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Spellgiver #2
In the Claws of the Indigen
The Old Gods have seized control of the capital in an orgy of executions and murder. Now, Larin and the others flee for their lives, as the High Wizard’s creatures fall upon them like a steel rain. Thus begins Book 2 of Spellgiver, a tale of heroism, hatred, wonder and betrayal. A tale in which Larin will meet his Master, Akul will reconcile with one horrible mistake from the past, and nothing matters but saving the king. Follow a six-limbed general as he fights his Gods for the soul of his people, row through the bubbling mud of an indigen swamp, view the world through the eyes of trapped, insane immortals, and vibrate to the hum of magic from a long dead race. And at the center of it all, Larin walks a narrow path between two evils, wanting nothing more than to go home again.
- GenresFantasy
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2018
6 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Steve Rodgers
14 books8 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 14, 2019
The second installment of Steve Rodger's CITY OF SHARDS books lives up to the term "epic fantasy" and leaves the reader both satisfied and panting for more. The multi-pronged plot is too intricate to address in a short review, but one striking aspect of the series thus far is that while the classic "good vs. evil" confrontation of the genre is intact, there are plenty of shades of gray among the characters to root aspects of the story in the moral ambiguities of "serious" fiction. Two examples: one of the "good guys" (and a great character) confesses to horrific war crimes that have haunted him ever since and prompted an exile from his former life. And then there's Kemharak, currently an antagonist of the good guys and one of the most unique characters in the board spectrum of speculative fiction. Kemharak is a Lidathi, a truly weird species with four sense pods and. . . I'll leave the rest of his physical description for readers to discover with dropped jaws; suffice to say, Rodger's has come up with an "alien" species most science fiction writers would kill for.
But that's not what makes Kemharak such a revelation. He's a great warrior, but comes to a grudging respect for his human captive, if not humanity at large, and this fuels Kemharak's burgeoning evolution as a leader, one who defies the expectations and prejudices of his people in ways that are rare, not just in fiction, but in the all-too-real world around us. I have no idea what Rodger's has in store for Kemharak, but if he can deliver on what's been hinted at, the pod-eyed warrior-maybe-diplomat/politician could become a singular character of the genre.
The above just scratches the surface of the treats and treasures on vivid, pin-wheeling display in CITY OF SHARDS. Highest recommendation.
But that's not what makes Kemharak such a revelation. He's a great warrior, but comes to a grudging respect for his human captive, if not humanity at large, and this fuels Kemharak's burgeoning evolution as a leader, one who defies the expectations and prejudices of his people in ways that are rare, not just in fiction, but in the all-too-real world around us. I have no idea what Rodger's has in store for Kemharak, but if he can deliver on what's been hinted at, the pod-eyed warrior-maybe-diplomat/politician could become a singular character of the genre.
The above just scratches the surface of the treats and treasures on vivid, pin-wheeling display in CITY OF SHARDS. Highest recommendation.
August 15, 2018
I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ve been chomping at the bit to get at this one. In the Claws of the Indigen is the second novel in Steve Rodgers’ Spellgiver series. Warning: spoilers ahead if you haven’t read book one. I’m only covering the first quarter of book two, so if you’ve read book one, read on.
When we left Larin and the rest of our merry band of heroes, his lover from the first book Onie had been hauled off by the Morphasti worshipers in his home city. The book opens with Larin righteously pissed off at the head servant of Emja, Korrin, for having allowed that to happen.
This book is interesting because it gives some point of view scenes to characters we haven’t spent time with before. Larin and Kemeharek are back (and Kemeharek’s chapters are consistently inhuman and fascinating), but so is Queen Relena, who is mounting a resistance at the palace while our heroes search for the cure for the king’s sleeping sickness.
The heroes journey in this piece has three main foci. The first is Larin training for his inevitable showdown with the evil wizard Emderian in a desperate attempt to learn how to control his power. The second is Larin’s attempt to overcome the influence of Haraf, who throughout the book is trying to drive his servant into the pits of madness alongside him. I would argue the journey to find the king’s cure is tertiary to the other two, as though the outward plot pushes us there and the stakes are never low enough to lose sight of the pressure, the inner journey is really the core of this book.
