, traumatized veterans, an elven wizard, and a talking squirrel. The fact this has a talking squirrel and this is still one of the grittier fantasy novels I've read since Game of Thrones. Indeed, despite the elven sections having high fantasy magic, the majority of the setting is a dark lawless world where life is cheap. Eventually, it becomes about a siege, a conspiracy, and a book which can end the world.
My favorite character is Dragnar Ralgon, who is a veteran traumatized by his experiences and driven to the point of suicide attempts. He makes an unlikely hero but events shift around him that links his personal tragedies to the larger threats in the kingdom. None of the characters are actually all that heroic, though, as they're all driven by various motives ranging from religious fanaticism to trying to make a last meaningful accomplishment before they are too old to fight.
Generally, the best part of this book are the parts which deal with the grizzled old veterans of the story like the Chosen, Riders, and Dragnar. This is the area where Ulff Lehmann's writing shines. He's also very good at building believable religions and conflicts with elaborate histories alluded to without indulging in unnecessary exposition.
There's a lot of good world-building which flows naturally through the text. The action in the book is minimalist but plentiful with a single blow of the sword usually enough to kill whatever it hits. Life is savage and cheap in the setting without any magical healing or unusually swift recoveries. Despite this, the most distressing death in the story was a most unexpected character. There's also a number of chaotic battle sequences where the results of the conflict are only determined after the final results.
There's a few flaws in the book which I think would have made it better. As much as I love the characters, their names are extremely hard to pronounce and the book would have benefited from a guide at the beginning like Mark Lawrence's Red Sister to consult. Maybe also a short description of who the various factions are and what they're up to. I also think the book could have used some more descriptions.
George R.R. Martin wasted unnecessary pages on description but I found I wanted to know the symbols and appearance of characters better than done here. It seems so realized that it deserves it, even if it would expand the world significantly. Finally, I think the book jumped around a bit more and would have been better breaking up the character sections with chapters. Again, I seem to be recommending it be more like A Song of Ice and Fre but it's a rare book that achieves that comparison.
The big appeal of the book is the "used universe" feel as this is the kind of planet where people actually live. There's talk of brothels, food, random events, and plenty of people have normal jobs alongside the mercs as well as wizards. Indeed, my favorite par of the book was a short scene where the High General has to make sure his troops pay for the food they eat as well as brothels they frequent even if they get free lodging.
In conclusion, while not perfect, it's a really detailed and interesting world, One I look forward to reading more of.
9/10
January 6, 2021
DISCLOSURE: I received an e-book copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
Complacency is the greatest foe of peace. Once the things our forebears have struggled and died for become as much a fixture in life as sleeping and waking, we take them for granted. Peace is something we have to strive for each and every day.
German born independent author, Ulff Lehmann, has crafted an impressive epic, grimdark fantasy novel, and through his prose, it soon became clear that he painstakingly set out to write a story he’d want to read, for his personal enjoyment. I believe he succeeded. On many levels, Shattered Dreams achieved that, whether it’s on dense, developmentally complex level; or on a level concerning its well-rounded, albeit large, cast of colorful characters. And let's not forget its intentional slow burning pace and plot, among many ongoing subplots. Was it perfect? No, of course. But its virtues far outweighed its flaws.
For instance, a comprehensive glossary with name pronunciation would have gone a long way. In fairness, there is a glossary, but it’s minimalistic, and lacks proper pronunciation. Breaks in between scene changes, if only for ease of understanding, would have also been beneficial, though personally, it wasn’t really a big deal. I acclimated quickly, and learned to pay closer attention. A word to the wise: you really need to pay extra attention to everything taking place in the story. Plus, as most fantasy aficionados know, detailed maps can be very helpful. Having said that, I struggled (particularly early on,) to visualize some of the reference points in between northern (Chanastardh) and southern (Dunthiochagh) Danastaer.
On a related note, I had a sense of disjointedness throughout about half of the book, as though the setting, characters, and plots were connected, but not necessarily to a degree that the average reader would prefer. Put another way: what if a lot of the elements were connected, but in ways more similar to a short story collection, where they’re interconnected by means of character inferences, the mention of certain events, locales, et al. Of course, it’s entirely possible that I missed or overlooked some vital cues. Either way, these critiques aren’t necessarily bad things. They’re just subjective. Regardless, I’d like to believe that the sense of disconnect was deliberate. It makes sense, too, retrospectively, due to the ensuing chaos and uncertainly of life, and of war.
Amidst said chaos was Drangar Ralgon, an admittedly broken man. In many ways, he and his story were the heart of the novel. It’s not hyperbolic to say his anguish. and the increasingly intricate details of his journey, moved me in very powerful and unpredictable ways. Drangar’s journey endearing, unique, and downright creative. I’ve never read anything to compare it to, and I doubt I ever will.
I could say so much more about him and the extent that his hope coupled unevenly with despair, as his narrative went forward. Truly, I could go on for pages. I could also attempt to convey how his chapters tugged fiercely on my heartstrings. Yet I won’t. Drangar’s sojourn is genuinely one to be felt, to be experienced. I think every fantasy reader, especially grimdark fans, should experience Shattered Dreams for themselves. There are reasons why it was a strong contender for Mark Lawrence’s SPFBO in 2017.
Learning about the supporting characters was quite the wild ride, as well. Individuals like the Chosen, Kildanor. And Ealisaid, the witch; the cryptic entity known as Lightbringer. And Lloreanthoran, the elven mage and Anneijhan of House Cirrain. Every character, in fact, brought something a little different to the whole. Lehmann brought many quirks and creativity to them, and that helped inform the reader, not just about their experiences, opinions, and dispositions, but of the world surrounding them. Danastaer was fascinating.
Be that as it may, I think it suffered on one, maybe two, levels. To an extent, at least. Either A.) the cast was too large, which is entirely possible, though I’m inclined to disagree, or B.) the characters were unevenly developed. For example, individuals such as Drangar, Lloreanthoran, and Kildanor were done well. Especially Drangar. Some of the others, however, could’ve significantly informed us of Danastaer’s various idiosyncrasies through their eyes. The cultural and political aspects specifically. Implementing those additional details could’ve brought a stronger cohesiveness to the overall work, and thus an even more engaging narrative.
Please keep in mind: I’m in no way opposed to a heavily populated story. I like them very much. And with a novel as complex and interesting as Shattered Dreams, the multiple perspectives were needed. I can’t imagine it another way.
History played a big part in the world-building. Using both subtle and explanatory text, Lehmann demonstrated the results of the Heir War as well as the Demon War; an impact which was seen and felt in numerous ways, the relative peace notwithstanding. The biggest change was magic itself, and how the masses grew to fear it, courtesy of the Heir—alternately dubbed the Wizard War. The lasting impact of was quite devastating. Yet, it never felt like a history lesson. If anything, the scars of the past grew to feel very natural, almost like mere extensions of Danastaer itself.
The polarizing nature of religion was another means of developing his world. Primarily, Lesganagh and Eanaigh. Once united, history splintered their coupling, driving them into opposing factions, and with them, the deity’s devout followers. The end result was cataclysmic. The religious elements were much more spiritual than faith-based, which shouldn’t be too surprising, given the author’s atheism. What did astound me was how prevalent it was throughout, and more than anything, the deft hand with which Lehmann crafted them.
There were also many different types of realms featured throughout the book, all of which were very cool and uniquely and significantly impacted the sequences of events. Sometimes referred to as the Veil of Dreams, and in other places called the spiritworld ( Drangar, Ealisaid, and Lloreanthoran, primarily,) the development of said realms allowed Lehmann to navigate territory he might not otherwise have pursued. I really must stress it: the way he described them was so cool and vibrant and refreshing. I’d never read anything quite like them. I can’t put into words the sense of wide-eyed wonder they invoked, or the mystery surrounding the realms. Their intricacies weren’t one and done, either, but rather gradual revelations. Those details, in themselves, were dazzling, yet he wasn’t done yet. Unlike a lot of stories, Lehmann didn’t provide solutions in a readily and easily remedied fashion. He makes the characters—and his audience—really work for the answers.
That wasn’t just the case with his realms ( countless in number, I believe, according to the elven mage,) but in general. He rarely spelled anything out for you, and I cannot tell you how relieving that was, and how much I respect him for it. As a result, there were many scenes where upon reading them, I was utterly flummoxed. I had no idea what was going on, where, or even why. A couple times, the characters in question weren’t even identified until later.
As if that wasn’t enough, splayed aesthetically across the pages were sufficient political intrigue, coupled with personal betrayal, espionage, ulterior motives, malfeasance, manipulation, and in the thick of other factors, backstabbing aplenty. Does that remind you of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire ? If so, I’d agree that the Game of Thrones books were highly influential to him. However, I think Lehmann’s take was much more subtle, his foreshadowing clear only upon deep reflection. It’s just not glaringly obvious. The author obviously put a lot of time and thought (probably years and years,) into the history and how the wars would impact Danastaer; the structure of the magic system, which was awesome and, also unlike a lot of fantasy, in abundance. The character’s actions were also incredibly strategic, instead of being happenstance or products of mere convenience.
His prose was clear and succinct, and made all the more impressive since that English wasn’t his native tongue. The ease of it felt very natural and seamless. It was pure joy to behold his unique vison, and to watch it unfold with the utmost brevity.