Similarly, Kemeharek’s subplot centers around his struggles with the newfound knowledge that is God is not all it seems. Through his uneasy friendship with Theralle, who we met in the last book, his struggles to liberate his people from Eldegod tyranny are suitably inhuman and yet deeply moving and fascinating. The way Rodgers portrays indigen psychology is just phenomenal.
The greatest strengths in this book, apart from the character growth we see in our protagonists, lie in the imaginative world he’s crafted in the Swamp when they get to it. Some truly original imagery and (spoilers) fascinating magical system and reasoning behind the conflict between gods, demons, and the Eldegod. The discoveries related to this really kept me riveted and engaged with the world.
I have a few nitpicky gripes about the early parts of the book, namely Laniette’s propensity to scream Aiieeee constantly in the first few chapters, the somewhat stiff dialogue in the castle scenes, and Akul’s strange love affair with two different women that seems to start and stop with the plot and not as naturally as I’d like, but these are, as I said, minor nitpicks.
Overall the writing is strong, the world is fascinating, the characters intriguing and realistic for the world, and I ended up binge reading until the end. Heck, even the cover art is beautiful! Rodgers made a fangirl out of me, and I’m sure anyone who dives into this wonderful fantasy series will wind up the same. I can’t wait to see how he ties everything up in book 3 next year, and I noticed there are hints of side stories in the same world coming out later this year.
4.5/5 because of the nitpicks, still a must-read.
When we left Larin and the rest of our merry band of heroes, his lover from the first book Onie had been hauled off by the Morphasti worshipers in his home city. The book opens with Larin righteously pissed off at the head servant of Emja, Korrin, for having allowed that to happen.
This book is interesting because it gives some point of view scenes to characters we haven’t spent time with before. Larin and Kemeharek are back (and Kemeharek’s chapters are consistently inhuman and fascinating), but so is Queen Relena, who is mounting a resistance at the palace while our heroes search for the cure for the king’s sleeping sickness.
The heroes journey in this piece has three main foci. The first is Larin training for his inevitable showdown with the evil wizard Emderian in a desperate attempt to learn how to control his power. The second is Larin’s attempt to overcome the influence of Haraf, who throughout the book is trying to drive his servant into the pits of madness alongside him. I would argue the journey to find the king’s cure is tertiary to the other two, as though the outward plot pushes us there and the stakes are never low enough to lose sight of the pressure, the inner journey is really the core of this book.
Similarly, Kemeharek’s subplot centers around his struggles with the newfound knowledge that is God is not all it seems. Through his uneasy friendship with Theralle, who we met in the last book, his struggles to liberate his people from Eldegod tyranny are suitably inhuman and yet deeply moving and fascinating. The way Rodgers portrays indigen psychology is just phenomenal.
The greatest strengths in this book, apart from the character growth we see in our protagonists, lie in the imaginative world he’s crafted in the Swamp when they get to it. Some truly original imagery and (spoilers) fascinating magical system and reasoning behind the conflict between gods, demons, and the Eldegod. The discoveries related to this really kept me riveted and engaged with the world.
I have a few nitpicky gripes about the early parts of the book, namely Laniette’s propensity to scream Aiieeee constantly in the first few chapters, the somewhat stiff dialogue in the castle scenes, and Akul’s strange love affair with two different women that seems to start and stop with the plot and not as naturally as I’d like, but these are, as I said, minor nitpicks.
Overall the writing is strong, the world is fascinating, the characters intriguing and realistic for the world, and I ended up binge reading until the end. Heck, even the cover art is beautiful! Rodgers made a fangirl out of me, and I’m sure anyone who dives into this wonderful fantasy series will wind up the same. I can’t wait to see how he ties everything up in book 3 next year, and I noticed there are hints of side stories in the same world coming out later this year.
4.5/5 because of the nitpicks, still a must-read.