I mentioned it being a slow burn, and I’d feel almost remiss not to emphasize it. In the interest of transparency, things didn’t really intensify until about the halfway point. Once they did, there was also a sense of urgency to the pace. That did not let up until the penultimate chapter, centering around Drangar. Having said that, the chapters were never filler. Everything served a purpose. Reading Shattered Dreams was a lot of fun. It was never dull or boring. I was consistently fascinated by these characters (wondering what they’d do next and why,) and their world. The final chapter ventured back to Lloreanthoran and the details of his personal journey. Going forward, it promises to home in on the enigmatic Sons of Traksor. I’m very excited for that. But If there was one relatively disappointing chapter, it would be this one. Not because it’s bad, but because I expected something more engaging or shocking to wrap up this tome. Actually, the chapter featured some of my favorite passages and insights. You learn a lot about him in unexpected ways. It served as a great start to the next leg of his journey. Perhaps it would’ve worked better if placed a chapter of two earlier. If it had then culminated in an epic return to the war, I probably would’ve given it five stars. I just wanted—expected—it to end on a high note, not necessarily with a cliffhanger, but some method of raising the already high stakes in a wholly earned way. You know? Either way, I loved it overall, and hereby award it four solid stars.
*Eagerly awaiting book II, Shattered Hopes.
Thank you, Ulff, for being so awesome and understanding.
December 30, 2018
Shattered Dreams covers the build up and invasion of a major battle, and definitely has the sense there is more to come. It's the first book of an epic war series and is truly just the beginning.
Drangar Ralgon has been living in misery, ignoring his past. He finally decides to return home to face the violence he took part in two years prior. His journey is full of challenges and enemies. His story is the one on the most personal level, as we see his remorse and struggle to seek the truth of who he is and what he's done.
Most of the other point of view characters center around two sides of a brewing war. There are a few scenes in court discussing the politics of the realm, and we get to know the dynamics of the officers and nobles on both sides of the conflict.
There's a lot of history and religion in the world building. One point of view character is an elf whose people had left the region thousands of years ago. He's returning to collect a missing tome in hopes of protecting what secrets it holds. Another point of view character is a wizardess who has been in a hibernation of sorts for generations. She's highly unusual. By this point in time, there aren't any human wizards, so if she can get a handle on her magical powers, she can be a great advantage in the war.
There's a little bit of everything here—intrigue, battle, deceit, vengeance, love, loss, victory, magic. At times I felt the pacing was slow and had a little trouble keeping up with the different characters at first. It picks up and moves the story forward while building a lot of interesting politics and backstory. I recommend this book to fans of dark fantasy, complex court politics, and epic war series.
Drangar Ralgon has been living in misery, ignoring his past. He finally decides to return home to face the violence he took part in two years prior. His journey is full of challenges and enemies. His story is the one on the most personal level, as we see his remorse and struggle to seek the truth of who he is and what he's done.
Most of the other point of view characters center around two sides of a brewing war. There are a few scenes in court discussing the politics of the realm, and we get to know the dynamics of the officers and nobles on both sides of the conflict.
There's a lot of history and religion in the world building. One point of view character is an elf whose people had left the region thousands of years ago. He's returning to collect a missing tome in hopes of protecting what secrets it holds. Another point of view character is a wizardess who has been in a hibernation of sorts for generations. She's highly unusual. By this point in time, there aren't any human wizards, so if she can get a handle on her magical powers, she can be a great advantage in the war.
There's a little bit of everything here—intrigue, battle, deceit, vengeance, love, loss, victory, magic. At times I felt the pacing was slow and had a little trouble keeping up with the different characters at first. It picks up and moves the story forward while building a lot of interesting politics and backstory. I recommend this book to fans of dark fantasy, complex court politics, and epic war series.
September 30, 2017
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
I read Shattered Dreams as part of my self-imposed SPFBO challenge. This book has been on my radar for a while - I remember stumbling upon it during one of my potential next book searches. The synopsis sounded interesting to me, and some reviewers I appreciate were enthusiastic about the book.
After finishing Shattered Dreams I’m still not sure what’s the best way to describe the story. It’s ambitious. It’s epic. It’s complicated and nuanced at times.
The author juggles between eight points of view and tells a complex story through their eyes. The main character – Drangar - is a tortured soul. The only thing he sees about himself is the pain he caused and the pain he is feeling. He doesn’t care about the world or himself, but he has a strong sense of justice that gets him into trouble. He’s accompanied by interesting pair of friends – a dog with whom he speaks in his mind and a horse.
Shattered Dreams can be interpreted as a book describing his path to redemption. Naturally it’s much more complicated than that and each of the characters has a story to tell. The other point of views are:
Kildanor - one of 24 Chosen of Lesganagh, the Lord of Sun and War. Basically he’s a war machine. He’s able to single – handedly destroy enemies.
Ealisaid is the last Wizardess. All her friends were killed in times past. When she wakes up from hibernation she thinks it’s all just a test and unleashed some power. Soon she discovers the reality changed a lot and that she may be the last of her kind.
Jesgar is a young man who took up thieving as a hobby, now he’s trained for a spy.
Anneijhan is a noble warleader with the enemy army. I liked her.
Mireynh is the invaders' High General.
Lightbringer is a being who shapes history by influencing others, steering them in desired direction.
Lloreanthoran is an elven mage tasked with retrieving forgotten artifacts.
Bright-Eyes is Lloreanthoran's squirrel familiar.
As you see there’s plenty of characters. of course, their stories intersect and make the plot much more interesting.
I really enjoyed the story and the world in which it happens. Truth be told the story and my curiosity to see what happens next was the main reason why I finished the book. I actually didn’t feel connected with any of the characters. Even though it’s character-driven book, I was more interested in the story than in characters. I tried to analyze why I couldn’t connect to them and why, at times, I felt disengaged. They’re rather complex. They all have some interesting traits and overcome adversities. I think I know the reason.
It’s the prose.
It’s solid. It’s good and it says what the author wants to say. However for me it felt monotonous, a bit artificial and, sadly, it sounded exactly the same for each character. I do realize that the author in non-native English writer. I appreciate the fact he’s managed to write a book in English. His voice though does little to engage me and captivate my attention. Even emotional scenes were written in a way that just didn’t manage to create a significant emotional response from me. At times I felt bored even though the events weren’t boring. For me Ulff Lehmann prose lacks finesse and lightness I enjoy and look for in books.
Overall, I think it’s a solid debut with plenty of interesting ideas and characters. The thing that didn’t work for me was prose that feels a bit formal at times, and basically it doesn’t differentiate significantly between POV’s. I finished the book because I believe it’s interesting and I wanted to see how the things would work out. But the truth is I also felt disconnected from the story quite often.
I read Shattered Dreams as part of my self-imposed SPFBO challenge. This book has been on my radar for a while - I remember stumbling upon it during one of my potential next book searches. The synopsis sounded interesting to me, and some reviewers I appreciate were enthusiastic about the book.
After finishing Shattered Dreams I’m still not sure what’s the best way to describe the story. It’s ambitious. It’s epic. It’s complicated and nuanced at times.
The author juggles between eight points of view and tells a complex story through their eyes. The main character – Drangar - is a tortured soul. The only thing he sees about himself is the pain he caused and the pain he is feeling. He doesn’t care about the world or himself, but he has a strong sense of justice that gets him into trouble. He’s accompanied by interesting pair of friends – a dog with whom he speaks in his mind and a horse.
Shattered Dreams can be interpreted as a book describing his path to redemption. Naturally it’s much more complicated than that and each of the characters has a story to tell. The other point of views are:
Kildanor - one of 24 Chosen of Lesganagh, the Lord of Sun and War. Basically he’s a war machine. He’s able to single – handedly destroy enemies.
Ealisaid is the last Wizardess. All her friends were killed in times past. When she wakes up from hibernation she thinks it’s all just a test and unleashed some power. Soon she discovers the reality changed a lot and that she may be the last of her kind.
Jesgar is a young man who took up thieving as a hobby, now he’s trained for a spy.
Anneijhan is a noble warleader with the enemy army. I liked her.
Mireynh is the invaders' High General.
Lightbringer is a being who shapes history by influencing others, steering them in desired direction.
Lloreanthoran is an elven mage tasked with retrieving forgotten artifacts.
Bright-Eyes is Lloreanthoran's squirrel familiar.
As you see there’s plenty of characters. of course, their stories intersect and make the plot much more interesting.
I really enjoyed the story and the world in which it happens. Truth be told the story and my curiosity to see what happens next was the main reason why I finished the book. I actually didn’t feel connected with any of the characters. Even though it’s character-driven book, I was more interested in the story than in characters. I tried to analyze why I couldn’t connect to them and why, at times, I felt disengaged. They’re rather complex. They all have some interesting traits and overcome adversities. I think I know the reason.
It’s the prose.
It’s solid. It’s good and it says what the author wants to say. However for me it felt monotonous, a bit artificial and, sadly, it sounded exactly the same for each character. I do realize that the author in non-native English writer. I appreciate the fact he’s managed to write a book in English. His voice though does little to engage me and captivate my attention. Even emotional scenes were written in a way that just didn’t manage to create a significant emotional response from me. At times I felt bored even though the events weren’t boring. For me Ulff Lehmann prose lacks finesse and lightness I enjoy and look for in books.
Overall, I think it’s a solid debut with plenty of interesting ideas and characters. The thing that didn’t work for me was prose that feels a bit formal at times, and basically it doesn’t differentiate significantly between POV’s. I finished the book because I believe it’s interesting and I wanted to see how the things would work out. But the truth is I also felt disconnected from the story quite often.