March 6, 2019
City of Shards is an excellent book. As soon as I finished it I bought the sequel, sat down and read it. In the Claws of the Indigen answers a lot of questions about the world and magic system and closes most story arcs. Unfortunately, it does so through info-dumping (especially via dialogue) and retelling the events instead of immersing the reader in the action.
It starts well. Up to 30-35% of the book, I was turning pages with growing excitement. Larin and his pack are on the run. Kemharak (Lidathi's leader) makes bold decisions. After losing his beloved one, Larin is a complete mess, filled with inappropriate emotions and uncontrollable power. To make matters worse, Haraf claims Larin's servitude and the poor lad is slowly getting insane. He can go lunatic any moment now and fry everyone in demonic fire.
The stakes are high, but the pacing slows down. The story I enjoyed so much for its unpredictability becomes generic and predictable. Instead of immersing the reader in the events and action, the author summarises things through dialogue or retelling. Whether the chapter focuses on the quest for an antidote to save King Maldovin, or on Kemharak's history-changing strategy there's plenty of unimportant details and paragraphs that don't move the plot in any meaningful way.
You'll find dozens of paragraphs starting like this:
"The next two days were miserable..."
"The next days were difficult..."
We don't learn why. We're not experiencing these difficulties. We're just told how miserable / tired / heroic someone is. A shame.
Rodgers answers a lot of questions and ties most loose ends. Not all as Larin's journey just begins.
City of Shards is a much better book. In the Claws of the Indigen gives satisfying, but predictable closure to most story arcs. While I didn't enjoy the sequel as much as book one, the author's impressive imagination and polished prose made it an enjoyable read. I read it in two sittings. Powerful moments and vivid imagery are here. Some displays of Larin's power are terrifying and nicely written. Descriptions are top-notch; the dialogue is character-specific, and the magic system will appeal to hard magic fans (I prefer unexplained magic, though).
Overall, this is a fluidly written, well-plotted, but a bit predictable story. A decent read, but not as novel or good as the first in the series. Still, it has a potential to entertain anyone who enjoys intelligent and ambitious storyline. If only there was more immersion and less telling, I would praise it. I'll follow Larin's adventures as I'm still invested in characters and I dig the way Rodgers' writes.
It starts well. Up to 30-35% of the book, I was turning pages with growing excitement. Larin and his pack are on the run. Kemharak (Lidathi's leader) makes bold decisions. After losing his beloved one, Larin is a complete mess, filled with inappropriate emotions and uncontrollable power. To make matters worse, Haraf claims Larin's servitude and the poor lad is slowly getting insane. He can go lunatic any moment now and fry everyone in demonic fire.
The stakes are high, but the pacing slows down. The story I enjoyed so much for its unpredictability becomes generic and predictable. Instead of immersing the reader in the events and action, the author summarises things through dialogue or retelling. Whether the chapter focuses on the quest for an antidote to save King Maldovin, or on Kemharak's history-changing strategy there's plenty of unimportant details and paragraphs that don't move the plot in any meaningful way.
You'll find dozens of paragraphs starting like this:
"The next two days were miserable..."
"The next days were difficult..."
We don't learn why. We're not experiencing these difficulties. We're just told how miserable / tired / heroic someone is. A shame.
Rodgers answers a lot of questions and ties most loose ends. Not all as Larin's journey just begins.
City of Shards is a much better book. In the Claws of the Indigen gives satisfying, but predictable closure to most story arcs. While I didn't enjoy the sequel as much as book one, the author's impressive imagination and polished prose made it an enjoyable read. I read it in two sittings. Powerful moments and vivid imagery are here. Some displays of Larin's power are terrifying and nicely written. Descriptions are top-notch; the dialogue is character-specific, and the magic system will appeal to hard magic fans (I prefer unexplained magic, though).
Overall, this is a fluidly written, well-plotted, but a bit predictable story. A decent read, but not as novel or good as the first in the series. Still, it has a potential to entertain anyone who enjoys intelligent and ambitious storyline. If only there was more immersion and less telling, I would praise it. I'll follow Larin's adventures as I'm still invested in characters and I dig the way Rodgers' writes.