April 9, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.75
This was definitely high fantasy - which usually does get me a while to get into.
I've never really been able to completely embrace this genre, and I think this may have contributed to the disconnect that I felt with the setting and the characters.
After a while, I did start to get the feel for it, but I honestly don't think I connected to this story as much as I have with other ones.
I do think that the writing was solid, and there were some scenes in the story that I really liked; as a story overall, it was definitely very complex and I especially enjoyed the three-dimensionality of the characters. I admire how realistic the characters seemed in terms of personality and dialogue, and for this aspect I felt like it was easier to understand who the characters were and see what role they played.
The story was definitely extremely complex and well thought out, and although it was a little confusing for me at first, I think for those who like high fantasy, it would definitely be an enjoyable read.
This was definitely high fantasy - which usually does get me a while to get into.
I've never really been able to completely embrace this genre, and I think this may have contributed to the disconnect that I felt with the setting and the characters.
After a while, I did start to get the feel for it, but I honestly don't think I connected to this story as much as I have with other ones.
I do think that the writing was solid, and there were some scenes in the story that I really liked; as a story overall, it was definitely very complex and I especially enjoyed the three-dimensionality of the characters. I admire how realistic the characters seemed in terms of personality and dialogue, and for this aspect I felt like it was easier to understand who the characters were and see what role they played.
The story was definitely extremely complex and well thought out, and although it was a little confusing for me at first, I think for those who like high fantasy, it would definitely be an enjoyable read.
October 9, 2018
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
Shattered Dreams is an epic, unrelenting novel that is filled to the brim with interesting characters, a complex plot, and incredibly drawn world-building. I was drawn in from the very first chapter, and the first chapter is also what showed me that Lehmann would hold nothing back from his storytelling and that cruelty and a grim reality was going to be the centerpiece of this book. There is so much going on in this book that it'd be hard for me to try to summarize anything, so let's just jump into the review.
The worldbuilding in Shattered Dreams is where Lehmann excels the most. The strongest aspect of the culture in this book is easily the religion that Lehmann created. It is so in-depth and expansive that it brings everything into perspective and helps to explain the various ways of life of characters and groups in the story. It really felt as though this were an authentic world with people living lives all over, with regular things happening. Often there are high fantasy books where the descriptions stay solely on the protagonists and it is easy to forget that there is a whole rest of the world out there--not so with Shattered Dreams, which made me enjoy this book even more.
There is a rather large cast of characters, and because of that I will only mention a few: Drangar, Kildanor (a Chosen), and Ealisaid. Many of the characters stood out to me, but these three really made some of the biggest impressions. Drangar is sort a 'hero by necessity,' despite the fact that he is not really an overly heroic character. He used to have a more exciting life, but now he is living a mercenary life as a shepherd and is unwillingly forced back into the thick of things. Kildanor is basically what I would describe as a war machine who has abilities far above what any regular man can do. Kildanor is essentially the poster child for loyalty and takes the utmost care with what he is tasked to do. Elisaid is a sorceress who awakens from a sleep that has lasted over a hundred years and discovers that the land she once knew is no longer there.
I thought all of the characters were developed well and had very distinct personalities that set them apart from one another. Drangar in particular stood out to me was a unique character that struggled with what he wanted to do and what he was forced to do, and I loved getting to know him more in this book .Kildanor and Ealisaid were also both characters that stood out to me for their one of a kind attitudes. Most all of these characters are on the grey scale and can't really be called solely good or evil, which is something that I often enjoy in fantasy. It really felt like Lehmann knew his characters and put real life into them, which in turn made for a more fleshed-out story that was easy to sink into.
I found the pacing to be mostly spot-on throughout the entire book as well. It is a slower paced novel that does require a lot of focus and attention, but it's not a boring novel by any means--it is simply one that has a lot to discover and unpack, and therefore it's not one to rush through. This book has a very full prose with so much to explore and I loved doing it. It also has a bleak, grim--almost brooding--atmosphere that permeates pretty much the entire book. There were, thankfully, a few moments of humor and irony that I always love in these dark books that helped keep everything bearable enough and not too relentlessly dark.
The only real issue I had were with the names, because boy are there some tough names to pronounce! I appreciated that Lehmann provided some pronunciation tips and information at the beginning of the book, but I still stumbled over quite a few of them. I also had a slightly difficult time keeping track of some of the various characters/locations/groups/etc., so some sort of guide at the beginning or back may have beneficial for a book of this size and nature.
Overall, I've given Shattered Dreams 4.25 stars! I really had a great time reading this bleak tome and do look forward to reading the next one. I recommend this to anyone who likes some dark fantasy that follows a lot of characters and has a great deal of detail.
Shattered Dreams is an epic, unrelenting novel that is filled to the brim with interesting characters, a complex plot, and incredibly drawn world-building. I was drawn in from the very first chapter, and the first chapter is also what showed me that Lehmann would hold nothing back from his storytelling and that cruelty and a grim reality was going to be the centerpiece of this book. There is so much going on in this book that it'd be hard for me to try to summarize anything, so let's just jump into the review.
The worldbuilding in Shattered Dreams is where Lehmann excels the most. The strongest aspect of the culture in this book is easily the religion that Lehmann created. It is so in-depth and expansive that it brings everything into perspective and helps to explain the various ways of life of characters and groups in the story. It really felt as though this were an authentic world with people living lives all over, with regular things happening. Often there are high fantasy books where the descriptions stay solely on the protagonists and it is easy to forget that there is a whole rest of the world out there--not so with Shattered Dreams, which made me enjoy this book even more.
There is a rather large cast of characters, and because of that I will only mention a few: Drangar, Kildanor (a Chosen), and Ealisaid. Many of the characters stood out to me, but these three really made some of the biggest impressions. Drangar is sort a 'hero by necessity,' despite the fact that he is not really an overly heroic character. He used to have a more exciting life, but now he is living a mercenary life as a shepherd and is unwillingly forced back into the thick of things. Kildanor is basically what I would describe as a war machine who has abilities far above what any regular man can do. Kildanor is essentially the poster child for loyalty and takes the utmost care with what he is tasked to do. Elisaid is a sorceress who awakens from a sleep that has lasted over a hundred years and discovers that the land she once knew is no longer there.
I thought all of the characters were developed well and had very distinct personalities that set them apart from one another. Drangar in particular stood out to me was a unique character that struggled with what he wanted to do and what he was forced to do, and I loved getting to know him more in this book .Kildanor and Ealisaid were also both characters that stood out to me for their one of a kind attitudes. Most all of these characters are on the grey scale and can't really be called solely good or evil, which is something that I often enjoy in fantasy. It really felt like Lehmann knew his characters and put real life into them, which in turn made for a more fleshed-out story that was easy to sink into.
I found the pacing to be mostly spot-on throughout the entire book as well. It is a slower paced novel that does require a lot of focus and attention, but it's not a boring novel by any means--it is simply one that has a lot to discover and unpack, and therefore it's not one to rush through. This book has a very full prose with so much to explore and I loved doing it. It also has a bleak, grim--almost brooding--atmosphere that permeates pretty much the entire book. There were, thankfully, a few moments of humor and irony that I always love in these dark books that helped keep everything bearable enough and not too relentlessly dark.
The only real issue I had were with the names, because boy are there some tough names to pronounce! I appreciated that Lehmann provided some pronunciation tips and information at the beginning of the book, but I still stumbled over quite a few of them. I also had a slightly difficult time keeping track of some of the various characters/locations/groups/etc., so some sort of guide at the beginning or back may have beneficial for a book of this size and nature.
Overall, I've given Shattered Dreams 4.25 stars! I really had a great time reading this bleak tome and do look forward to reading the next one. I recommend this to anyone who likes some dark fantasy that follows a lot of characters and has a great deal of detail.
September 30, 2017
I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for a no-punch-held review. Considering the circumstances, Ulff, you have my respect!
It took me longer than usual to finish this book, because Real Life(tm) got in the way. But now I'm finally done. My disclaimer: This is MY opinion; please make your own.
Here we go!
I've been struggling with how to structure this review because I have quite a lot to say...
My personal score for this book: 3.5 stars. Not 4 because I had too many "grrr" moments. But not 3 either, because I sense something impressive on the way.
THE STORY :
We've got A Man with a Destiny, Elves with a twist, Humans with a stick, Gods that are not, and a Threat. So we're in EpicFantasyLand, or something very close to it.
THE BEGINNING :
That's the part I really struggled with.
It took me quite a while to finally get who the MCs were in this book.
The first chapter is probably my biggest gripe:
I couldn't link it with the rest of the book at all. Not geographically, not narratively, not with the characters introduced.
It showcased one of the things that bothered me throughout this book: lack of description.
Yeah, I know. We normally complain about authors going overboard in their descriptions of any and everything. Jean Auel and Robert Jordan(RIP), I'm looking at you.
But this book tends go in the totally opposite direction. We hardly get any description at all. It's disconcerting because we can't really picture the characters or their surroundings. We get little in terms of geographic anchors. So we rely on the tropes to fill in the blanks.
THE POVs :
Oh God the names in this book! I just gave up trying to remember them halfway through, counting instead on the context to tell me who they are. We've got quite a cast, Ladies and gents!
I'll be breaking it down to my perception of the "airtime" the characters got.
The "MCs"
The Broken Warrior:
Most of the story revolves around him, his inner turmoils, his past and how they potentially affect the present global situation. Everybody keeps saying it, at length.
Alright, alright, he's important, we get it! Enough already!
But he's sooo annoying, Ulff! Oh how he whines... The epitomy of the tortured hero.
The Bitter Knight:
He is the one that actually moves the story forwards, and IMO the most fully-fledged character in the book. But once again, his backstory, especially the strong emotions that drive him, are not introduced smoothly so most of it feels like hammer blows.
Generally he's the character I enjoyed reading the most. Because he felt alive and moving, while most of the others felt, well, static.
The support characters
The Soul-searching Elf:
His job is giving us the backstory for the world we live in. Info-dump master!
But thanks to him, we get a insight into one of the most interesting twist on the Elf trope I've seen so far. I have one big gripe with Elves in general, though: they always seems wayyy too self-conscious of their own long-livedness. This book doesn't escape that pitfall either.
The Spy-in-training:
Ok I didn't get him. At all. He's introduced with a moniker that is never justified. His reputation is never established, so we don't know why he's sought out to carry the task. His first scene is confusing as hell. For a would-be spy, he's rather notorious. (sight...)
Maybe he'll make sense later.
The Lost/Last Wizardess:
I didn't buy her either. She felt too superficial. Once again, lack of proper grounding.
The "Errr..." characters
I'm guessing their inclusion will eventually make sense in the follow-up book, but they tend to brake the pace of this one, rather than help it.
The Enemy General:
To be honest, I don't know why he's here (yet?). He feels like our main link to the "Opponent", but his story is yet too sketchy to matter (in this book, at least). And his character feels rather inconsistent.
The Enemy Lady Knight:
We have some nice potential for conflict in the following books there. . But as of now, nothing really stands out about this gal. Hell, I don't even know what she looks like. :-p
The Not-Goddess:
This one puzzled me a lot when she appeared. Suddenly, I couldn't understand the world's religion/power structure anymore.
The WTFs:
Need I say more?...
THE WRITING :
This part may be influenced by how I normally "read".
See, I don't. I listen to Amy from Ivona Voice. She's generally pretty good, and I've gotten used to her quirks. For some reason, my eReader couldn't find a TOC in the book, so it was pretty much a continuous flow.
The writing style did not make itself a feature. Which was a nice change from my last two books.
However, I had some trouble with the pacing of the story. I couldn't get a sense of rhythm from this book. The way we are switched from one POV to the next sometimes felt haphazard. Some POVs overlap in the same scene. It's interesting, but it slows the action down a lot.
Which bring me to the action.
Not much of it in this book. Lot of talking. The dialogues were sometimes puzzling. I couldn't get a fix on the speech mannerisms. But I haven't seen the word "villain" used in its original meaning in a loong time :-p
The antagonist has, for now been a total mystery. But I get the feeling there's actually more than one. Strangely enough, it doesn't bother me to be kept in the dark just like the characters I'm following are. Provided the reveals, when they come, are done right.
Conclusion
Sounds like a lot of bones to pick, right?
Right. There's a lot that really didn't work for me in this book.
But.
The most prominent redeeming feature of this book was definitely the story.
We're still left in the dark about most of it; but from what I'm seeing right now, there's a nice stew brewing. I'll be checking this kitchen out again, mostly because I hope that the next book will be a real explosion of that pent up tension that's been laid out here.
It took me longer than usual to finish this book, because Real Life(tm) got in the way. But now I'm finally done. My disclaimer: This is MY opinion; please make your own.
Here we go!
I've been struggling with how to structure this review because I have quite a lot to say...
My personal score for this book: 3.5 stars. Not 4 because I had too many "grrr" moments. But not 3 either, because I sense something impressive on the way.
THE STORY :
We've got A Man with a Destiny, Elves with a twist, Humans with a stick, Gods that are not, and a Threat. So we're in EpicFantasyLand, or something very close to it.
THE BEGINNING :
That's the part I really struggled with.
It took me quite a while to finally get who the MCs were in this book.
The first chapter is probably my biggest gripe:
I couldn't link it with the rest of the book at all. Not geographically, not narratively, not with the characters introduced.
It showcased one of the things that bothered me throughout this book: lack of description.
Yeah, I know. We normally complain about authors going overboard in their descriptions of any and everything. Jean Auel and Robert Jordan(RIP), I'm looking at you.
But this book tends go in the totally opposite direction. We hardly get any description at all. It's disconcerting because we can't really picture the characters or their surroundings. We get little in terms of geographic anchors. So we rely on the tropes to fill in the blanks.
THE POVs :
Oh God the names in this book! I just gave up trying to remember them halfway through, counting instead on the context to tell me who they are. We've got quite a cast, Ladies and gents!
I'll be breaking it down to my perception of the "airtime" the characters got.
The "MCs"
The Broken Warrior:
Most of the story revolves around him, his inner turmoils, his past and how they potentially affect the present global situation. Everybody keeps saying it, at length.
Alright, alright, he's important, we get it! Enough already!
But he's sooo annoying, Ulff! Oh how he whines... The epitomy of the tortured hero.
The Bitter Knight:
He is the one that actually moves the story forwards, and IMO the most fully-fledged character in the book. But once again, his backstory, especially the strong emotions that drive him, are not introduced smoothly so most of it feels like hammer blows.
Generally he's the character I enjoyed reading the most. Because he felt alive and moving, while most of the others felt, well, static.
The support characters
The Soul-searching Elf:
His job is giving us the backstory for the world we live in. Info-dump master!
But thanks to him, we get a insight into one of the most interesting twist on the Elf trope I've seen so far. I have one big gripe with Elves in general, though: they always seems wayyy too self-conscious of their own long-livedness. This book doesn't escape that pitfall either.
The Spy-in-training:
Ok I didn't get him. At all. He's introduced with a moniker that is never justified. His reputation is never established, so we don't know why he's sought out to carry the task. His first scene is confusing as hell. For a would-be spy, he's rather notorious. (sight...)
Maybe he'll make sense later.
The Lost/Last Wizardess:
I didn't buy her either. She felt too superficial. Once again, lack of proper grounding.
The "Errr..." characters
I'm guessing their inclusion will eventually make sense in the follow-up book, but they tend to brake the pace of this one, rather than help it.
The Enemy General:
To be honest, I don't know why he's here (yet?). He feels like our main link to the "Opponent", but his story is yet too sketchy to matter (in this book, at least). And his character feels rather inconsistent.
The Enemy Lady Knight:
We have some nice potential for conflict in the following books there. . But as of now, nothing really stands out about this gal. Hell, I don't even know what she looks like. :-p
The Not-Goddess:
This one puzzled me a lot when she appeared. Suddenly, I couldn't understand the world's religion/power structure anymore.
The WTFs:
Need I say more?...
THE WRITING :
This part may be influenced by how I normally "read".
See, I don't. I listen to Amy from Ivona Voice. She's generally pretty good, and I've gotten used to her quirks. For some reason, my eReader couldn't find a TOC in the book, so it was pretty much a continuous flow.
The writing style did not make itself a feature. Which was a nice change from my last two books.
However, I had some trouble with the pacing of the story. I couldn't get a sense of rhythm from this book. The way we are switched from one POV to the next sometimes felt haphazard. Some POVs overlap in the same scene. It's interesting, but it slows the action down a lot.
Which bring me to the action.
Not much of it in this book. Lot of talking. The dialogues were sometimes puzzling. I couldn't get a fix on the speech mannerisms. But I haven't seen the word "villain" used in its original meaning in a loong time :-p
The antagonist has, for now been a total mystery. But I get the feeling there's actually more than one. Strangely enough, it doesn't bother me to be kept in the dark just like the characters I'm following are. Provided the reveals, when they come, are done right.
Conclusion
Sounds like a lot of bones to pick, right?
Right. There's a lot that really didn't work for me in this book.
But.
The most prominent redeeming feature of this book was definitely the story.
We're still left in the dark about most of it; but from what I'm seeing right now, there's a nice stew brewing. I'll be checking this kitchen out again, mostly because I hope that the next book will be a real explosion of that pent up tension that's been laid out here.
April 30, 2018
I received a copy from the author in exchange of a honest review.
The full review with personal notes can be read here: starlitbook.com/2018/04/30/shattered-...
Shattered Dreams is the debut novel by Ulff Lehmann and the first of a 5 book series. Thus it has flaws and first book issues, which keeps me from giving a 5 star rating. Don't let that hold you back and give Shattered Dreams a chance, because it deserves it.
We are about a hundred years after the Heir War and the Demon War. The Phoenix Wizards are extinct, the elves retreated from the world, humans are left to their own devices, fighting petty wars and worshipping gods, whom actually grants them their help and blessings in one form or another. But all in all people live in peace. Until now. The Chanastardh kingdom is about to invade Danastaer, a Wizardess wakes up after a 100 years long hibernation and trouble is about being unleashed in the ancient elven city, Honas Graigh's heart. In these circumstances the best you can hope for is survival, even against all odds. And so the race against time begins.
Throughout the book we follow several characters' path, whom all play significant roles in a way, and whose name is nearly impossible to remember. Obviously. Who would have thought, huh? First, we have Drangar, ex-mercenary, presently a shepherd, living a solitary life, trying to forget about his past, and wrongdoings. But one's past is not so easy to ignore, especially if it comes knocking on the door. So Drangar has no choice but to put on his big boy pants and face whatever haunts him.
Meanwhile in Dunthiochagh Lord Kildanor, Chosen of Lesganagh, God of Sun and War tries to prevent the city getting in the hands of Chanastadh. Doing so he finds unexpected allies in Eanaigh's church as well as in Ealisaid the Wizardess in whom he (or anyone else for that matter) doesn't trust. Not that he has any other choice if he wants to keep Baron Duasonh alive and ensure the independence of the city and the Baron's subjects. The interactions between Kildanor and Braigh represents very well the conflict between the two factions and the errors on both end. Religion plays a big role throughout the story. Maybe this is the only aspect where I'm sorry we don't get more info regarding all the different gods and their deeds. Kildanor, being one of the first Chosen, had seen a lot of things in his life, most of it not really pleasing, but manages to keep his sense of humor. Actually, one of the things I really liked about this book were the humor and the banter between characters lighting up the rather dark mood.
Neither of them is aware of the happenings in Honas Graigh, which forces Lloreanthorian to leave the safe "haven" of the elves, where they created their new home and try to right the mistake his people made and which can cost a lot in the long run. He also has the most unexpected hero on his side. And the most adorable one I ever read of.
There are a few other characters as well, who get their own POV throughout the book, which makes it hard to get the hang of the story. For those who get easily confused by the changes, this book won't appeal much. Also, this is not exactly an action packed, fast paced, making you sit on the edge of your seat kind of book, which doesn't mean that it's boring either. On the contrary, it can keep you interested without you noticing it, and before you know it, you've finished quite a big portion of it. Of course there are some unexpected turn of events to slap you in the face or to break your heart. And believe me, it will break.
The characters and the world is well built, although we get only as much description as necessary - some may find it too few, for me it was a relief I didn't have to deal with useless info dumping dragged out for pages. I could let my imagination fill out the gaps. We only get as much info as we need to understand what the hell is happening. There were some repetitiveness here and there, especially regarding the elf POV, but not as much as to be utterly annoying. Nothing that couldn't be easily righted with some additional editing in the future. As mentioned above, these are first book problems, along with the book focusing a lot on the characters' pasts and motives, which leaves less place for action. But then, action isn't the main strength here. Besides, the writing is smooth, the characters are interesting enough in themselves so one can't complain much. There are a lot of questions left unanswered and the book ends rather abruptly. Fortunately, we don't have to wait long for book two to come out later this year.
Shattered Dreams is like a treasure hunt where you don't get rubies and diamonds, but some important pieces of information masquerading themselves as unimportant pebbles. You have to pay attention to all the little details, because you can never know what might be get back in your face later. This is not your typical straightforward, to the point kind of novel, you have to think and reason along with the characters to fully appreciate the story. This, again, won't be appealing to everyone. And then, you might dismiss insignificant scenes and details, which of course are anything but. Shattered Dreams is that kind of book you'll want to reread and will make you bang your head on the wall for not realizing some things sooner. Anyway, go grab a copy so you can play with it until Shattered Hopes comes out!
The full review with personal notes can be read here: starlitbook.com/2018/04/30/shattered-...
Shattered Dreams is the debut novel by Ulff Lehmann and the first of a 5 book series. Thus it has flaws and first book issues, which keeps me from giving a 5 star rating. Don't let that hold you back and give Shattered Dreams a chance, because it deserves it.
We are about a hundred years after the Heir War and the Demon War. The Phoenix Wizards are extinct, the elves retreated from the world, humans are left to their own devices, fighting petty wars and worshipping gods, whom actually grants them their help and blessings in one form or another. But all in all people live in peace. Until now. The Chanastardh kingdom is about to invade Danastaer, a Wizardess wakes up after a 100 years long hibernation and trouble is about being unleashed in the ancient elven city, Honas Graigh's heart. In these circumstances the best you can hope for is survival, even against all odds. And so the race against time begins.
Throughout the book we follow several characters' path, whom all play significant roles in a way, and whose name is nearly impossible to remember. Obviously. Who would have thought, huh? First, we have Drangar, ex-mercenary, presently a shepherd, living a solitary life, trying to forget about his past, and wrongdoings. But one's past is not so easy to ignore, especially if it comes knocking on the door. So Drangar has no choice but to put on his big boy pants and face whatever haunts him.
Meanwhile in Dunthiochagh Lord Kildanor, Chosen of Lesganagh, God of Sun and War tries to prevent the city getting in the hands of Chanastadh. Doing so he finds unexpected allies in Eanaigh's church as well as in Ealisaid the Wizardess in whom he (or anyone else for that matter) doesn't trust. Not that he has any other choice if he wants to keep Baron Duasonh alive and ensure the independence of the city and the Baron's subjects. The interactions between Kildanor and Braigh represents very well the conflict between the two factions and the errors on both end. Religion plays a big role throughout the story. Maybe this is the only aspect where I'm sorry we don't get more info regarding all the different gods and their deeds. Kildanor, being one of the first Chosen, had seen a lot of things in his life, most of it not really pleasing, but manages to keep his sense of humor. Actually, one of the things I really liked about this book were the humor and the banter between characters lighting up the rather dark mood.
Neither of them is aware of the happenings in Honas Graigh, which forces Lloreanthorian to leave the safe "haven" of the elves, where they created their new home and try to right the mistake his people made and which can cost a lot in the long run. He also has the most unexpected hero on his side. And the most adorable one I ever read of.
There are a few other characters as well, who get their own POV throughout the book, which makes it hard to get the hang of the story. For those who get easily confused by the changes, this book won't appeal much. Also, this is not exactly an action packed, fast paced, making you sit on the edge of your seat kind of book, which doesn't mean that it's boring either. On the contrary, it can keep you interested without you noticing it, and before you know it, you've finished quite a big portion of it. Of course there are some unexpected turn of events to slap you in the face or to break your heart. And believe me, it will break.
The characters and the world is well built, although we get only as much description as necessary - some may find it too few, for me it was a relief I didn't have to deal with useless info dumping dragged out for pages. I could let my imagination fill out the gaps. We only get as much info as we need to understand what the hell is happening. There were some repetitiveness here and there, especially regarding the elf POV, but not as much as to be utterly annoying. Nothing that couldn't be easily righted with some additional editing in the future. As mentioned above, these are first book problems, along with the book focusing a lot on the characters' pasts and motives, which leaves less place for action. But then, action isn't the main strength here. Besides, the writing is smooth, the characters are interesting enough in themselves so one can't complain much. There are a lot of questions left unanswered and the book ends rather abruptly. Fortunately, we don't have to wait long for book two to come out later this year.
Shattered Dreams is like a treasure hunt where you don't get rubies and diamonds, but some important pieces of information masquerading themselves as unimportant pebbles. You have to pay attention to all the little details, because you can never know what might be get back in your face later. This is not your typical straightforward, to the point kind of novel, you have to think and reason along with the characters to fully appreciate the story. This, again, won't be appealing to everyone. And then, you might dismiss insignificant scenes and details, which of course are anything but. Shattered Dreams is that kind of book you'll want to reread and will make you bang your head on the wall for not realizing some things sooner. Anyway, go grab a copy so you can play with it until Shattered Hopes comes out!
February 15, 2022
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This is a German inspired Epic Fantasy novel with dark tones and influences riddled throughout the pages. There is plenty of mystery to keep the reader guessing but this book is a slow burn both for tension and for the plot to unwind. The sins of the past will be endured once again.
The main plot of the story revolves around an invasion of Danastaer by Chanastardh to the north. We have several view point characters throughout the story on both sides of the conflict but for the purpose of this novel I will only be discussing the two most gripping to me. Drangar Ralgon is seen to the local villages as a simple Shepard until he is confronted by royal knights trying to force their way on a local bar girl. Drangar reveals that he is a Chosen and puts down the assault with ease. Chosen are beings who posses the powers of a forgotten God through a dark ritual but Drangar is constantly struggles in his own mind to fight back his inner demons. Drangar has a mysterious past and one that was quiet disturbing and emotional to read. He was the shinning star for me without batting an eyelash.
Kildanor is also a Chosen knight and resides in the capital of Dunthiochagh where he is preparing for the inevitable invasion. Ancient magic has been long extinct from the world through the Elven wars but they are slowly returning and it will set events in motion for Kildanor to battle. When Kildanor comes across Drangar near death the story lines will converged and drive you towards an exciting ending to book 1 in this trilogy.
I give this book a lot of praise for its originality and dark tones which is what a good portion of modern fantasy readers are looking for. I didn’t have a few shortcomings with the story. The names and locations do have German based foundations and they can be difficult to fully understand if you are not use to the language. Definitely not a big deal for me but just keep this in mind. Also, if you do not like a slower paced novel with some pretty dark themes and practices then this will not be an enjoyable read for you.
Overall, this German Style Epic Fantasy story was a very good read and I’m looking forward to continuing the series soon. If you are looking to try something a bit different and with some more common troupes, Shattered Dreams may just be the book for you!
Cheers!
The main plot of the story revolves around an invasion of Danastaer by Chanastardh to the north. We have several view point characters throughout the story on both sides of the conflict but for the purpose of this novel I will only be discussing the two most gripping to me. Drangar Ralgon is seen to the local villages as a simple Shepard until he is confronted by royal knights trying to force their way on a local bar girl. Drangar reveals that he is a Chosen and puts down the assault with ease. Chosen are beings who posses the powers of a forgotten God through a dark ritual but Drangar is constantly struggles in his own mind to fight back his inner demons. Drangar has a mysterious past and one that was quiet disturbing and emotional to read. He was the shinning star for me without batting an eyelash.
Kildanor is also a Chosen knight and resides in the capital of Dunthiochagh where he is preparing for the inevitable invasion. Ancient magic has been long extinct from the world through the Elven wars but they are slowly returning and it will set events in motion for Kildanor to battle. When Kildanor comes across Drangar near death the story lines will converged and drive you towards an exciting ending to book 1 in this trilogy.
I give this book a lot of praise for its originality and dark tones which is what a good portion of modern fantasy readers are looking for. I didn’t have a few shortcomings with the story. The names and locations do have German based foundations and they can be difficult to fully understand if you are not use to the language. Definitely not a big deal for me but just keep this in mind. Also, if you do not like a slower paced novel with some pretty dark themes and practices then this will not be an enjoyable read for you.
Overall, this German Style Epic Fantasy story was a very good read and I’m looking forward to continuing the series soon. If you are looking to try something a bit different and with some more common troupes, Shattered Dreams may just be the book for you!
Cheers!
August 6, 2020
This is one of those book I had on my TBR pile for a while, but just had trouble getting to it. Finally, I decided to read it, and life kept intruding, and it took way to long to finish. Not because it was bad or uninteresting, because that's not the case, just life kept interfering. Having finished it, I can say that this grimdark gem was definitely worth the time put into reading it.
The story starts with two children who chase their dog who runs off into the Woods of Gathran, the old home of the vanished elves. Proceeding deeper into the forest, they come across an ancient site of magic, where something that has been long held is now stirring. Unfortunately for them, their being children isn't protection against the evil happening their, and this being grimdark, you can guess what happens.
We then come across Drangar Rallgon in a small village, where he lives as a shepard. After a run in with a spoiled noble which leaves the noble dead, he heads off to parts unknown to escape the unfair fate that would await him if he stayed. Unfortunately, he is ambushed and captured on the road, where his captors intend to use him in a demonic sacrifice. He is mortally wounded in the sacrifice, which is interrupted by Kildanor, a Chosen of Lesanagh, the banned god of the sun and war He has abilities well above those of mortal men, and manages to stop the demonologists before they complete their ritual.
This is where the story really takes off, as they return to the city of Dunthiochagh, which is ruled by Baron Duasonh, a just ruler, often at odds with the weak, corrupt king in the capital city of Harrail. Drangar is placed in a room as they await his death from his wounds. Meanwhile, something that hasn't been seen in over a hundred years has occurred. A young Phoenix wizard named Ealisaid wakens from a magically induced sleep that was supposed to last two weeks. Instead, it has lasted over a hundred years, and her order has been destroyed. Confused and thinking what she is seeing is an illusion tricking her by one of her colleagues, she lashes out with her magic, destroying two building and killing a dozen people. Kildanor, the last person to face a Phoenix wizard, stops her before she can bring down more destruction, and she ends up in the dungeon. While in the dungeon, she manages to help bring Drangar back to life with Kildanor's help.
All this happens as the Baron's cousin betrays them all, raising a coup, and they find out he has set up the kingdom to fall to their northern neighbors. The coup is put down at heavy cost, but the capital is invaded and the king captured. This all leads to a wild series of events, as Drangar is brought back to life, and they discover their is a conspiracy much deeper than suspected. As the invading army approaches the Baron's city, a lone elf has returned from their exile to try and fix what his people caused by leaving the forbidden demon summoning texts in their forest home when they left. They seem to have some tie in to what is going on, and Drangar finds out he is part of a conspiracy he could never have imagined, as his past comes back to haunt him. We are left at the end with the Dunthiochagh surrounded by an invading army, ready to strike, but with the defenders having some aces up their sleeves, including the freed wizard Ealisaid, who has found a reason to live in this strange new world.
While the book has some excellent world building and plotting that really doesn't lag, the characters are where this book shines! Drangar was my particular favorite, haunted by memories of atrocities and failures to go along with his successes. He is haunted by a force within him, struggling to be released. The rest of the cast also has attention lavished on them, so even minor characters resonate in the reader's mind. The plotting is solid, with the second two thirds really taking off and running full tilt. There are lots of dark moments throughout, with humor leavened in to keep it from becoming a grim slog, which is an excellent approach to grimdark writing. The magic is limited to a few people, since the order of wizards was put down, leaving priests and chosen as the only magic users in everyday life. The backstory is deep too, which is a good, often overlooked touch that I appreciated.
Is the book perfect? No. The author does give into the temptation to use odd, hard to pronounce names, which is off putting to some readers. Of course, my favorite book series, Mark Barnes Echoes of Empire trilogy, is the king of weird names series, so it didn't put me off. I hope to have an audio version one day to see if the voices in my head pronounce the names the same as the author. Overall, I can't recommend this book highly enough, and its mix politics, danger, adventure and grimdark evil should resonate with a lot of readers.
The story starts with two children who chase their dog who runs off into the Woods of Gathran, the old home of the vanished elves. Proceeding deeper into the forest, they come across an ancient site of magic, where something that has been long held is now stirring. Unfortunately for them, their being children isn't protection against the evil happening their, and this being grimdark, you can guess what happens.
We then come across Drangar Rallgon in a small village, where he lives as a shepard. After a run in with a spoiled noble which leaves the noble dead, he heads off to parts unknown to escape the unfair fate that would await him if he stayed. Unfortunately, he is ambushed and captured on the road, where his captors intend to use him in a demonic sacrifice. He is mortally wounded in the sacrifice, which is interrupted by Kildanor, a Chosen of Lesanagh, the banned god of the sun and war He has abilities well above those of mortal men, and manages to stop the demonologists before they complete their ritual.
This is where the story really takes off, as they return to the city of Dunthiochagh, which is ruled by Baron Duasonh, a just ruler, often at odds with the weak, corrupt king in the capital city of Harrail. Drangar is placed in a room as they await his death from his wounds. Meanwhile, something that hasn't been seen in over a hundred years has occurred. A young Phoenix wizard named Ealisaid wakens from a magically induced sleep that was supposed to last two weeks. Instead, it has lasted over a hundred years, and her order has been destroyed. Confused and thinking what she is seeing is an illusion tricking her by one of her colleagues, she lashes out with her magic, destroying two building and killing a dozen people. Kildanor, the last person to face a Phoenix wizard, stops her before she can bring down more destruction, and she ends up in the dungeon. While in the dungeon, she manages to help bring Drangar back to life with Kildanor's help.
All this happens as the Baron's cousin betrays them all, raising a coup, and they find out he has set up the kingdom to fall to their northern neighbors. The coup is put down at heavy cost, but the capital is invaded and the king captured. This all leads to a wild series of events, as Drangar is brought back to life, and they discover their is a conspiracy much deeper than suspected. As the invading army approaches the Baron's city, a lone elf has returned from their exile to try and fix what his people caused by leaving the forbidden demon summoning texts in their forest home when they left. They seem to have some tie in to what is going on, and Drangar finds out he is part of a conspiracy he could never have imagined, as his past comes back to haunt him. We are left at the end with the Dunthiochagh surrounded by an invading army, ready to strike, but with the defenders having some aces up their sleeves, including the freed wizard Ealisaid, who has found a reason to live in this strange new world.
While the book has some excellent world building and plotting that really doesn't lag, the characters are where this book shines! Drangar was my particular favorite, haunted by memories of atrocities and failures to go along with his successes. He is haunted by a force within him, struggling to be released. The rest of the cast also has attention lavished on them, so even minor characters resonate in the reader's mind. The plotting is solid, with the second two thirds really taking off and running full tilt. There are lots of dark moments throughout, with humor leavened in to keep it from becoming a grim slog, which is an excellent approach to grimdark writing. The magic is limited to a few people, since the order of wizards was put down, leaving priests and chosen as the only magic users in everyday life. The backstory is deep too, which is a good, often overlooked touch that I appreciated.
Is the book perfect? No. The author does give into the temptation to use odd, hard to pronounce names, which is off putting to some readers. Of course, my favorite book series, Mark Barnes Echoes of Empire trilogy, is the king of weird names series, so it didn't put me off. I hope to have an audio version one day to see if the voices in my head pronounce the names the same as the author. Overall, I can't recommend this book highly enough, and its mix politics, danger, adventure and grimdark evil should resonate with a lot of readers.
November 4, 2019
Somehow my review has be deleted, not sure what has happened.
This very well written fantasy grimdark, what’s puts it above other grimdark novels is the fact that ulff has given us a decent plot line full of twists and turns to us guessing throughout the book.
I have started book 2 and the plots continue.
Highly recommended series to all of my goodreads friends.
This very well written fantasy grimdark, what’s puts it above other grimdark novels is the fact that ulff has given us a decent plot line full of twists and turns to us guessing throughout the book.
I have started book 2 and the plots continue.
Highly recommended series to all of my goodreads friends.
July 31, 2016
War suddenly engulfs the land. An ancient evil is about to be released. Gods and wizards try to intervene. Nobody knows who or what is behind it.Different people are suddenly involved. Some by choice, some by accident. Some have hidden agendas, others are just swept along by events.A recipe for a classic battle between good and evil. A very enjoyable read with well written characters that you can engage with. My only dissatisfaction is that it isn't a stand alone story. To find out what happens to the characters you have to follow the series. Despite that, I would recommend this to all sword & sorcery readers.
July 21, 2018
3.5 stars
Shattered Dreams is full of engaging characters and rich worldbuilding with a deep and intriguing history. The author employs a large cast of characters to show many facets of a story centered on two cities: Honas Graigh and Dunthiochagh. In the abandoned ruins of Honas Graigh lies a book of dark magic that the elves accidentally left behind during a hasty retreat from the world of men. Nefarious forces are at work, using the book to raise an army of ghosts and demons. Meanwhile, the people of Dunthiochagh prepare for a siege by an invading (human) army. Various lesser conflicts also occur within the forces assembling for the big battles to come. In Dunthiochagh, treachery threatens to lose the war before it's started, and old resentments between rival religions bubble over into violence. In the invading army, court intrigue and petty rivalries tear at the would-be conquerors' cohesion. Meanwhile a grief-stricken mercenary seeks redemption, a young thief learns spycraft, an apprentice wizard emerges from a Rip van Winkle like sleep to find herself the last of her kind and an accidental murderer, and an elf mage returns from exile to stop the demon incursion enabled by his own carelessness. Along with these four main characters are a wide variety of supporting cast, including an immortal warrior, the invaders' commanding general and his aide de camp, the elf mage's squirrel familiar, a goddess, and the human demonologists working to summon the demons.
We see the coming conflicts through the eyes of characters on all sides: everyone, including the demons and demonologists, have valid reasons for the actions they take, although the author doesn't share the entirety of everyone's motivations. On one hand I appreciated the breadth of the storytelling, but on the other hand I prefer getting the other side of a story when the author can devote space to fully telling it. The single scenes from the point of view of demonologists, demons, doomed children, and scholars could have been left out, and those viewpoints saved for later books when their version of events can be shown in a complete subplot.
Another downside of this broad strokes approach to storytelling was that I had trouble getting into the story. The numerous subplots required many, many chapters of set-up, and I didn't become fully engaged with the narrative until about the half-way point of the book. Once the story settled into the exploring the main mystery, which involves the murder of the mercenary's lover and the demonologists particular interest in him, I began to truly enjoy the story, and I look forward to the sequel, Shattered Hopes.
Shattered Dreams is full of engaging characters and rich worldbuilding with a deep and intriguing history. The author employs a large cast of characters to show many facets of a story centered on two cities: Honas Graigh and Dunthiochagh. In the abandoned ruins of Honas Graigh lies a book of dark magic that the elves accidentally left behind during a hasty retreat from the world of men. Nefarious forces are at work, using the book to raise an army of ghosts and demons. Meanwhile, the people of Dunthiochagh prepare for a siege by an invading (human) army. Various lesser conflicts also occur within the forces assembling for the big battles to come. In Dunthiochagh, treachery threatens to lose the war before it's started, and old resentments between rival religions bubble over into violence. In the invading army, court intrigue and petty rivalries tear at the would-be conquerors' cohesion. Meanwhile a grief-stricken mercenary seeks redemption, a young thief learns spycraft, an apprentice wizard emerges from a Rip van Winkle like sleep to find herself the last of her kind and an accidental murderer, and an elf mage returns from exile to stop the demon incursion enabled by his own carelessness. Along with these four main characters are a wide variety of supporting cast, including an immortal warrior, the invaders' commanding general and his aide de camp, the elf mage's squirrel familiar, a goddess, and the human demonologists working to summon the demons.
We see the coming conflicts through the eyes of characters on all sides: everyone, including the demons and demonologists, have valid reasons for the actions they take, although the author doesn't share the entirety of everyone's motivations. On one hand I appreciated the breadth of the storytelling, but on the other hand I prefer getting the other side of a story when the author can devote space to fully telling it. The single scenes from the point of view of demonologists, demons, doomed children, and scholars could have been left out, and those viewpoints saved for later books when their version of events can be shown in a complete subplot.
Another downside of this broad strokes approach to storytelling was that I had trouble getting into the story. The numerous subplots required many, many chapters of set-up, and I didn't become fully engaged with the narrative until about the half-way point of the book. Once the story settled into the exploring the main mystery, which involves the murder of the mercenary's lover and the demonologists particular interest in him, I began to truly enjoy the story, and I look forward to the sequel, Shattered Hopes.
October 13, 2018
Three words: Read. This. Book.
That’s not much of a review though, is it? OK then…
I loved this story. It has it all. A broken potential hero who enters as a wrecked (and somewhat caustic) nobody. A patchwork medievalist world, littered with the relics of a disappeared elven race. Rumours of dwarven craftmasters still dispensing the occasional boon of matchless weapons to humans who believe the world now belongs to them, and whose kingdoms scrabble and intrigue over control of what remains.
Beneath it all, apparent gods, the like of which I’ve never read. Tired. Isolated. Bereft of faithful. Perhaps they’re not gods at all, and are instead merely the strongest survivors from the age of the wars that destroyed magic, now hiding in the shadows and only rarely exercising their still godlike power to nudge the vector of human affairs. Who knows? The story will be told.
Oh - and demons. Of course demons. Those buggers (or their equivalent) will always be around.
One of the things I liked most about Shattered Dreams was its initial “sink or swim” style of storytelling. If you like Hollywood-style explainalogues and a clear, linear narrative right from the get-go, then you might not be a fan. I liked it. It was…. shattered! A fragment of character here, a shard of history there, a half-buried hint of plot development there. It coalesced soon enough, but still left enough intriguing spaces to make me very happy that a second book was already available: I have to know WTF is going on here!! And what happened. And what’s going to happen.
Seriously: Read it.
BTW - WTF happened to elves?
They disappeared. Kinda. I’m old. I cut my fantasy teeth on LOTR, so, you know, for me, elves are aloof, powerful, magically adept and prone to disappearing acts. Above all, though, I always considered them to be supremely knowledgeable and wise.
I spent a long time wandering the science fiction galaxy before returning to fantasy. Imagine my surprise to discover how, well, dark, elves seem to have become in contemporary fantasy. Reading of the elves of Gathran’s bickering and scheming, their intrigues and politicking and their sheer petty-mindedness, was a refreshing change. Certainly shattered my elven dreams!
That’s not much of a review though, is it? OK then…
I loved this story. It has it all. A broken potential hero who enters as a wrecked (and somewhat caustic) nobody. A patchwork medievalist world, littered with the relics of a disappeared elven race. Rumours of dwarven craftmasters still dispensing the occasional boon of matchless weapons to humans who believe the world now belongs to them, and whose kingdoms scrabble and intrigue over control of what remains.
Beneath it all, apparent gods, the like of which I’ve never read. Tired. Isolated. Bereft of faithful. Perhaps they’re not gods at all, and are instead merely the strongest survivors from the age of the wars that destroyed magic, now hiding in the shadows and only rarely exercising their still godlike power to nudge the vector of human affairs. Who knows? The story will be told.
Oh - and demons. Of course demons. Those buggers (or their equivalent) will always be around.
One of the things I liked most about Shattered Dreams was its initial “sink or swim” style of storytelling. If you like Hollywood-style explainalogues and a clear, linear narrative right from the get-go, then you might not be a fan. I liked it. It was…. shattered! A fragment of character here, a shard of history there, a half-buried hint of plot development there. It coalesced soon enough, but still left enough intriguing spaces to make me very happy that a second book was already available: I have to know WTF is going on here!! And what happened. And what’s going to happen.
Seriously: Read it.
BTW - WTF happened to elves?
They disappeared. Kinda. I’m old. I cut my fantasy teeth on LOTR, so, you know, for me, elves are aloof, powerful, magically adept and prone to disappearing acts. Above all, though, I always considered them to be supremely knowledgeable and wise.
I spent a long time wandering the science fiction galaxy before returning to fantasy. Imagine my surprise to discover how, well, dark, elves seem to have become in contemporary fantasy. Reading of the elves of Gathran’s bickering and scheming, their intrigues and politicking and their sheer petty-mindedness, was a refreshing change. Certainly shattered my elven dreams!
September 8, 2019
Ravage the land and you have an appreciation of what you are in for. There is a great depth to the worldbuilding, without dropping off down each rabbit hole as Jordan does, or doing an overkill on wordiness. Clever and accomplished writing until the end where it hits pause, rather than finale. I was expecting something more than a skirmish on the walls and two characters having a side plot shindig from their own POV.
Dragnar is an easy character to read in a convoluted storyline as though Druss has PTSD. It could have degenerated into excessive self wallowing, but remained engaging throughout, and on occasion became irritating to pull away from that story arc as it was obviously pivotal to plot.
The other characters were all well written with their own skillsets, but the mage Eal’ stole it for me. No Gandalf the grey, like Dragnar she spends some time struggling with reality and starts off as a murderess and prisoner. I liked how there was no Eddings listen to the wise sorceress to pull the threads, but threw her in the proverbial privvy instead. Several more curve balls show great promise for the series, but they are still up in the air and get added to, rather than concluded by the end.
I’m looking forward to reading book 2 next and the third when it lands. The threads had started to wind together when pause was hit on the imminent invasion. The Elven storyline didn’t do much for me - beyond add depth to the conflict. It could have been dropped for pacing, but how influential that storyline is next I’m happy to pick and poke at. If the humans can mess up the wise old elf for once I’ll have a good laugh at that.
I’ve had it in my TBR pile for a while and it was well worth the wait
Dragnar is an easy character to read in a convoluted storyline as though Druss has PTSD. It could have degenerated into excessive self wallowing, but remained engaging throughout, and on occasion became irritating to pull away from that story arc as it was obviously pivotal to plot.
The other characters were all well written with their own skillsets, but the mage Eal’ stole it for me. No Gandalf the grey, like Dragnar she spends some time struggling with reality and starts off as a murderess and prisoner. I liked how there was no Eddings listen to the wise sorceress to pull the threads, but threw her in the proverbial privvy instead. Several more curve balls show great promise for the series, but they are still up in the air and get added to, rather than concluded by the end.
I’m looking forward to reading book 2 next and the third when it lands. The threads had started to wind together when pause was hit on the imminent invasion. The Elven storyline didn’t do much for me - beyond add depth to the conflict. It could have been dropped for pacing, but how influential that storyline is next I’m happy to pick and poke at. If the humans can mess up the wise old elf for once I’ll have a good laugh at that.
I’ve had it in my TBR pile for a while and it was well worth the wait
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2019
I'm not going to compare this to other fantasy books, as it's strong enough to stand on its own. The attention to detail, whether politics, military tactics, arms and armour... etc. is outstanding. It doesn't get in the way but the worldbuilding has a solidity lacking in many fantasy novels. It feels at times as if the author has an entire history of his world that he can rest against so the setting comes alive without being forced. It's clearly not for the faint hearted and pulls no punches. (The squirrel, man, the squirrel!)
I found the characters were both complex and believable, sometimes tragically all too believable. It's a series and all I can say is that I hope the rest of the books live up to this one as it's one of the best fantasy debuts I've read.
Ultimately, it's a book I devoured and was hungry for more of.
I found the characters were both complex and believable, sometimes tragically all too believable. It's a series and all I can say is that I hope the rest of the books live up to this one as it's one of the best fantasy debuts I've read.
Ultimately, it's a book I devoured and was hungry for more of.
June 29, 2017
Complex characters, amazing plotlines, realistic world building, and lots of magic and magical creatures,
Ulff Lehmann’s shattered dreams is your perfect story in the epic fantasy genre. One thing about this book is that it is not for those who can’t understand complex stories and cannot keep track of multiple plotlines and characters. If you love books like A Game of Thrones and Garden of the Moon, then this book for you.
The story takes place in a land that was forged by the Sun and War, broken by war between various races. It follows four characters, as the nation for Danastaer is on verge of invasion by the northern enemies Chanastardh. Kildanor is a Chosen of the God of War and Son, and is a close friend of the Baron of Duntochiagh, the last city which has not fallen to the Chanastardhians. He along with the Baron’s close friends has a task to defend the city, being outnumbered, by the proportion of the Chanastardhian army. But he has found an ally, and a powerful weapon. One of the Phoenix Wizard sorceresses, who went into hibernation a century ago, and woke up to find that her fellow Wizards have been defeated.
Dranger Ralgon, is shepherd, but has a dark past. His only companions are a dog who talks to him in his mind and a loyal horse. He is haunted by nightmares of killing his love two years back. He decides to face his past and goes back to the city from where he ran away, Duntochiagh. In the way, mysterious black robed men try to kill him. He is found by Kildanor and when taken back to Duntochiagh, he is pronounced dead. He returns to life with the help of Ealisad, the Phoenix Wizards and a mysterious spirit that inhabited the Dog. This spirit shows him his past, and he realises that the black robed men were behind the killing of his bethroted. He makes his goal to find out who these men are.
Ending in a cliffhanger, the next book is one that I’m most eager to read in 2017. A highly recommended book, in tones similar to A Game of Thrones and The Blade Itself. In my opinion Shattered Dreams is even more better than Broken Empire Trilogy, which I was reading side by side when I read Shattered Dreams.
Ulff Lehmann’s shattered dreams is your perfect story in the epic fantasy genre. One thing about this book is that it is not for those who can’t understand complex stories and cannot keep track of multiple plotlines and characters. If you love books like A Game of Thrones and Garden of the Moon, then this book for you.
The story takes place in a land that was forged by the Sun and War, broken by war between various races. It follows four characters, as the nation for Danastaer is on verge of invasion by the northern enemies Chanastardh. Kildanor is a Chosen of the God of War and Son, and is a close friend of the Baron of Duntochiagh, the last city which has not fallen to the Chanastardhians. He along with the Baron’s close friends has a task to defend the city, being outnumbered, by the proportion of the Chanastardhian army. But he has found an ally, and a powerful weapon. One of the Phoenix Wizard sorceresses, who went into hibernation a century ago, and woke up to find that her fellow Wizards have been defeated.
Dranger Ralgon, is shepherd, but has a dark past. His only companions are a dog who talks to him in his mind and a loyal horse. He is haunted by nightmares of killing his love two years back. He decides to face his past and goes back to the city from where he ran away, Duntochiagh. In the way, mysterious black robed men try to kill him. He is found by Kildanor and when taken back to Duntochiagh, he is pronounced dead. He returns to life with the help of Ealisad, the Phoenix Wizards and a mysterious spirit that inhabited the Dog. This spirit shows him his past, and he realises that the black robed men were behind the killing of his bethroted. He makes his goal to find out who these men are.
Ending in a cliffhanger, the next book is one that I’m most eager to read in 2017. A highly recommended book, in tones similar to A Game of Thrones and The Blade Itself. In my opinion Shattered Dreams is even more better than Broken Empire Trilogy, which I was reading side by side when I read Shattered Dreams.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2016
I find some authors are good at building a world
The author draws us in through the accounts of a scholar reminiscent of Gene Wolfe's Severian telling us the tale
of how his time in the world came to be what it is. He engrosses
us in a vivid history of wizardry from his own perspective. His witticisms and analysis of his world at times left this reader reflecting on our own world and the nature of mankind.
As we move into the story proper, we are quickly introduced to very human, fully realized characters. As an omnivorous reader of science fiction and fantasy, I find some authors are good at building a world, but not at peopling it with compelling
characters.
Mr. Lehmann satisfies on both counts. A complex world of elves, wizards,
otherworldly creatures, with a human race struggling on. Individual characters who
we feel hope and pathos and empathy for that we can see ourselves in.
Some of the best science fiction and fantasy is that which provides us both an
escape from the mundanity of day to day life, but also a funhouse mirror reflection
on ourselves and our nature. This book does that.
I would say more but I don't want to ruin what I promise you is a captivating tale
that honors the genre while finding its own legs and exploring parts of the map
that have perhaps been less than fully charted by other writers.
I dearly look forward to seeing more from this author. Keep writing Mr. Lehmann.
The author draws us in through the accounts of a scholar reminiscent of Gene Wolfe's Severian telling us the tale
of how his time in the world came to be what it is. He engrosses
us in a vivid history of wizardry from his own perspective. His witticisms and analysis of his world at times left this reader reflecting on our own world and the nature of mankind.
As we move into the story proper, we are quickly introduced to very human, fully realized characters. As an omnivorous reader of science fiction and fantasy, I find some authors are good at building a world, but not at peopling it with compelling
characters.
Mr. Lehmann satisfies on both counts. A complex world of elves, wizards,
otherworldly creatures, with a human race struggling on. Individual characters who
we feel hope and pathos and empathy for that we can see ourselves in.
Some of the best science fiction and fantasy is that which provides us both an
escape from the mundanity of day to day life, but also a funhouse mirror reflection
on ourselves and our nature. This book does that.
I would say more but I don't want to ruin what I promise you is a captivating tale
that honors the genre while finding its own legs and exploring parts of the map
that have perhaps been less than fully charted by other writers.
I dearly look forward to seeing more from this author. Keep writing Mr. Lehmann.
August 28, 2019
If one looks too long into the abyss, the abyss looks back. For years now Drangar Ralgon has avoided the abyss by living life as a simple shepherd, but when neighbouring kingdom of Chanastardh turns it's eye towards former ally Danastaer war brews and it's grip reaches out ready to engulf Dranger in its madness once again.
Told in a time when the Elves have all but gone and mankind is left to govern itself, this book with its guttural prose embraces both the frailty of man and the honour. With a hint of Abercrombie and a hint of Eriikson.... this is grimdark with a unique voice and blood to spare. Told from multiple pov's the pacing never once suffers as it flows seamlessly from one part of this multi layered story to another. Of the other characters I especially liked Lloreanthoran the Eleven Warlock and his funny sidekick (which I can only assume is a nod to another much loved book entirely) I also had a lot of time for Kildanor a member of the Chosen.....and there's even a sorceress named Ealisaid who has woken from a magical sleep into a very different world. In short this a grown up fantasy there's violence and intelligence on the page in equal measure and with book two waiting in the wings I look forward to continuing the adventure.
Told in a time when the Elves have all but gone and mankind is left to govern itself, this book with its guttural prose embraces both the frailty of man and the honour. With a hint of Abercrombie and a hint of Eriikson.... this is grimdark with a unique voice and blood to spare. Told from multiple pov's the pacing never once suffers as it flows seamlessly from one part of this multi layered story to another. Of the other characters I especially liked Lloreanthoran the Eleven Warlock and his funny sidekick (which I can only assume is a nod to another much loved book entirely) I also had a lot of time for Kildanor a member of the Chosen.....and there's even a sorceress named Ealisaid who has woken from a magical sleep into a very different world. In short this a grown up fantasy there's violence and intelligence on the page in equal measure and with book two waiting in the wings I look forward to continuing the adventure.
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