March 14, 2019
I really want to take time to write this review, look at it again and again, and make certain I deliver the message correctly. But that would take the fire out of it. I'd rather just let 'er rip, as I tell the middle school kids when I visit.
Spellgiver will soon explode onto the fantasy scene with all the power contained in these novels. The story ranks right next to A Song of Ice and Fire, which by the way, I began reading on a lark. A book store employee recommended Game of Thrones, and I'm sure you know what happened next. So it is with Spellgiver.
In the Claws of the Indigen continues the story of Larin, a young man who possesses awesome magical power. So many other intriguing characters try for your attention as well. I couldn't deny any of them. Akul, Larin's uncle, soldier, commander, a solid man to guide Larin through his coming of age. Cantro, his pal, who saves the kingdom in a way he couldn't possibly know. Onie, the love of Larin's life, and a warrior in her own right. Laniette, a violet sash mage who guides Larin in his journey to control his magic. And finally, Emderian, evil, ambitious, and the most powerful wizard Luthania has ever seen. There are many more, and Rodgers defines and uses them expertly. You can't help but cheer or despise them.
Rodgers is as adept at love as he is with battle. He binds your emotions together with tenderness and then tears them apart with the ringing steel of war. He's created a new world, new kingdoms, new leaders. How could you not cheer at every turn this story takes, good or bad?
Anyone who misses the first two books in the Spellgiver series will lose an opportunity to discover a great author and a mind-blowing story. I can't wait for Book 3! Tell everyone you know. Buy the Spellgiver books immediately!
Kevin Gerard - AWA - Award Winning Author of the Diego's Dragon children's fantasy series.
Spellgiver will soon explode onto the fantasy scene with all the power contained in these novels. The story ranks right next to A Song of Ice and Fire, which by the way, I began reading on a lark. A book store employee recommended Game of Thrones, and I'm sure you know what happened next. So it is with Spellgiver.
In the Claws of the Indigen continues the story of Larin, a young man who possesses awesome magical power. So many other intriguing characters try for your attention as well. I couldn't deny any of them. Akul, Larin's uncle, soldier, commander, a solid man to guide Larin through his coming of age. Cantro, his pal, who saves the kingdom in a way he couldn't possibly know. Onie, the love of Larin's life, and a warrior in her own right. Laniette, a violet sash mage who guides Larin in his journey to control his magic. And finally, Emderian, evil, ambitious, and the most powerful wizard Luthania has ever seen. There are many more, and Rodgers defines and uses them expertly. You can't help but cheer or despise them.
Rodgers is as adept at love as he is with battle. He binds your emotions together with tenderness and then tears them apart with the ringing steel of war. He's created a new world, new kingdoms, new leaders. How could you not cheer at every turn this story takes, good or bad?
Anyone who misses the first two books in the Spellgiver series will lose an opportunity to discover a great author and a mind-blowing story. I can't wait for Book 3! Tell everyone you know. Buy the Spellgiver books immediately!
Kevin Gerard - AWA - Award Winning Author of the Diego's Dragon children's fantasy series.
June 20, 2019
Cue the symphonic metal...With the second book in this series, we leap unflinching into the abyss. I love this vividly imagined world, its theologies and magic, and most of all the characters. The action/adventure continues with Larin still between Scylla and Charybdis (figuratively) and Kemharak. Friends and enemies all have their own weighty actions, past and present, snapping at their heels. Secrets and heroes are revealed. Hope there are more to come in this series.
March 12, 2019
Now I'm anxiously awaiting book 3!
Another strong installment to the Spellgiver series. I really enjoyed seeing more of the land and learning about the mystery's of the "Carvers". Great climax and strong battle scenes. I highly recommend reading this series and can't wait for book 3.
Another strong installment to the Spellgiver series. I really enjoyed seeing more of the land and learning about the mystery's of the "Carvers". Great climax and strong battle scenes. I highly recommend reading this series and can't wait for book 3.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews