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The Black Iron Legacy #1
The Gutter Prayer
A group of three young thieves are pulled into a centuries old magical war between ancient beings, mages, and humanity in this wildly original debut epic fantasy.
Enter a city of saints and thieves . . .
The city of Guerdon stands eternal. A refuge from the war that rages beyond its borders. But in the ancient tunnels deep beneath its streets, a malevolent power has begun to stir.
The fate of the city rests in the hands of three thieves. They alone stand against the coming darkness. As conspiracies unfold and secrets are revealed, their friendship will be tested to the limit. If they fail, all will be lost, and the streets of Guerdon will run with blood.
The Gutter Prayer is an epic tale of sorcerers and thieves, treachery and revenge,.
Enter a city of saints and thieves . . .
The city of Guerdon stands eternal. A refuge from the war that rages beyond its borders. But in the ancient tunnels deep beneath its streets, a malevolent power has begun to stir.
The fate of the city rests in the hands of three thieves. They alone stand against the coming darkness. As conspiracies unfold and secrets are revealed, their friendship will be tested to the limit. If they fail, all will be lost, and the streets of Guerdon will run with blood.
The Gutter Prayer is an epic tale of sorcerers and thieves, treachery and revenge,.
560 pages, Paperback
First published January 17, 2019
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18410 people want to read
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January 18, 2019
ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit— in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t think it’s too soon for me to say that The Gutter Prayer will be the best fantasy debut of 2019.
I have been anticipating this book ever since I first laid my eyes upon the gorgeous cover art by Richard Anderson. You see, I have this perception that any fantasy book with Richard Anderson’s art gracing its cover will most likely reflect that beauty with amazing content inside; once again I was proven right. In my opinion, Orbit is one of the best modern fantasy publishers these days. This is even more evident if we’re speaking about debuts released over the past two years, such as Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames and Age of Assassins by R.J. Barker. The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan has strengthened that notion.
I haven’t read a dark fantasy novel as original and riveting as The Gutter Prayer since Michael Fletcher’s Manifest Delusions. I’m serious, this is a must read for every dark fantasy enthusiast. The only other form of escapism I can think of that’s similar to this triumphant book is the critically acclaimed video game, Bloodborne. The main plot of the book revolves around a group of three young thieves as they are involuntarily caught in an ancient magical war between gods, monsters, ghouls, worm-men, Tallowmen, and sorcerers. As you can probably guess from terms like worm-man and Tallowman, this book was freaking bizarre, twisted, and insane in fantastic ways. Hanrahan’s imagination is a sacred blessing for the fantasy genre and I demand more fantasy books as original as this one. The prologue was immediately intriguing, and from there the book relentlessly elevates itself to a phenomenal level of quality by making sure every element for a great fantasy was offered within each new chapter.
Unpredictable and incredibly well-told story aside, the characters were fascinatingly original. The main characters, Carillon, Rat the Ghoul, and Spar the Stone Man, have a dynamic and interesting friendship going on between them. Like many great SFF authors, Hanrahan imbued life into the naming of the characters. It did take me more or less 100 pages to fully warm up to the characters, as there was a bit of a learning curve in the beginning; readers were immediately put into a chaotic situation and had to make sense of things along the way. If you find yourself a bit confused, I strongly suggest being patient. This book is superbly rewarding and totally worth finishing. Once I made it through the first 100 pages, I realized that I had become invested in both the main and side characters, and was genuinely curious about their fates; the three young thieves in particular really stole my heart.
As much as I loved the characters, IF I had to choose one favorite aspect from this book I would personally choose the world-building, which is something rare for me because I usually prioritize characterizations over everything else, but this novel is a special case. I loved how efficiently, intricately, and effectively the world-building was presented. However, it was the sheer originality regarding the creation of the world in this book that completely awed me. Gods, catastrophic alchemical weaponry, divine and terrifying monstrosities, saints, humans, ghouls, and eldritch horrors filled these pages exceptionally. Plus, the rich history and lore of the city of Guerdon made the world feel fully realized and vividly constructed. The City of Guerdon was not just a simple setting, but was almost as an additional and crucial character around which every great factor of the book revolved. There’s still so much I want to talk about regarding the world-building but I really have to stop. Trust me, it will be exponentially better for you to read Hanrahan’s terrific vision without knowing anything about it, as I did.
You don’t have to worry about the book having a weak conclusion. Satisfying and rewarding ending aside, the blasting final action scenes were an absolute masterwork that cemented the novel into 5-star territory with finesse. Both world-building and pulse-pounding action worked harmoniously to create unputdownable, cataclysmic scenes in the last 100 pages of the book. There was so much chaos going on and yet they were miraculously easy to follow. It was during this final section that I started thinking of the author as a mad genius. Hanrahan painted breathtaking scenes of Armageddon with a blazing lance that pierced through my fortress of empathy. I also felt that the voices in my reality were muted by the descending avatar of God's wrath that inflicted devastating calamity with palpable tensions. Honestly speaking, the final brutal action sequences of this book could’ve even worked as the final battle of the series itself if the author had chosen. I have no doubt that the explosive hurricane of malevolence and the conflagration of light in the city of Guerdon will give readers a wild and unforgettable experience.
This was all possible because Hanrahan is an immensely gifted writer. The book was told in multi third-person perspective in the present tense and his prose absolutely didn’t feel like something produced by a debut author; it was rich in quality and extremely well-written. Seriously, most of the passages and sentences he came up with were simplistically written and yet conjured impactful, evocative, and vivid imagery. Here’s a little passage from the first page of the novel so you can get a tiny glimpse of what I’m talking about:
How awesome is that? I’ve never read any author described a skyscraper as the hands of a man drowning and I thought it conveyed a clear image and vision of what kind of book readers are getting into right from the start. If you’re experiencing fantasy fatigue because you feel like most books in the genre is starting to feel too familiar, this book shall be your ambrosia. It was perpetually earth-shattering and it provided a healthy injection of escapist euphoria when I needed a full dose.
I’m going to close my review here by saying that The Gutter Prayer is mind-blowingly stellar in every respect; full of seductive creativity, marvelously intelligent, innovative, and frankly revolutionary. This dark and enchanting debut contained no shortage of alluring madness and wondrous imagination that manifests itself gloriously within the pages. Fantasy readers, be wise and buy this book, because there’s simply nothing like it. It worked incredibly well as a standalone, but anyone who’ve read it will know that THIS IS NOT THE LAST installment and I absolutely can’t wait for the sequel. With this superlative debut, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan has established himself as the newest virtuoso to enter the pantheon of fantasy greats. I envision that The Gutter Prayer will not only win many readers’ hearts but also win multiple fantasy awards in the near future. Yes, it was THAT good. Read it. Thank me later.
Official release date: January 17th (UK) and 22th (US), 2019
Sidenote:
You can get this book more than a month early if you purchase the signed and numbered limited edition (with sprayed edges too!) from Goldsboro Books!
You can pre-order the book with free shipping by clicking this link!
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
I don’t think it’s too soon for me to say that The Gutter Prayer will be the best fantasy debut of 2019.
I have been anticipating this book ever since I first laid my eyes upon the gorgeous cover art by Richard Anderson. You see, I have this perception that any fantasy book with Richard Anderson’s art gracing its cover will most likely reflect that beauty with amazing content inside; once again I was proven right. In my opinion, Orbit is one of the best modern fantasy publishers these days. This is even more evident if we’re speaking about debuts released over the past two years, such as Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames and Age of Assassins by R.J. Barker. The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan has strengthened that notion.
I haven’t read a dark fantasy novel as original and riveting as The Gutter Prayer since Michael Fletcher’s Manifest Delusions. I’m serious, this is a must read for every dark fantasy enthusiast. The only other form of escapism I can think of that’s similar to this triumphant book is the critically acclaimed video game, Bloodborne. The main plot of the book revolves around a group of three young thieves as they are involuntarily caught in an ancient magical war between gods, monsters, ghouls, worm-men, Tallowmen, and sorcerers. As you can probably guess from terms like worm-man and Tallowman, this book was freaking bizarre, twisted, and insane in fantastic ways. Hanrahan’s imagination is a sacred blessing for the fantasy genre and I demand more fantasy books as original as this one. The prologue was immediately intriguing, and from there the book relentlessly elevates itself to a phenomenal level of quality by making sure every element for a great fantasy was offered within each new chapter.
“Change is simultaneously a fast and a slow process. The great forces of history are slow-moving and unnoticed by those surrounded by them, visible only in hindsight where they appear inevitable.”
Unpredictable and incredibly well-told story aside, the characters were fascinatingly original. The main characters, Carillon, Rat the Ghoul, and Spar the Stone Man, have a dynamic and interesting friendship going on between them. Like many great SFF authors, Hanrahan imbued life into the naming of the characters. It did take me more or less 100 pages to fully warm up to the characters, as there was a bit of a learning curve in the beginning; readers were immediately put into a chaotic situation and had to make sense of things along the way. If you find yourself a bit confused, I strongly suggest being patient. This book is superbly rewarding and totally worth finishing. Once I made it through the first 100 pages, I realized that I had become invested in both the main and side characters, and was genuinely curious about their fates; the three young thieves in particular really stole my heart.
As much as I loved the characters, IF I had to choose one favorite aspect from this book I would personally choose the world-building, which is something rare for me because I usually prioritize characterizations over everything else, but this novel is a special case. I loved how efficiently, intricately, and effectively the world-building was presented. However, it was the sheer originality regarding the creation of the world in this book that completely awed me. Gods, catastrophic alchemical weaponry, divine and terrifying monstrosities, saints, humans, ghouls, and eldritch horrors filled these pages exceptionally. Plus, the rich history and lore of the city of Guerdon made the world feel fully realized and vividly constructed. The City of Guerdon was not just a simple setting, but was almost as an additional and crucial character around which every great factor of the book revolved. There’s still so much I want to talk about regarding the world-building but I really have to stop. Trust me, it will be exponentially better for you to read Hanrahan’s terrific vision without knowing anything about it, as I did.
“But there are moments when things can change, when the forces balance and it’s possible for people – individual people – to make a big difference. To – realign things. Remake the world.”
You don’t have to worry about the book having a weak conclusion. Satisfying and rewarding ending aside, the blasting final action scenes were an absolute masterwork that cemented the novel into 5-star territory with finesse. Both world-building and pulse-pounding action worked harmoniously to create unputdownable, cataclysmic scenes in the last 100 pages of the book. There was so much chaos going on and yet they were miraculously easy to follow. It was during this final section that I started thinking of the author as a mad genius. Hanrahan painted breathtaking scenes of Armageddon with a blazing lance that pierced through my fortress of empathy. I also felt that the voices in my reality were muted by the descending avatar of God's wrath that inflicted devastating calamity with palpable tensions. Honestly speaking, the final brutal action sequences of this book could’ve even worked as the final battle of the series itself if the author had chosen. I have no doubt that the explosive hurricane of malevolence and the conflagration of light in the city of Guerdon will give readers a wild and unforgettable experience.
This was all possible because Hanrahan is an immensely gifted writer. The book was told in multi third-person perspective in the present tense and his prose absolutely didn’t feel like something produced by a debut author; it was rich in quality and extremely well-written. Seriously, most of the passages and sentences he came up with were simplistically written and yet conjured impactful, evocative, and vivid imagery. Here’s a little passage from the first page of the novel so you can get a tiny glimpse of what I’m talking about:
“From here, you see the heart of the old city, its palaces and churches and towers reaching up like the hands of a man drowning, trying to break free of the warren of alley ways and hovels that surrounds them.”
How awesome is that? I’ve never read any author described a skyscraper as the hands of a man drowning and I thought it conveyed a clear image and vision of what kind of book readers are getting into right from the start. If you’re experiencing fantasy fatigue because you feel like most books in the genre is starting to feel too familiar, this book shall be your ambrosia. It was perpetually earth-shattering and it provided a healthy injection of escapist euphoria when I needed a full dose.
I’m going to close my review here by saying that The Gutter Prayer is mind-blowingly stellar in every respect; full of seductive creativity, marvelously intelligent, innovative, and frankly revolutionary. This dark and enchanting debut contained no shortage of alluring madness and wondrous imagination that manifests itself gloriously within the pages. Fantasy readers, be wise and buy this book, because there’s simply nothing like it. It worked incredibly well as a standalone, but anyone who’ve read it will know that THIS IS NOT THE LAST installment and I absolutely can’t wait for the sequel. With this superlative debut, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan has established himself as the newest virtuoso to enter the pantheon of fantasy greats. I envision that The Gutter Prayer will not only win many readers’ hearts but also win multiple fantasy awards in the near future. Yes, it was THAT good. Read it. Thank me later.
Official release date: January 17th (UK) and 22th (US), 2019
Sidenote:
You can get this book more than a month early if you purchase the signed and numbered limited edition (with sprayed edges too!) from Goldsboro Books!
You can pre-order the book with free shipping by clicking this link!
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions
September 30, 2020
UPDATE: $2.99 Kindle US 9/30/20
OMG! Look at this beautiful stained edge & signed/numbered book! I'm in love !!!
Omg! This book freaking rocked! I have never read anything like it!!
I CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT BOOK!!
Highly recommend!
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG
OMG! Look at this beautiful stained edge & signed/numbered book! I'm in love !!!
Omg! This book freaking rocked! I have never read anything like it!!
I CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT BOOK!!
Highly recommend!
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG
February 3, 2019
I received an uncorrected bound proof copy of The Gutter Prayer in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Gareth Hanrahan and Orbit Books for the opportunity. This was recommended to me by Grimdark author and general legend Michael R. Fletcher.
Hanrahan's highly anticipated fantasy debut is a real breath of fresh air. We follow three thieves who are affiliated with the underground Brotherhood. The gang's leader - Henreil - orders Carillon, Spar and Rat to steal some documentation from the House of Law. Little did the ensemble know that the master of the thieves guild had other plans that evening involving this building and another group of thieves. The three thieves are betrayed, the House of Law - one of the cities finest monuments - burns to the ground, and the consequences are dire. In the aftermath, our trio decides to deal out revenge but in doing so uncover numerous conspiracies, dark truths, and learn often unwanted knowledge about the Gods of this world. Mixing that with visions, hallucinations, and out-of-body experiences that Carillion starts witnessing and Spar's need for a drug Alkahest as he is slowly petrifying since being diagnosed with the stone plague equals an exciting and ambitious prospect from the very start.
At approximately 510 pages Hanrahan composes a unique, stimulating and three-dimension hauntingly dark fantasy world. The Gutter Prayer is low fantasy at it's finest. I'm not sure if it was the author's intention yet I read this as if it was set in a Victorian-inspired city where all of the action takes place. The complex, labyrinthine city of Guerdon includes trains, canals, main roads, thieves passages, underground warrens, a university town and many houses of religion.
In a fantasy world where grimdark seems to be the most popular sub-genre at the moment, I can confirm that fans of the said genre will find a great amount to enjoy here. That being said, it doesn't fit exactly under that specification. For however dark, extreme and violent sections may be, The Gutter Prayer also oozes an aura of heart and hope mainly led by the three intriguing and intricately developed but likable main characters. Cari is a thief who is the daughter of a wealthy family and has started having unspeakably strange visions when bells ring. Rat is a Ghoul, that is like a concoction of a human and a wolf and finally, Spar is the son of the former master of the thieves guild who is infected by the stone-plague. The team have an amazing comradeship and really care for each other and that is present throughout the whole narrative.
I adore fantasy stories that flaunt originality, especially when the author creates new creatures, races, and Gods that have not been featured in other books beforehand. Like Malazan where Erikson created Tiste Andii, K'Chain Che'Malle amongst others - here we have Tallowmen, Gullheads, Ravellers, and Saints. Three of these creatures are utterly terrifying and you wouldn't want to cross their paths in the small damp alleyways of Guerdon at night time.
One of my favourite aspect of The Gutter Prayer was the way that Cari's out-of-body experiences and visions were written. Unfortunately, in the past, I've suffered from mental health, hallucinations, visions, and out-of-body experiences and Cari's experiences rang completely true and where presented brilliantly. I had a personal connection with these segments and it was like reading about someone who has felt the same sort of emotions I had previously. Her suffering, confusion but also the way her eyes are opened to hidden details about the city and its inhabitants were really eye-opening and enlightening.
It took me about one-hundred-pages to get completely engrossed in this novel but at that point when events start to get a bit more complex I was engrossed and couldn't put the book down. The last one-hundred-and-fifty-page were so thrilling that my brain had to work expertly hard to keep up with the pace that my eyes were making it read the words! The Gutter Prayer features a skilfully crafted world, with masterful drama, expert dialogue, brilliant characters, and an ending I did not see coming. Debut release of 2019? Perhaps. A book that every fantasy fan should read? Absolutely.
Hanrahan's highly anticipated fantasy debut is a real breath of fresh air. We follow three thieves who are affiliated with the underground Brotherhood. The gang's leader - Henreil - orders Carillon, Spar and Rat to steal some documentation from the House of Law. Little did the ensemble know that the master of the thieves guild had other plans that evening involving this building and another group of thieves. The three thieves are betrayed, the House of Law - one of the cities finest monuments - burns to the ground, and the consequences are dire. In the aftermath, our trio decides to deal out revenge but in doing so uncover numerous conspiracies, dark truths, and learn often unwanted knowledge about the Gods of this world. Mixing that with visions, hallucinations, and out-of-body experiences that Carillion starts witnessing and Spar's need for a drug Alkahest as he is slowly petrifying since being diagnosed with the stone plague equals an exciting and ambitious prospect from the very start.
At approximately 510 pages Hanrahan composes a unique, stimulating and three-dimension hauntingly dark fantasy world. The Gutter Prayer is low fantasy at it's finest. I'm not sure if it was the author's intention yet I read this as if it was set in a Victorian-inspired city where all of the action takes place. The complex, labyrinthine city of Guerdon includes trains, canals, main roads, thieves passages, underground warrens, a university town and many houses of religion.
In a fantasy world where grimdark seems to be the most popular sub-genre at the moment, I can confirm that fans of the said genre will find a great amount to enjoy here. That being said, it doesn't fit exactly under that specification. For however dark, extreme and violent sections may be, The Gutter Prayer also oozes an aura of heart and hope mainly led by the three intriguing and intricately developed but likable main characters. Cari is a thief who is the daughter of a wealthy family and has started having unspeakably strange visions when bells ring. Rat is a Ghoul, that is like a concoction of a human and a wolf and finally, Spar is the son of the former master of the thieves guild who is infected by the stone-plague. The team have an amazing comradeship and really care for each other and that is present throughout the whole narrative.
I adore fantasy stories that flaunt originality, especially when the author creates new creatures, races, and Gods that have not been featured in other books beforehand. Like Malazan where Erikson created Tiste Andii, K'Chain Che'Malle amongst others - here we have Tallowmen, Gullheads, Ravellers, and Saints. Three of these creatures are utterly terrifying and you wouldn't want to cross their paths in the small damp alleyways of Guerdon at night time.
One of my favourite aspect of The Gutter Prayer was the way that Cari's out-of-body experiences and visions were written. Unfortunately, in the past, I've suffered from mental health, hallucinations, visions, and out-of-body experiences and Cari's experiences rang completely true and where presented brilliantly. I had a personal connection with these segments and it was like reading about someone who has felt the same sort of emotions I had previously. Her suffering, confusion but also the way her eyes are opened to hidden details about the city and its inhabitants were really eye-opening and enlightening.
It took me about one-hundred-pages to get completely engrossed in this novel but at that point when events start to get a bit more complex I was engrossed and couldn't put the book down. The last one-hundred-and-fifty-page were so thrilling that my brain had to work expertly hard to keep up with the pace that my eyes were making it read the words! The Gutter Prayer features a skilfully crafted world, with masterful drama, expert dialogue, brilliant characters, and an ending I did not see coming. Debut release of 2019? Perhaps. A book that every fantasy fan should read? Absolutely.
February 28, 2019
With his imaginative characters, creative plot and twisted creatures, Hanrahan proves that fantasy can still be original.
This is an exceedingly exciting adventure of thievery and treachery. It’s immediate and gripping. It doesn’t mess around and quickly launched me into an extraordinary new fantasy world. Hanrahan is an exceptionally talented writer, and I do not hesitate to say that this book will receive heaps of claim from readers and critics alike. It truly deserves it.
The story begins with an explosion, an explosion that ruins the heist the three protagonists, Cari, Spar and Rat were undertaking. They have no idea what has happened or why it has happened. They have been set up as the world descends into fire and chaotic madness. They have been left for dead and without any answers. It’s a sign of things to come, of the powerlessness they posses in a game where they are only considered as mere pawns. The plot only becomes darker as the world becomes richer and more vivid. There are secrets to be unearthed in the dark streets of Guerdon, and I was surprised on several occasions with the direction this took.
I don’t want to give anything away but let me say that this book contains some of coolest creatures I have read about in years. The Tallowmen are wax contructs made to resemble men and created by mages to carry out their bidding. And they are quite terrifying. They are such a great idea. Fantasy novels that depict new and interesting creatures, that are completely original, are always worthy of attention. Just think about it, how many original fantasy monsters are still being created? Not many, at times it all feels like the same regurgitated versions of the same thing.
So, I was delighted to read about new and interesting monsters that were accompanied by such successful and strong world building. This world is loaded with history, and it’s slowly revealed as the characters navigate its dark depths. It ticks all the boxes as the characters are also complicated and interesting individuals. Spar is plagued by a disease that will end in his ultimate demise as he slowly turns into stone, Rat is a ghoul that feeds off dead human flesh and Cari has a secret past that threatens to topple everything she is. And the dynamic between the three is electric.
Hanrahan is a strong new voice in fantasy, one that will resonate very loudly with fans of Scott Lynch. Both writers have a keen eye for detail when conjuring up their respective worlds, and they both know how to create complex plots that go in unexpected directions. They both write about thieves and cut-throats in a grimdark fantasy setting, so if you like The Lies of Locke Lamora then The Gutter prayer is certainly the book for you. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
There are simply not enough books that focus on thieves in fantasy, and this helps to fill the gap tremendously - A very strong 9/10
This is an exceedingly exciting adventure of thievery and treachery. It’s immediate and gripping. It doesn’t mess around and quickly launched me into an extraordinary new fantasy world. Hanrahan is an exceptionally talented writer, and I do not hesitate to say that this book will receive heaps of claim from readers and critics alike. It truly deserves it.
The story begins with an explosion, an explosion that ruins the heist the three protagonists, Cari, Spar and Rat were undertaking. They have no idea what has happened or why it has happened. They have been set up as the world descends into fire and chaotic madness. They have been left for dead and without any answers. It’s a sign of things to come, of the powerlessness they posses in a game where they are only considered as mere pawns. The plot only becomes darker as the world becomes richer and more vivid. There are secrets to be unearthed in the dark streets of Guerdon, and I was surprised on several occasions with the direction this took.
I don’t want to give anything away but let me say that this book contains some of coolest creatures I have read about in years. The Tallowmen are wax contructs made to resemble men and created by mages to carry out their bidding. And they are quite terrifying. They are such a great idea. Fantasy novels that depict new and interesting creatures, that are completely original, are always worthy of attention. Just think about it, how many original fantasy monsters are still being created? Not many, at times it all feels like the same regurgitated versions of the same thing.
So, I was delighted to read about new and interesting monsters that were accompanied by such successful and strong world building. This world is loaded with history, and it’s slowly revealed as the characters navigate its dark depths. It ticks all the boxes as the characters are also complicated and interesting individuals. Spar is plagued by a disease that will end in his ultimate demise as he slowly turns into stone, Rat is a ghoul that feeds off dead human flesh and Cari has a secret past that threatens to topple everything she is. And the dynamic between the three is electric.
Hanrahan is a strong new voice in fantasy, one that will resonate very loudly with fans of Scott Lynch. Both writers have a keen eye for detail when conjuring up their respective worlds, and they both know how to create complex plots that go in unexpected directions. They both write about thieves and cut-throats in a grimdark fantasy setting, so if you like The Lies of Locke Lamora then The Gutter prayer is certainly the book for you. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
There are simply not enough books that focus on thieves in fantasy, and this helps to fill the gap tremendously - A very strong 9/10
May 10, 2021
In this review, I will try to explain my 3 stars rating.
The book took me over a week to finish, which is okay if I had work or school but I didn’t. Instead, I finished several other books while reading it. Up until the 80% mark, I was bored, extremely so. An interesting chapter pops now and then but still, I found myself avoiding reading The Gutter Prayer.
As most reviews explained, the world-building was nothing short of stunning. Mr. Gareth did prove that you can be still innovative in the fantasy genre and introduced completely new creatures like Tallowmen aka candle men, and crawling ones, basically creatures made up of worms. I found myself seeing the city as if I was there. I also liked the concept of godswar and I really really really want to know more about it. BUT. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it through the second book. Although I liked the concept of having one of the main characters a ghoul and another a stoneman and the diverse characterization, their chapters did not interest. Or rather their perspective? For example, the scene at the docks (told from Rat/the ghoul’s pov) made me struggle a lot to finish its chapter (around 40% of the book), I knew what was happening was obviously aiming for something bigger, yet I couldn’t stay focused on the sentences I was reading.
This is one of the rare cases when the overall idea of the book which is very smart and genuinely interesting yet, the execution of some parts of the story such as the pace and the characters failed to impress me. I’m all for gray characters but in this book, I simply did not care about them. At all. I want to know what will happen next but you see, not to our characters but to the world as a whole. Mr. Gareth was a genius in that regard, I can’t name many books whose worlds captivated me so much that I’m curious if not worried about their future. Sadly, we read a story from characters povs, and not even the best of world-buildings can make me continue a series if I couldn’t care about their characters, not asking for memorable ones nor likable ones even. I wasn’t concerned about what might happen to Cari but rather about what will happen if she did or didn’t do something to Guerdon.
But here’s another problem. The boredom. Yes, I was intrigued by the world and definitely impressed by its originally but I wasn’t fascinated in the first 75-80%, and this isn’t a short book. The allure of the book only came later with the plot twists and revelations. I have a feeling, no I know, I will have the same experience with the Shadow Saint and I really cannot tell you how painful this is. I know I’ve said it many times but the war, the alchemists, the bizarre creatures, the magic, I want more of these, a lot more. But dull characterization cancels the rest, unfortunately.
No matter how impressed I am but the author’s creativeness and imagination, the fact remains that I read to enjoy myself. Finishing some chapters felt more like a chore and other than the very last part of the story and the handful of chapters now and then, I wasn’t having fun. There are several books that I only enjoyed at the climax and I am fond of and read the sequels because at the end of the day, what brings me back to a series to finish it, is its characters.
Briefly said, this book is something new if you’re bored of the same usual fantasy. You might not face the same issues that I had with the characters because this is something subjective since they weren't "annoying" or stupid. So give it a try and hopefully, you’ll have a better time reading this.
The book took me over a week to finish, which is okay if I had work or school but I didn’t. Instead, I finished several other books while reading it. Up until the 80% mark, I was bored, extremely so. An interesting chapter pops now and then but still, I found myself avoiding reading The Gutter Prayer.
As most reviews explained, the world-building was nothing short of stunning. Mr. Gareth did prove that you can be still innovative in the fantasy genre and introduced completely new creatures like Tallowmen aka candle men, and crawling ones, basically creatures made up of worms. I found myself seeing the city as if I was there. I also liked the concept of godswar and I really really really want to know more about it. BUT. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it through the second book. Although I liked the concept of having one of the main characters a ghoul and another a stoneman and the diverse characterization, their chapters did not interest. Or rather their perspective? For example, the scene at the docks (told from Rat/the ghoul’s pov) made me struggle a lot to finish its chapter (around 40% of the book), I knew what was happening was obviously aiming for something bigger, yet I couldn’t stay focused on the sentences I was reading.
This is one of the rare cases when the overall idea of the book which is very smart and genuinely interesting yet, the execution of some parts of the story such as the pace and the characters failed to impress me. I’m all for gray characters but in this book, I simply did not care about them. At all. I want to know what will happen next but you see, not to our characters but to the world as a whole. Mr. Gareth was a genius in that regard, I can’t name many books whose worlds captivated me so much that I’m curious if not worried about their future. Sadly, we read a story from characters povs, and not even the best of world-buildings can make me continue a series if I couldn’t care about their characters, not asking for memorable ones nor likable ones even. I wasn’t concerned about what might happen to Cari but rather about what will happen if she did or didn’t do something to Guerdon.
But here’s another problem. The boredom. Yes, I was intrigued by the world and definitely impressed by its originally but I wasn’t fascinated in the first 75-80%, and this isn’t a short book. The allure of the book only came later with the plot twists and revelations. I have a feeling, no I know, I will have the same experience with the Shadow Saint and I really cannot tell you how painful this is. I know I’ve said it many times but the war, the alchemists, the bizarre creatures, the magic, I want more of these, a lot more. But dull characterization cancels the rest, unfortunately.
No matter how impressed I am but the author’s creativeness and imagination, the fact remains that I read to enjoy myself. Finishing some chapters felt more like a chore and other than the very last part of the story and the handful of chapters now and then, I wasn’t having fun. There are several books that I only enjoyed at the climax and I am fond of and read the sequels because at the end of the day, what brings me back to a series to finish it, is its characters.
Briefly said, this book is something new if you’re bored of the same usual fantasy. You might not face the same issues that I had with the characters because this is something subjective since they weren't "annoying" or stupid. So give it a try and hopefully, you’ll have a better time reading this.
December 20, 2019
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★ I really wanted to love this one, I heard great things about it and I bought a physical copy to maximize my experience. Most of my friends gave this 4 or 5 stars so this is quite an unpopular opinion and I am disappointed that I did not enjoy this more! I am a bit satisfied by the fact that more than 10 people added this since I started reading it and I hope that they enjoy it more and spread the word even more about it.
★ This was compared to Six of Crows by some readers and I think they are very different books and have barely any similarities! I also don’t think the book was that dark but the characters were kind of unique and morally grey. The best thing about this book is the flawless world-building! It s the main reason I am willing to continue book 2 tbh.
★ I have 2 main problems with the book, the main one that affected all other aspects is the writing style. I think it is not just for me. There are some books that I feel are dense and require more effort from me which makes me enjoy them less. I would feel like I read for ages and then discover that I barely finished 20 pages! Other than that there was another problem I faced but it was a minor one. If you enjoy the writing style then I think there are good chances to enjoy the book because the plot was not bad at all. an example of the writing is:
★ Many readers enjoyed it as I said before but many of them said it was hard to get into. I had that problem because of the writing style and then that made the characters hard to relate to or care about but after a large chunk of the book, I did connect to them somehow! The good thing is that the characters are very unique: an orphan, a ghoul, and a Stoneman! There are also Tallowmen (Men made from candle) so the characters are apparently like nothing I have read before and I love that!
★ The plot involves a heist at some point and there are investigations and magic and mythology and many other things! The pacing is a bit slow but not very much! The other thing that I did not like was the ending because I could not expect it. and not that I am salty because I couldn’t. I just felt it came out of nowhere to move the plot and was not foreshadowed or anything (A case of deus ex machina).
★ Summary: A book that has fantastic world-building, very unique characters, and a good plot! My reading experience was hindered by the writing style which I thought was too dense for me. The book is actually good if you don’t have problems with the writing style!
You can get more books from Book Depository
“Change is simultaneously a fast and a slow process. The great forces of history are slow-moving and unnoticed by those surrounded by them, visible only in hindsight where they appear inevitable.”
★ I really wanted to love this one, I heard great things about it and I bought a physical copy to maximize my experience. Most of my friends gave this 4 or 5 stars so this is quite an unpopular opinion and I am disappointed that I did not enjoy this more! I am a bit satisfied by the fact that more than 10 people added this since I started reading it and I hope that they enjoy it more and spread the word even more about it.
★ This was compared to Six of Crows by some readers and I think they are very different books and have barely any similarities! I also don’t think the book was that dark but the characters were kind of unique and morally grey. The best thing about this book is the flawless world-building! It s the main reason I am willing to continue book 2 tbh.
★ I have 2 main problems with the book, the main one that affected all other aspects is the writing style. I think it is not just for me. There are some books that I feel are dense and require more effort from me which makes me enjoy them less. I would feel like I read for ages and then discover that I barely finished 20 pages! Other than that there was another problem I faced but it was a minor one. If you enjoy the writing style then I think there are good chances to enjoy the book because the plot was not bad at all. an example of the writing is:
“From here, you see the heart of the old city, its palaces and churches, and towers reaching up like the hands of a man drowning, trying to break free of the warren of alleyways and hovels that surrounds them.”
★ Many readers enjoyed it as I said before but many of them said it was hard to get into. I had that problem because of the writing style and then that made the characters hard to relate to or care about but after a large chunk of the book, I did connect to them somehow! The good thing is that the characters are very unique: an orphan, a ghoul, and a Stoneman! There are also Tallowmen (Men made from candle) so the characters are apparently like nothing I have read before and I love that!
★ The plot involves a heist at some point and there are investigations and magic and mythology and many other things! The pacing is a bit slow but not very much! The other thing that I did not like was the ending because I could not expect it. and not that I am salty because I couldn’t. I just felt it came out of nowhere to move the plot and was not foreshadowed or anything (A case of deus ex machina).
★ Summary: A book that has fantastic world-building, very unique characters, and a good plot! My reading experience was hindered by the writing style which I thought was too dense for me. The book is actually good if you don’t have problems with the writing style!
You can get more books from Book Depository
December 28, 2023
➛ as a fantasy reader, it’s not often that i come across a book that stands out as being completely original. but The Gutter Prayer was 100% that book for me and i’ve truly never read anything like it.. i’m kinda speechless.
this felt like a nice blend of fantasy, slight horror and bits of steampunk.. smothered in a dark atmospheric setting. on top of all that, the world building in the city of Guerdon is honestly just so damn cool. it has everything: saints, catacombs, alchemists, thieves, monstrous creatures and much more. the pacing and plot really had it’s foot on my neck the entire time. despite there being many layers to the story, i still found it easy to follow (after the initial 100 pages where i was still getting acquainted). i was not expecting this book to grab me the way it did and the last couple chapters?! the action?! the suspense?! my jaw is permanently on the floor.. please! cause i actually had tears in my eyes at one point😩🤌🏽 just wow.
➛ there’s a lot of great side characters included in the story, but the main ones here are Cari, Rat and Spar.
Cari is an orphan who is plagued by visions from the gods. she’s a skilled thief but a very impulsive person, so that combination usually lands her in trouble more often than not. she’s quick on her feet though and i was at the edge of my seat waiting for the revelations that would come in her storyline specifically.
Rat is a ghoul (a corpse eating monster), who lives underneath the city. i found his character to be the most unpredictable and fascinating at the same time. he has this sense of thoughtfulness and awareness towards his friends— but then he’s also just a ghoul who literally has to fight his basic instincts and what’s expected of his kind.
Spar is a stone man, which means he has a condition that’s slowly killing him and will eventually petrify his flesh; fully turning him into stone. his chapters brought out the emotions in me.. i was not ok at all😭. his circumstances are so sad and kinda scary tbh, i really felt for him. but he's the type who continues to fight, even though his body is failing him and there’s something so admirable about a character like that. i love Spar sm and i loved seeing all the different friendship dynamics between the main three.
» i also want to mention that the audiobook for this is AMAZING‼️ i read the physical while listening to the audio and it definitely enhanced my whole experience even more, highly recommend!
this felt like a nice blend of fantasy, slight horror and bits of steampunk.. smothered in a dark atmospheric setting. on top of all that, the world building in the city of Guerdon is honestly just so damn cool. it has everything: saints, catacombs, alchemists, thieves, monstrous creatures and much more. the pacing and plot really had it’s foot on my neck the entire time. despite there being many layers to the story, i still found it easy to follow (after the initial 100 pages where i was still getting acquainted). i was not expecting this book to grab me the way it did and the last couple chapters?! the action?! the suspense?! my jaw is permanently on the floor.. please! cause i actually had tears in my eyes at one point😩🤌🏽 just wow.
➛ there’s a lot of great side characters included in the story, but the main ones here are Cari, Rat and Spar.
Cari is an orphan who is plagued by visions from the gods. she’s a skilled thief but a very impulsive person, so that combination usually lands her in trouble more often than not. she’s quick on her feet though and i was at the edge of my seat waiting for the revelations that would come in her storyline specifically.
Rat is a ghoul (a corpse eating monster), who lives underneath the city. i found his character to be the most unpredictable and fascinating at the same time. he has this sense of thoughtfulness and awareness towards his friends— but then he’s also just a ghoul who literally has to fight his basic instincts and what’s expected of his kind.
Spar is a stone man, which means he has a condition that’s slowly killing him and will eventually petrify his flesh; fully turning him into stone. his chapters brought out the emotions in me.. i was not ok at all😭. his circumstances are so sad and kinda scary tbh, i really felt for him. but he's the type who continues to fight, even though his body is failing him and there’s something so admirable about a character like that. i love Spar sm and i loved seeing all the different friendship dynamics between the main three.
» i also want to mention that the audiobook for this is AMAZING‼️ i read the physical while listening to the audio and it definitely enhanced my whole experience even more, highly recommend!
September 18, 2024
"Atraviesan templos de dioses antiguos y olvidados, pedestales vacíos donde la oscuridad ha dejado mácula, una oscuridad tan profunda que hasta él se inquieta"
Puntuación: Redondeando 4 estrellas, sí, que puedo decir soy un blando.
Mi lectura más esperada de este 2021 y me alegra decir que ha estado bien. No ha sido un 5 estrellas como esperaba y no por ir con altas expectativas sino porque le falto ese punto de enganche, sufre un poco el síndrome de primer libro de la trilogía, siendo una presentación, y tiene dos cosas en las que flojea, primero los personajes están bien pero lo justo, hubo dos que me gustaron pero tienen un mínimo de desarrollo, por ese lado flojea y segundo que al principio del libro hay cierta cantidad de "paja" ya que tiene mucha construcción de mundo que ojo a mi esto no me afectó pero a un amigo sí. Y lo reconozco puede ser algo que afecte a la lectura, eso ya depende del lector. Si hablamos de calidad de la historia, el mundo y las criaturas eso sí tiene un aprobado alto y se merece las 4 estrellas. Una saga que creo y espero que va a ir a más, contiene cierto potencial y tiene muchos detalles novedosos. Tenemos una fantasía oscura urbana interesante.
Otra entretenida lectura por parte de la editorial Gamon. Conmigo ha hecho casi pleno, "Promesa de Sangre" se llevo las 5 fue una maravilla "Reyes de la Tierra Salvaje" un libro para disfrutar con una cerveza, se llevo otras 5 y ahora "La Plegaria de la Calle" una buena lectura, con grandes cosas como la creación de mundo, criaturas oscuras, historia y solo le falto ese punto de enganche y personajes..
La historia comienza con un robo, con tres ladrones que intentan entrar en una bóveda, son nuestros tres protagonistas. Tenemos a Rata un ghoul que le encanta dar buenos mordiscos, el problema es a que se los da, tenemos a Cari una humana que esconde mucho dentro y Spar un hombre afectado por una enfermedad que petrifica su piel hasta que poco a poco se convertirá en una estatua de piedra.
"Desciende hasta que nota el calor propio de la descomposición, denso y putrefacto. Baja por túneles que presentan marcas de dientes de cosas innombrables, perforados en la roca como larvas que se abren paso a través de la carne putrida"
Los personajes aunque sea algo que para mi flojea en el libro, he de mencionar que sí destacaron de inmediato, cada uno tiene una personalidad clara y distinta pero para mi gusto se estancan demasiado no hay mucho desarrollo, excepto en un personaje. Esto no me afecto demasiado en su lectura ya que pasamos de un personaje a otro incluso al principio, hay cierta variación y lo convierte en algo pasable. En cuanto a los personajes secundarios, esto fue una gran desventaja. Ya que si tenemos personajes secundarios que se sienten de cartón o aburren, el mundo y la historia se vuelven menos interesantes, pulidos y reales. Uno de mis aspectos favoritos del libro fueron las experiencias y visiones de Carillon. Tendréis que leerlo para saber de que hablo.
La narrativa del autor me pareció curiosa y llamó mi atención desde la primera página tomándome algunas más para adaptarme a su estilo. En esto fue genial, fluyó muy bien aunque para mí le falta ese punto de enganche pero sí me mantuvo pasando páginas porque me interesaba. Yo diría que es muy estilizado, me gustó.
"La Guerra de los Dioses. Nunca se ha atrevido a ahondar demasiado en ella. Ha oído contar que algunos dioses se volvieron locos con la violencia y la sed de sangre, y transformaron sus milagros y sus santos en armas temibles"
La construcción del mundo es lo que más brilla y destaca de este libro ya que es en lo que más se apoya, esta absolutamente currado. Aportando a cada lugar de Guerdon y cada aspecto del libro un toque oscuro y gótico. Es cierto que hace muchas descripciones pero ni me aburrio ni se hace pesado. A veces, cuando tenemos demasiada construcción de mundo como me pasó en este caso hace que los personajes queden eclipsados y no los conozcamos más a fondo y veamos un buen desarrollo.
Una gran cantidad notable de construcción del mundo pero que no ayudó mucho a comprender y conocer más a los personajes. Esto es algo que ya depende de cada lector. Sentir que hay demasiada información o "paja" y que al apoyarse tanto en esta construcción notable deje a los personajes un poco de lado. Ah es cierto, por estos lares se dice "Worldbuilding" sorry.
Si bien se puede considerar que la narrativa sigue un ritmo rápido, la trama en sí tardó un tiempo en materializarse de manera coherente. La historia, escrita en tiempo presente en tercera persona, fue contada desde las perspectivas de los personajes principales, quienes los pobres fueron arrastrados en innumerables direcciones.
A pesar de la estupenda construcción del mundo, no me sentí "ansioso" por volver al libro, es aquí donde sobretodo además de los personajes pierde esa estrella, llevaba dos lecturas a la vez este libro e "Hyperion". Y aún con las ganas que le tenía a este, siempre volvía más a "Hyperion". Por supuesto también hablamos de una pedazo de obra que te absorbe. Esto que pasó lo atribuí sencillamente a que casi todo fue eclipsado por la construcción del mundo.
"Es la santa de un dios truncado y atrapado"
No obstante, la intensidad realmente despegó en la mitad del libro. Los bloques de construcción de las subtramas finalmente se unieron, el ritmo se volvió implacable, al fin prendió la mecha hasta el final del libro en este punto la narrativa se volvió más fascinante. Los eventos en la historia pasaron a ser apocalípticos. Aquí las reservas anteriores que tenía sobre este libro, se aliviaron.
Si bien el camino hasta este momento fue aceptable y satisfactorio le falto una marcha. 🚀
No quiero revelar nada, pero dejadme deciros que este libro contiene algunas de las criaturas más interesantes sobre las que he leído. Algunas fueron creadas por la magia y la alquimia. No dare ningún detalle, descubrirlo vosotros. Pero son aterradoras pegan a la perfección con la ciudad de Guerdon. Son una gran idea.
Los libros o sagas dentro de la fantasía que se esfuerzan por crear criaturas o seres nuevos e interesantes, que son en cierta manera originales, pues siempre son dignas de mi atención. Ya que a veces todo se siente como las mismas versiones regurgitadas de lo mismo.
Con 510 páginas, Gareth Hanrahan compone con un gran arquitecto un buen mundo de fantasía que es inquietantemente oscuro, algo único, estimulante y tridimensional. Cuando lo leía me parecia como si estuviera ambientado en una ciudad de la época victoriana. La compleja, oscura y laberíntica ciudad de Guerdon que incluye trenes, canales, una parte que le dio cierta importancia es la parte de arriba de la ciudad como son los tejados todo desde las alturas algo que me gustó, pasajes para ladrones, ciudades y ruinas subterráneas, universidades y muchas iglesias y catedrales todo con ese puntazo gótico y oscuro. Un mundo de ladrones, de asesinos, criaturas, magia y alquimia en el que la mismísima ciudad es algo muy importante y contemplas lo que pasa a través de ella. Y las campanas suenan por doquier, muchas.. 🔔
"Si los dioses fueran tan poderosos no necesitarían a sus fieles para combatir en las guerras"
En el género de la fantasía el grimdark parece ser el subgénero más popular, aquí lo roza un pelin pero se queda en fantasía oscura. Por muy oscuras, extremas y violentas que puedan ser los eventos que tienen lugar en la trama, también hay una gran sensación de bondad y esperanza, principalmente en los tres personajes principales, intrigantes e intrincadamente desarrollados pero agradables. Este grupo tiene una gran amistad y realmente se preocupan por los demás y esto está presente a lo largo de toda la historia.
Me gustan las historias de fantasía que hacen cierto alarde de originalidad, por ejemplo cuando el autor crea nuevas criaturas, razas y dioses que no han aparecido antes en otros libros. Aquí tenemos una gran dosis de eso, de hecho, hay tres criaturas que son absolutamente aterradoras y no querrás cruzarte en sus caminos en los pequeños y humedos callejones de Guerdon durante la noche.
Las últimas doscientas páginas fueron la leche muy emocionantes. Con "La Plegaria de la Calle" se nos presenta un mundo hábilmente diseñado de manera muy precisa, un mundo oscuro y detallado, con un toque de drama magistral, tenemos diálogos que están perfectamente coordinados e integrados en la historia y aunque los personajes flojean sí son muy llamativos. No vi venir el final, fue inesperado eso me gustó mucho. Espero su continuación.
A día de hoy agradezco que el autor tenga en su página un resumen de este libro ya que quiero leer el segundo y no me acuerdo de casi nada. ✍️🧐🎩
"Son fanáticos. La locura solo lleva a más locura, lo que termina por dar paso a... divinidades desagradables"
Puntuación: Redondeando 4 estrellas, sí, que puedo decir soy un blando.
Mi lectura más esperada de este 2021 y me alegra decir que ha estado bien. No ha sido un 5 estrellas como esperaba y no por ir con altas expectativas sino porque le falto ese punto de enganche, sufre un poco el síndrome de primer libro de la trilogía, siendo una presentación, y tiene dos cosas en las que flojea, primero los personajes están bien pero lo justo, hubo dos que me gustaron pero tienen un mínimo de desarrollo, por ese lado flojea y segundo que al principio del libro hay cierta cantidad de "paja" ya que tiene mucha construcción de mundo que ojo a mi esto no me afectó pero a un amigo sí. Y lo reconozco puede ser algo que afecte a la lectura, eso ya depende del lector. Si hablamos de calidad de la historia, el mundo y las criaturas eso sí tiene un aprobado alto y se merece las 4 estrellas. Una saga que creo y espero que va a ir a más, contiene cierto potencial y tiene muchos detalles novedosos. Tenemos una fantasía oscura urbana interesante.
Otra entretenida lectura por parte de la editorial Gamon. Conmigo ha hecho casi pleno, "Promesa de Sangre" se llevo las 5 fue una maravilla "Reyes de la Tierra Salvaje" un libro para disfrutar con una cerveza, se llevo otras 5 y ahora "La Plegaria de la Calle" una buena lectura, con grandes cosas como la creación de mundo, criaturas oscuras, historia y solo le falto ese punto de enganche y personajes..
La historia comienza con un robo, con tres ladrones que intentan entrar en una bóveda, son nuestros tres protagonistas. Tenemos a Rata un ghoul que le encanta dar buenos mordiscos, el problema es a que se los da, tenemos a Cari una humana que esconde mucho dentro y Spar un hombre afectado por una enfermedad que petrifica su piel hasta que poco a poco se convertirá en una estatua de piedra.
"Desciende hasta que nota el calor propio de la descomposición, denso y putrefacto. Baja por túneles que presentan marcas de dientes de cosas innombrables, perforados en la roca como larvas que se abren paso a través de la carne putrida"
Los personajes aunque sea algo que para mi flojea en el libro, he de mencionar que sí destacaron de inmediato, cada uno tiene una personalidad clara y distinta pero para mi gusto se estancan demasiado no hay mucho desarrollo, excepto en un personaje. Esto no me afecto demasiado en su lectura ya que pasamos de un personaje a otro incluso al principio, hay cierta variación y lo convierte en algo pasable. En cuanto a los personajes secundarios, esto fue una gran desventaja. Ya que si tenemos personajes secundarios que se sienten de cartón o aburren, el mundo y la historia se vuelven menos interesantes, pulidos y reales. Uno de mis aspectos favoritos del libro fueron las experiencias y visiones de Carillon. Tendréis que leerlo para saber de que hablo.
La narrativa del autor me pareció curiosa y llamó mi atención desde la primera página tomándome algunas más para adaptarme a su estilo. En esto fue genial, fluyó muy bien aunque para mí le falta ese punto de enganche pero sí me mantuvo pasando páginas porque me interesaba. Yo diría que es muy estilizado, me gustó.
"La Guerra de los Dioses. Nunca se ha atrevido a ahondar demasiado en ella. Ha oído contar que algunos dioses se volvieron locos con la violencia y la sed de sangre, y transformaron sus milagros y sus santos en armas temibles"
La construcción del mundo es lo que más brilla y destaca de este libro ya que es en lo que más se apoya, esta absolutamente currado. Aportando a cada lugar de Guerdon y cada aspecto del libro un toque oscuro y gótico. Es cierto que hace muchas descripciones pero ni me aburrio ni se hace pesado. A veces, cuando tenemos demasiada construcción de mundo como me pasó en este caso hace que los personajes queden eclipsados y no los conozcamos más a fondo y veamos un buen desarrollo.
Una gran cantidad notable de construcción del mundo pero que no ayudó mucho a comprender y conocer más a los personajes. Esto es algo que ya depende de cada lector. Sentir que hay demasiada información o "paja" y que al apoyarse tanto en esta construcción notable deje a los personajes un poco de lado. Ah es cierto, por estos lares se dice "Worldbuilding" sorry.
Si bien se puede considerar que la narrativa sigue un ritmo rápido, la trama en sí tardó un tiempo en materializarse de manera coherente. La historia, escrita en tiempo presente en tercera persona, fue contada desde las perspectivas de los personajes principales, quienes los pobres fueron arrastrados en innumerables direcciones.
A pesar de la estupenda construcción del mundo, no me sentí "ansioso" por volver al libro, es aquí donde sobretodo además de los personajes pierde esa estrella, llevaba dos lecturas a la vez este libro e "Hyperion". Y aún con las ganas que le tenía a este, siempre volvía más a "Hyperion". Por supuesto también hablamos de una pedazo de obra que te absorbe. Esto que pasó lo atribuí sencillamente a que casi todo fue eclipsado por la construcción del mundo.
"Es la santa de un dios truncado y atrapado"
No obstante, la intensidad realmente despegó en la mitad del libro. Los bloques de construcción de las subtramas finalmente se unieron, el ritmo se volvió implacable, al fin prendió la mecha hasta el final del libro en este punto la narrativa se volvió más fascinante. Los eventos en la historia pasaron a ser apocalípticos. Aquí las reservas anteriores que tenía sobre este libro, se aliviaron.
Si bien el camino hasta este momento fue aceptable y satisfactorio le falto una marcha. 🚀
No quiero revelar nada, pero dejadme deciros que este libro contiene algunas de las criaturas más interesantes sobre las que he leído. Algunas fueron creadas por la magia y la alquimia. No dare ningún detalle, descubrirlo vosotros. Pero son aterradoras pegan a la perfección con la ciudad de Guerdon. Son una gran idea.
Los libros o sagas dentro de la fantasía que se esfuerzan por crear criaturas o seres nuevos e interesantes, que son en cierta manera originales, pues siempre son dignas de mi atención. Ya que a veces todo se siente como las mismas versiones regurgitadas de lo mismo.
Con 510 páginas, Gareth Hanrahan compone con un gran arquitecto un buen mundo de fantasía que es inquietantemente oscuro, algo único, estimulante y tridimensional. Cuando lo leía me parecia como si estuviera ambientado en una ciudad de la época victoriana. La compleja, oscura y laberíntica ciudad de Guerdon que incluye trenes, canales, una parte que le dio cierta importancia es la parte de arriba de la ciudad como son los tejados todo desde las alturas algo que me gustó, pasajes para ladrones, ciudades y ruinas subterráneas, universidades y muchas iglesias y catedrales todo con ese puntazo gótico y oscuro. Un mundo de ladrones, de asesinos, criaturas, magia y alquimia en el que la mismísima ciudad es algo muy importante y contemplas lo que pasa a través de ella. Y las campanas suenan por doquier, muchas.. 🔔
"Si los dioses fueran tan poderosos no necesitarían a sus fieles para combatir en las guerras"
En el género de la fantasía el grimdark parece ser el subgénero más popular, aquí lo roza un pelin pero se queda en fantasía oscura. Por muy oscuras, extremas y violentas que puedan ser los eventos que tienen lugar en la trama, también hay una gran sensación de bondad y esperanza, principalmente en los tres personajes principales, intrigantes e intrincadamente desarrollados pero agradables. Este grupo tiene una gran amistad y realmente se preocupan por los demás y esto está presente a lo largo de toda la historia.
Me gustan las historias de fantasía que hacen cierto alarde de originalidad, por ejemplo cuando el autor crea nuevas criaturas, razas y dioses que no han aparecido antes en otros libros. Aquí tenemos una gran dosis de eso, de hecho, hay tres criaturas que son absolutamente aterradoras y no querrás cruzarte en sus caminos en los pequeños y humedos callejones de Guerdon durante la noche.
Las últimas doscientas páginas fueron la leche muy emocionantes. Con "La Plegaria de la Calle" se nos presenta un mundo hábilmente diseñado de manera muy precisa, un mundo oscuro y detallado, con un toque de drama magistral, tenemos diálogos que están perfectamente coordinados e integrados en la historia y aunque los personajes flojean sí son muy llamativos. No vi venir el final, fue inesperado eso me gustó mucho. Espero su continuación.
A día de hoy agradezco que el autor tenga en su página un resumen de este libro ya que quiero leer el segundo y no me acuerdo de casi nada. ✍️🧐🎩
"Son fanáticos. La locura solo lleva a más locura, lo que termina por dar paso a... divinidades desagradables"
September 29, 2019
This is an ARC provided by the publisher, Orbit, in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars.
A truly extraordinary debut, The Gutter Prayer strikes an intense chord with its powerful worldbuilding, vivid imagery and evocative prose.
Two things about this book caught my attention. Firstly, the blurb which indicated that the main characters were three thieves (I have such a weakness for stories with thieves). And then, my coblogger's review which raved about the dark worldbuilding. Alright! I'll admit that the gorgeous cover also played some part in this.
It has been quite a while since I've read fantasy which employed such dark elements reminiscent of horror stories. I'll just give you these three terms - Tallowmen, Raveller and Crawling Ones. You might form an idea what these might be, but I can tell you for a fact that they are much worse than what they sounded like. A world where divine powers and alchemical advancement co-existed on an uneasy balance, the history behind the creations and eldritch horrors was dark, twisted and perversely captivating. My advice to readers is to avoid reading this book while you're eating.
The main characters themselves were also... uncommon. Rat was a ghoul, a carrion-eating race and the original inhabitants of the city. The deep layers of history, bloodier and darker than one can possibly imagine, pushed these transformed people and their dwelling into the depths of the city. Spar is a Stone Man, cursed by an incurable plague, which slowly calcifies all living tissue until it kills. Cari had a mysterious past - a legacy - which may spell the doom of the city.
As far as I am concerned, the star of the story was the city of Guerdon itself. Hanharan wrote the city like it is a living, breathing organism that has seen generations of the good, the bad and the ugly. To describe the writing as immersive, vivid and evocative is like saying that sugar is sweet. Guerdon was a scary place to live in, and the author made sure that I feel so through every alleyway, street corner, tunnel, stairway and tower.
While the narrative can be considered to be fast-paced, the plot itself took some time to materialise cohesively. The story, written in present tense third person, was told from the perspectives of the main characters, who were pulled in myriad directions (and misdirections) following a disastrous thieving attempt at the start of the book. The mystery behind the disaster was so obfuscated that I simply had no clue what was happening until almost midway into the book. In fact, I was initially a bit concerned. In spite of the stupendous worldbuilding, I did not find myself eager to get back to reading the book after putting it down. I chalked this down to the characterisation which I found less compelling than the rest of the story. Don't get me wrong, the characters were not badly written at all. They could have been overshadowed by the worldbuilding and the drawing out of the plot. I just didn't care for them as much as what crazy thing is going to happen next.
Notwithstanding, the intensity really took off in the second half of the book. When the building blocks of the subplots finally came together, the pace became relentless and the narrative more engrossing. As the truths were revealed, events escalated from catastrophic to apocalyptic. I will describe the climactic sequence simply as breathtaking. Whatever prior reservations I had about this novel was alleviated by its denouement. I needed emotional resonance for a read to be amazing for me, and that was what I found lacking for a large part of this book. That is, until the final chapters and that poignant ending which was superbly satisfying.
Lastly, I have to commend the author for his writing skills. There were flashes of brilliance in his prose and occasional mitigated streams of consciousness (the Irish influence perhaps) from the characters' POVs. Altogether Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan has developed a unique voice with his unconventional style and created something extraordinary in the realm of modern dark fantasy.
The official release date is Jan 17th in the UK and Jan 22nd in the US.
You can order this book from: Amazon UK | Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide)
You can also find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
4.5 stars.
A truly extraordinary debut, The Gutter Prayer strikes an intense chord with its powerful worldbuilding, vivid imagery and evocative prose.
Two things about this book caught my attention. Firstly, the blurb which indicated that the main characters were three thieves (I have such a weakness for stories with thieves). And then, my coblogger's review which raved about the dark worldbuilding. Alright! I'll admit that the gorgeous cover also played some part in this.
It has been quite a while since I've read fantasy which employed such dark elements reminiscent of horror stories. I'll just give you these three terms - Tallowmen, Raveller and Crawling Ones. You might form an idea what these might be, but I can tell you for a fact that they are much worse than what they sounded like. A world where divine powers and alchemical advancement co-existed on an uneasy balance, the history behind the creations and eldritch horrors was dark, twisted and perversely captivating. My advice to readers is to avoid reading this book while you're eating.
The main characters themselves were also... uncommon. Rat was a ghoul, a carrion-eating race and the original inhabitants of the city. The deep layers of history, bloodier and darker than one can possibly imagine, pushed these transformed people and their dwelling into the depths of the city. Spar is a Stone Man, cursed by an incurable plague, which slowly calcifies all living tissue until it kills. Cari had a mysterious past - a legacy - which may spell the doom of the city.
As far as I am concerned, the star of the story was the city of Guerdon itself. Hanharan wrote the city like it is a living, breathing organism that has seen generations of the good, the bad and the ugly. To describe the writing as immersive, vivid and evocative is like saying that sugar is sweet. Guerdon was a scary place to live in, and the author made sure that I feel so through every alleyway, street corner, tunnel, stairway and tower.
There's a sick energy in the air, the sour adrenaline running through the streets. The city's sleep has been disturbed; like some giant animal with stone sinews and nerves made of living people, Guerdon paces back and forth, testing the limits of its cage.
While the narrative can be considered to be fast-paced, the plot itself took some time to materialise cohesively. The story, written in present tense third person, was told from the perspectives of the main characters, who were pulled in myriad directions (and misdirections) following a disastrous thieving attempt at the start of the book. The mystery behind the disaster was so obfuscated that I simply had no clue what was happening until almost midway into the book. In fact, I was initially a bit concerned. In spite of the stupendous worldbuilding, I did not find myself eager to get back to reading the book after putting it down. I chalked this down to the characterisation which I found less compelling than the rest of the story. Don't get me wrong, the characters were not badly written at all. They could have been overshadowed by the worldbuilding and the drawing out of the plot. I just didn't care for them as much as what crazy thing is going to happen next.
Notwithstanding, the intensity really took off in the second half of the book. When the building blocks of the subplots finally came together, the pace became relentless and the narrative more engrossing. As the truths were revealed, events escalated from catastrophic to apocalyptic. I will describe the climactic sequence simply as breathtaking. Whatever prior reservations I had about this novel was alleviated by its denouement. I needed emotional resonance for a read to be amazing for me, and that was what I found lacking for a large part of this book. That is, until the final chapters and that poignant ending which was superbly satisfying.
Lastly, I have to commend the author for his writing skills. There were flashes of brilliance in his prose and occasional mitigated streams of consciousness (the Irish influence perhaps) from the characters' POVs. Altogether Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan has developed a unique voice with his unconventional style and created something extraordinary in the realm of modern dark fantasy.
The official release date is Jan 17th in the UK and Jan 22nd in the US.
You can order this book from: Amazon UK | Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide)
You can also find this and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
December 22, 2018
This book wasn’t initially on my radar, but the people over at Fantasy Inn really enjoyed it and talked about it a lot. Then I saw some other friends with similar taste start to rave about this book over on Goodreads so I decided to give it a go.
I was very taken aback by the use of second-person narration in the prologue, I don’t typically click with that writing style, but strangely enough, I was sad when it ended. After just a few paragraphs, I had sunk into the prose and didn’t want it to end, I was blown away right from the beginning by the imagination used in this book. This was the first of many “exceptions” this book had in store for me, this broke all of the rules I have for my own taste – or thought I had, anyway.
This starts out with a robbery gone wrong, three thieves are tasked by their leader to bring something out of a vault in the Tower of Law. They make their way through the building checking every room looking for something that they can’t find. By no fault of their own, something in the building explodes, spreading alchemical fire throughout the tower which eventually brings it down. All of the noise and commotion alerts the guards, both of the Tallowman and human variety. The three thieves are chased down through the city, one, the ghoul named Rat gets away. The other two of the thieves, Cari and Spar, get arrested and are hauled off to a flooded prison located on an island.
Cari is a young girl who’s run away from home and become a thief, she’s quick and light on her feet which is handy for her trade. After being put in prison Cari is bailed out by a professor, Ongent, an archeologist and historian at the University. It’s not said at first why he did this, but he clearly had a purpose and intent. Cari has been having dreams lately that aren’t just dreams. While asleep she mumbled her way through the origins of the ghoul race in some kind of trance. She’s had a vision of a young priest who was melted away by some unknown force, a being that disguised itself as a woman interested in him only to ambush and kill him once she got him alone. Ongent doesn’t know what to make of it yet, but Cari is clearly special. She also has bravery about her and not just the ‘fighting’ kind of bravery, she lives with the Stone Man thief which most people wouldn’t do even if it was a family member. Stone Men suffer from a plague that started about 30 years ago turning their bodies into statues and acting as a slow death sentence. People afflicted with the disease have to keep moving or their bodies will calcify more quickly, in this world a good night’s sleep could result in you waking up paralyzed and near death.
Rat is a young ghoul, and as such he lives mostly underground in the dark damp caves and tunnels that number in the thousands below the city. He thinks of his kind as the true inhabitants of the city, with the people on top being like “flies” skittering only on the surface. His race is an ancient one that has three distinct life phases. Young ghouls can pass for human in low light, despite the fact they have hooves they are relatively human shaped and can communicate, they can also tolerate sunlight for short periods of time and are able to control their more basal instincts. Middle-aged ghouls tend are mostly feral, communicating only in howls and screams, living in swarms deep below the earth. Then there are the Elders, ancient beings of unimaginable power that hijack the bodies of others to speak for them. (Independence day shit). When rat was being chased by a Tallowman through the city he made it into his caves, where he ran into a woman named Aleena. She works for the Church of the Keepers on the surface and the Church has maintained a tenuous agreement between themselves and the ghouls for thousands of years. Something has brought her down to the depths searching for the Elders, something urgent. It takes hours to get down through the dark with tunnels made of the deepest blacks, so black that even Rat is unnerved. When they reach the Elders there’s an exchange with Aleena that Rat didn’t fully understand, however, he does know that the Elders are scared, what horrors could possibly scare the Elders? Who are these Ravellers that are supposed to be kept at bay? And could it have anything to do with Cari’s visions of a man unraveling before her eyes?
The characters stood out to me right away, which was exception number two this book threw at me. I usually take a while to warm up to characters, and since I know that I don’t let it bother me if I’m not connecting right at the beginning. I’m only irked if I don’t get to know them well enough before I switch POV’s, preferring to sink my teeth into a character before it switches. Again, this book makes an exception. I loved switching from character to character even right at the beginning. They were all so unique with clear, distinct voices and personalities that it was easy to go back and forth while enjoying myself every time the character changed. I loved the side characters as well, which is a huge plus. When side characters feel bland or boring it makes the world a little less polished and real. Aleena was fucking fantastic, I don’t think anyone who knows me would be surprised by my love for this character. Sassy older woman that curses like a sailor? Just, yes. Take all of my yes.
I’m a big fan of originality, (hence why it gets its own category in my scoring system) and since I read about 200 books a year when I hit something I haven’t seen done before I can’t help but get extra excited. Typically when I call a book unique I’m referring to something like a new magic system, a trope turned on its head, a new aspect of world building I hadn’t seen before, or maybe a particularly unusual POV. In this book I’m referring to all of the above, every aspect of this book was something new and different. The ‘monsters’ are original – my two favorites in this one are the Tallowmen, men made of wax and burning from within, they make for extremely surreal foes and we even get to see inside one of their heads as a POV for a short time. I loved it. There are also things known as the Crawling Ones, a huge group of worms that’s sentient and feeds on the dead, except when they eat the dead they also steal their memories, knowledge, and souls.
The writing in this was great, it flowed very nicely for me and kept me turning pages. I would say this is much more stylized than what I typically read, however, I absolutely adored it. Kind of like Bancroft, I just love the way this was done and thought it was gorgeous. The world building is absolutely incredible and worked hand in hand with the characters for me. Sometimes when I get hit in the head with too much world building and don’t get to know the characters enough I lose interest. This had a great deal of world building that helped you understand the characters so it was an even flow of new info but also character development.
I am so stoked I’m ending my year on a string of amazing books. I can’t recommend this one highly enough to those that like darker fantasy in an entirely unique world. This was like falling for fantasy all over again.
Audience:
multi pov
non human pov
original monsters/races
darker fantasy
female pov
stylized prose
genre mashups
Ratings:
Plot: 14/15
Characters: 14/15
World Building: 15/15
Writing: 14/15
Pacing: 13/15
Originality: 15/15
Personal Enjoyment: 10/10
Final Score: 95/100 – 5 Stars, second highest rating of the year that’s not Pratchett.
I was very taken aback by the use of second-person narration in the prologue, I don’t typically click with that writing style, but strangely enough, I was sad when it ended. After just a few paragraphs, I had sunk into the prose and didn’t want it to end, I was blown away right from the beginning by the imagination used in this book. This was the first of many “exceptions” this book had in store for me, this broke all of the rules I have for my own taste – or thought I had, anyway.
This starts out with a robbery gone wrong, three thieves are tasked by their leader to bring something out of a vault in the Tower of Law. They make their way through the building checking every room looking for something that they can’t find. By no fault of their own, something in the building explodes, spreading alchemical fire throughout the tower which eventually brings it down. All of the noise and commotion alerts the guards, both of the Tallowman and human variety. The three thieves are chased down through the city, one, the ghoul named Rat gets away. The other two of the thieves, Cari and Spar, get arrested and are hauled off to a flooded prison located on an island.
Cari is a young girl who’s run away from home and become a thief, she’s quick and light on her feet which is handy for her trade. After being put in prison Cari is bailed out by a professor, Ongent, an archeologist and historian at the University. It’s not said at first why he did this, but he clearly had a purpose and intent. Cari has been having dreams lately that aren’t just dreams. While asleep she mumbled her way through the origins of the ghoul race in some kind of trance. She’s had a vision of a young priest who was melted away by some unknown force, a being that disguised itself as a woman interested in him only to ambush and kill him once she got him alone. Ongent doesn’t know what to make of it yet, but Cari is clearly special. She also has bravery about her and not just the ‘fighting’ kind of bravery, she lives with the Stone Man thief which most people wouldn’t do even if it was a family member. Stone Men suffer from a plague that started about 30 years ago turning their bodies into statues and acting as a slow death sentence. People afflicted with the disease have to keep moving or their bodies will calcify more quickly, in this world a good night’s sleep could result in you waking up paralyzed and near death.
Rat is a young ghoul, and as such he lives mostly underground in the dark damp caves and tunnels that number in the thousands below the city. He thinks of his kind as the true inhabitants of the city, with the people on top being like “flies” skittering only on the surface. His race is an ancient one that has three distinct life phases. Young ghouls can pass for human in low light, despite the fact they have hooves they are relatively human shaped and can communicate, they can also tolerate sunlight for short periods of time and are able to control their more basal instincts. Middle-aged ghouls tend are mostly feral, communicating only in howls and screams, living in swarms deep below the earth. Then there are the Elders, ancient beings of unimaginable power that hijack the bodies of others to speak for them. (Independence day shit). When rat was being chased by a Tallowman through the city he made it into his caves, where he ran into a woman named Aleena. She works for the Church of the Keepers on the surface and the Church has maintained a tenuous agreement between themselves and the ghouls for thousands of years. Something has brought her down to the depths searching for the Elders, something urgent. It takes hours to get down through the dark with tunnels made of the deepest blacks, so black that even Rat is unnerved. When they reach the Elders there’s an exchange with Aleena that Rat didn’t fully understand, however, he does know that the Elders are scared, what horrors could possibly scare the Elders? Who are these Ravellers that are supposed to be kept at bay? And could it have anything to do with Cari’s visions of a man unraveling before her eyes?
The characters stood out to me right away, which was exception number two this book threw at me. I usually take a while to warm up to characters, and since I know that I don’t let it bother me if I’m not connecting right at the beginning. I’m only irked if I don’t get to know them well enough before I switch POV’s, preferring to sink my teeth into a character before it switches. Again, this book makes an exception. I loved switching from character to character even right at the beginning. They were all so unique with clear, distinct voices and personalities that it was easy to go back and forth while enjoying myself every time the character changed. I loved the side characters as well, which is a huge plus. When side characters feel bland or boring it makes the world a little less polished and real. Aleena was fucking fantastic, I don’t think anyone who knows me would be surprised by my love for this character. Sassy older woman that curses like a sailor? Just, yes. Take all of my yes.
I’m a big fan of originality, (hence why it gets its own category in my scoring system) and since I read about 200 books a year when I hit something I haven’t seen done before I can’t help but get extra excited. Typically when I call a book unique I’m referring to something like a new magic system, a trope turned on its head, a new aspect of world building I hadn’t seen before, or maybe a particularly unusual POV. In this book I’m referring to all of the above, every aspect of this book was something new and different. The ‘monsters’ are original – my two favorites in this one are the Tallowmen, men made of wax and burning from within, they make for extremely surreal foes and we even get to see inside one of their heads as a POV for a short time. I loved it. There are also things known as the Crawling Ones, a huge group of worms that’s sentient and feeds on the dead, except when they eat the dead they also steal their memories, knowledge, and souls.
The writing in this was great, it flowed very nicely for me and kept me turning pages. I would say this is much more stylized than what I typically read, however, I absolutely adored it. Kind of like Bancroft, I just love the way this was done and thought it was gorgeous. The world building is absolutely incredible and worked hand in hand with the characters for me. Sometimes when I get hit in the head with too much world building and don’t get to know the characters enough I lose interest. This had a great deal of world building that helped you understand the characters so it was an even flow of new info but also character development.
I am so stoked I’m ending my year on a string of amazing books. I can’t recommend this one highly enough to those that like darker fantasy in an entirely unique world. This was like falling for fantasy all over again.
Audience:
multi pov
non human pov
original monsters/races
darker fantasy
female pov
stylized prose
genre mashups
Ratings:
Plot: 14/15
Characters: 14/15
World Building: 15/15
Writing: 14/15
Pacing: 13/15
Originality: 15/15
Personal Enjoyment: 10/10
Final Score: 95/100 – 5 Stars, second highest rating of the year that’s not Pratchett.
June 8, 2019
This novel is what would happen if Peter McLean married H.P. Lovecraft and they had a book baby who became a rebellious teenager who crushed hard on a pretty little thing called Mistborn until it learned it could never be loved in return because of its inherently monstrous nature, then went on to grow old in bitter loneliness.
That is to say, it has all of Lovecraft’s dark atmosphere and monsters, and Peter McLean’s knack for prose that makes truly ruthless storytelling unexpectedly light and adventurous, and is garnished in the intense creativity of fantasy setting and magic we were treated to in Mistborn.
The only moment I felt a little dubious was in the beginning, when the prologue begins in present tense, second-person perspective, which I find really tedious to read because it pulls me out of the story continuously. Fortunately chapter one dispenses with that in favor of comfortable third person. As a bonus, the audiobook is narrated wonderfully by John Banks, so for a long time it felt like I was listening to Josiah Bancroft’s Senlin read the story to me. Seeing as I love Senlin, this was a feature, not a bug. As a very small point, I was a bit annoyed that I never learned virtually any of the characters’ ages. If they were mentioned in the prose it must have been only once and too fast or subtle for me to catch. As such I was confused a few times by some of the relationships between the characters, such as when a character I thought was older expressed a longing for intimacy for a character I thought was a lot younger. It distracted me a bit before I realized I’d never actually heard the narrative give their ages, and for all I knew they were roughly the same age. Not a big deal, but if I could make one change it would have been to make that clearer or repeated once or twice.
This is the 2019 release to beat for best title, the one other good books of the year will be measured against. The book takes hold of you immediately and doesn’t let go. I have a huge soft spot for the old, occult-inspired dark fantasy wrapped in a modern coating, and this book delivers that like a hammer. There are talismans, dark gods, middling gods, trapped gods, alchemists, ghouls like you’ve never read them before, worm creatures, souls for energy, sentient objects, stone men, worm men, steampunk men, clever women, powerful women, rudimentary pistols, saints wielding flame swords, mad scientists, sudden but inevitable betrayals, the list goes on and on. There’s swearing, lots of it. There is just so, so much to love in this book.
I won’t lie to you, people die. I for one felt the darkness in this book early on which caused me to create a certain unconscious limit to how attached I could become to the characters. Suffice to say I don’t regret doing so.
Gosh, I can’t-that’s it. I have no more to say. This book is wonderful, an absolute delight to read, and already a highlight of my reading year. I hope it gets better from here, but this book sets the bar crazy high.
That is to say, it has all of Lovecraft’s dark atmosphere and monsters, and Peter McLean’s knack for prose that makes truly ruthless storytelling unexpectedly light and adventurous, and is garnished in the intense creativity of fantasy setting and magic we were treated to in Mistborn.
The only moment I felt a little dubious was in the beginning, when the prologue begins in present tense, second-person perspective, which I find really tedious to read because it pulls me out of the story continuously. Fortunately chapter one dispenses with that in favor of comfortable third person. As a bonus, the audiobook is narrated wonderfully by John Banks, so for a long time it felt like I was listening to Josiah Bancroft’s Senlin read the story to me. Seeing as I love Senlin, this was a feature, not a bug. As a very small point, I was a bit annoyed that I never learned virtually any of the characters’ ages. If they were mentioned in the prose it must have been only once and too fast or subtle for me to catch. As such I was confused a few times by some of the relationships between the characters, such as when a character I thought was older expressed a longing for intimacy for a character I thought was a lot younger. It distracted me a bit before I realized I’d never actually heard the narrative give their ages, and for all I knew they were roughly the same age. Not a big deal, but if I could make one change it would have been to make that clearer or repeated once or twice.
This is the 2019 release to beat for best title, the one other good books of the year will be measured against. The book takes hold of you immediately and doesn’t let go. I have a huge soft spot for the old, occult-inspired dark fantasy wrapped in a modern coating, and this book delivers that like a hammer. There are talismans, dark gods, middling gods, trapped gods, alchemists, ghouls like you’ve never read them before, worm creatures, souls for energy, sentient objects, stone men, worm men, steampunk men, clever women, powerful women, rudimentary pistols, saints wielding flame swords, mad scientists, sudden but inevitable betrayals, the list goes on and on. There’s swearing, lots of it. There is just so, so much to love in this book.
I won’t lie to you, people die. I for one felt the darkness in this book early on which caused me to create a certain unconscious limit to how attached I could become to the characters. Suffice to say I don’t regret doing so.
Gosh, I can’t-that’s it. I have no more to say. This book is wonderful, an absolute delight to read, and already a highlight of my reading year. I hope it gets better from here, but this book sets the bar crazy high.
January 15, 2019
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/01/14/...
The Gutter Prayer is a novel that got a lot of pre-publication attention; even half a year before it was due to come out, I was already hearing readers sing its praises. This was THE fantasy novel all fans should be checking out in 2019, apparently—especially if your predilections run towards grimdark.
So I read it. And now I understand where all the love is coming from.
Our story, for the most part, is centered on the lives of three thieves. Cari, Spar and Rat have not known each other for long, but by the time they were called upon to work together in a secret plot hatched up by Heinreil, the city of Guerdon’s most notorious crime boss, the three of them were already…well, as thick as thieves. Spar is the son of a late gang leader, but he is also a Stone Man—the term given to someone afflicted with a degenerative disease which slowly petrifies the body and its organs, turning them hard as rock. Rat is a Ghoul, a member of a race of underground people who live in the old tunnels and crypts of the city, subsisting on the flesh of the dead. And Cari is an orphan and a drifter who feels like she owes a lot to her other two companions, who took her into their gang even though she arrived with nothing to her name.
Their job together was supposed to be quick and simple: a smash-and-grab at the city’s House of Law, where the three of them were tasked to steal an important document. But little did they know, Heinreil had other plans, and their little group was only meant to be a distraction. The night ends in disaster, with a great fire that levels a good chunk of Guerdon and claims lives. And Cari, who was injured and knocked out in the commotion, wakes up in a thieftaker’s prison with a new power in her head.
The Gutter Prayer, in many ways, is the perfect marriage of grimdark and epic fantasy. Here you will find the grittiness and cynicism one might expect from a Joe Abercrombie or Scott Lynch novel, but also the kind of unique and imaginative world-building that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Brandon Sanderson story. Clearly Gareth Hanrahan’s experience as a game designer and RPG writer has also served him well in writing his debut, for many of the ideas in here—particularly those related to creatures and theistic myths—reminded me a lot of elements from fantasy tabletop campaigns.
The world of this novel is, in a word, incredible. While most of the story is confined to Guerdon, the narrative never lets you forget that this little corner of the universe is just one piece of a greater puzzle, so not once does the setting ever feel small. The place is rich with history, its culture influenced by the diversity of its peoples and religions. The city becomes a character in its own right; from the dank gutters to the well-kept university district, every little slice of Guerdon we get to see is another side of its personality. The best sights, however, lie in its underbelly. There you find the Ghouls, hiding in the shadows. The Stone Men, who are feared and shunned. The Tallowmen, menacing wax golems that are magically bound to serve as the city’s enforcers. The Crawling Ones, digusting monstrosities made up of a wriggling mass of sentient worms. And if you’re really unlucky, you might even run afoul of a Raveller, a shapeshifting predator aligned with the Black Iron Gods.
In the face of all this originality, the characters are almost overshadowed. The perspectives of Cari, Spar, and Rat are compelling enough, but in a way, I also felt that their development took a backseat to the world-building. As protagonists, they didn’t inspire much attachment, and individually, their voices did not really stand out. In fact, I thought Hanrahan did better with his supporting characters in this regard, exploring strong personalities like Jere, Eladora, or Professor Ongent. More than once I wished a couple of these characters had gotten more attention or a bigger role. The Gutter Prayer being a debut, it also exhibits a few signs of what I feel are common new author mistakes. One is the compulsion to throw in unnecessary flourishes like random narrative shifts when it might have been better just to keep things simple.
However, the criticisms I have are minor. Ideally, I would have preferred a bit more balance between story, characters, and world-building, where one aspect isn’t disproportionately overrepresented to eclipse the others, which was partly the issue here. But overall, The Gutter Prayer was an impressive debut, one that is certain to make a lot of dark fantasy fans ecstatic. Boldly ambitious and innovative in equal measure, Hanrahan’s daring entry into the genre is guaranteed to captivate and enthrall.
The Gutter Prayer is a novel that got a lot of pre-publication attention; even half a year before it was due to come out, I was already hearing readers sing its praises. This was THE fantasy novel all fans should be checking out in 2019, apparently—especially if your predilections run towards grimdark.
So I read it. And now I understand where all the love is coming from.
Our story, for the most part, is centered on the lives of three thieves. Cari, Spar and Rat have not known each other for long, but by the time they were called upon to work together in a secret plot hatched up by Heinreil, the city of Guerdon’s most notorious crime boss, the three of them were already…well, as thick as thieves. Spar is the son of a late gang leader, but he is also a Stone Man—the term given to someone afflicted with a degenerative disease which slowly petrifies the body and its organs, turning them hard as rock. Rat is a Ghoul, a member of a race of underground people who live in the old tunnels and crypts of the city, subsisting on the flesh of the dead. And Cari is an orphan and a drifter who feels like she owes a lot to her other two companions, who took her into their gang even though she arrived with nothing to her name.
Their job together was supposed to be quick and simple: a smash-and-grab at the city’s House of Law, where the three of them were tasked to steal an important document. But little did they know, Heinreil had other plans, and their little group was only meant to be a distraction. The night ends in disaster, with a great fire that levels a good chunk of Guerdon and claims lives. And Cari, who was injured and knocked out in the commotion, wakes up in a thieftaker’s prison with a new power in her head.
The Gutter Prayer, in many ways, is the perfect marriage of grimdark and epic fantasy. Here you will find the grittiness and cynicism one might expect from a Joe Abercrombie or Scott Lynch novel, but also the kind of unique and imaginative world-building that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Brandon Sanderson story. Clearly Gareth Hanrahan’s experience as a game designer and RPG writer has also served him well in writing his debut, for many of the ideas in here—particularly those related to creatures and theistic myths—reminded me a lot of elements from fantasy tabletop campaigns.
The world of this novel is, in a word, incredible. While most of the story is confined to Guerdon, the narrative never lets you forget that this little corner of the universe is just one piece of a greater puzzle, so not once does the setting ever feel small. The place is rich with history, its culture influenced by the diversity of its peoples and religions. The city becomes a character in its own right; from the dank gutters to the well-kept university district, every little slice of Guerdon we get to see is another side of its personality. The best sights, however, lie in its underbelly. There you find the Ghouls, hiding in the shadows. The Stone Men, who are feared and shunned. The Tallowmen, menacing wax golems that are magically bound to serve as the city’s enforcers. The Crawling Ones, digusting monstrosities made up of a wriggling mass of sentient worms. And if you’re really unlucky, you might even run afoul of a Raveller, a shapeshifting predator aligned with the Black Iron Gods.
In the face of all this originality, the characters are almost overshadowed. The perspectives of Cari, Spar, and Rat are compelling enough, but in a way, I also felt that their development took a backseat to the world-building. As protagonists, they didn’t inspire much attachment, and individually, their voices did not really stand out. In fact, I thought Hanrahan did better with his supporting characters in this regard, exploring strong personalities like Jere, Eladora, or Professor Ongent. More than once I wished a couple of these characters had gotten more attention or a bigger role. The Gutter Prayer being a debut, it also exhibits a few signs of what I feel are common new author mistakes. One is the compulsion to throw in unnecessary flourishes like random narrative shifts when it might have been better just to keep things simple.
However, the criticisms I have are minor. Ideally, I would have preferred a bit more balance between story, characters, and world-building, where one aspect isn’t disproportionately overrepresented to eclipse the others, which was partly the issue here. But overall, The Gutter Prayer was an impressive debut, one that is certain to make a lot of dark fantasy fans ecstatic. Boldly ambitious and innovative in equal measure, Hanrahan’s daring entry into the genre is guaranteed to captivate and enthrall.
May 28, 2019
‘Rat chuckles. “THERE WILL BE A WAR, OH YES.”
“Marvellous.” The Sword catches fire. “I don’t know what I’d fucking do with peace,” says the saint.’
~
The Gutter Prayer is the first instalment in the Black Iron Legacy series by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan. This debut novel is a an enthralling ride, filled with truly exceptional world building, and unique characters. You may have seen the hype around this book, well folks, the hype is well deserved.
🕯
It is hard for me to give you a brief outline of what the book entails, because the story frankly put, is immense. So, I’ll just say that the story opens with our three main characters; Cari, Spar and Rat, who are thieves on a job. Yet this is not merely a heist story, as things go disastrously wrong for our protagonists, they are all pulled into a tale of betrayal, revenge, and an age old god war that is threatening to climax.
🕯
Initially I was concerned, although the plot hooked me, I felt as if we were thrust into the middle of things, and I couldn’t grasp where the story was heading and how everything connected; which made the pace feel too slow. Patience here really did pay off though, because halfway through things started to make more sense, connections started to fall into place, and the pace became one hell of a rollercoaster. I really appreciated the intricacy that Hanrahan put into this, because it is so well written. The third person present tense was easy to flow into once you got used to it, and i felt it worked brilliantly to keep the action feeling immediate and tense. Especially in the last 100 pages, which I adored so much. Hanrahan also made me realise that sometimes it’s nice to read a book that keeps you theorising everything, rather than having it all spelt out for you from the onset.
🕯
Now let me talk about my favourite aspects of The Gutter Prayer - the world building and the characters. As I mentioned, there are some unusual characters in this book, which simply put, I loved! Cari was an orphaned girl with a dark legacy, and so it seemed a dark future too. Rat was a ghoul, his race lived underground and fed off the cities dead from corpse shafts. Rat tried to spend as little time underground as he could, for fear of turning feral. He was one of those characters that really appealed to my dark sense of humour! I loved how he had to stop himself from killing everyone and battle his strong urge to eat them all!
🕯
Then there was Spar, a Stone Man, afflicted by an incurable debilitating plague, that was slowly turning his flesh into stone. Gah, Spar was just... everything. His suffering, his loyalty, and the love he had for his friends, was just so charming. Each chapter always compelled me to find out more about all three of them.
~
‘He takes the pain of jealousy and loss and cherishes it as he walks; his heart, at least, has not turned to stone.’
~
The world building in this book was INCREDIBLE! There was just... so much! The book is set in the city of Guerdon; a dangerous place that inhabited a myriad of dark, gruesome , and grotesque creatures birthed from the Alchemist’s Guild. Some of these included, Tarrowmen, Ravellers, Elder ghouls, a Fever Knight, and Crawling Ones. It has been a long time since I’ve read something that creeped me out, but the Crawling Ones, well, they made my skin crawl! I really enjoyed the inclusion of horror elements here. Thank you Hanrahan, not only did you make the city come vividly alive off the page for me, you also made my monster loving heart so happy! 👏🏽👏🏽
🕯
For those of you who like your fantasy dark, that want an array of monsters and intricate world building, and that want a novel that solidly ends with a bang, then I highly recommend this book.
“Marvellous.” The Sword catches fire. “I don’t know what I’d fucking do with peace,” says the saint.’
~
The Gutter Prayer is the first instalment in the Black Iron Legacy series by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan. This debut novel is a an enthralling ride, filled with truly exceptional world building, and unique characters. You may have seen the hype around this book, well folks, the hype is well deserved.
🕯
It is hard for me to give you a brief outline of what the book entails, because the story frankly put, is immense. So, I’ll just say that the story opens with our three main characters; Cari, Spar and Rat, who are thieves on a job. Yet this is not merely a heist story, as things go disastrously wrong for our protagonists, they are all pulled into a tale of betrayal, revenge, and an age old god war that is threatening to climax.
🕯
Initially I was concerned, although the plot hooked me, I felt as if we were thrust into the middle of things, and I couldn’t grasp where the story was heading and how everything connected; which made the pace feel too slow. Patience here really did pay off though, because halfway through things started to make more sense, connections started to fall into place, and the pace became one hell of a rollercoaster. I really appreciated the intricacy that Hanrahan put into this, because it is so well written. The third person present tense was easy to flow into once you got used to it, and i felt it worked brilliantly to keep the action feeling immediate and tense. Especially in the last 100 pages, which I adored so much. Hanrahan also made me realise that sometimes it’s nice to read a book that keeps you theorising everything, rather than having it all spelt out for you from the onset.
🕯
Now let me talk about my favourite aspects of The Gutter Prayer - the world building and the characters. As I mentioned, there are some unusual characters in this book, which simply put, I loved! Cari was an orphaned girl with a dark legacy, and so it seemed a dark future too. Rat was a ghoul, his race lived underground and fed off the cities dead from corpse shafts. Rat tried to spend as little time underground as he could, for fear of turning feral. He was one of those characters that really appealed to my dark sense of humour! I loved how he had to stop himself from killing everyone and battle his strong urge to eat them all!
🕯
Then there was Spar, a Stone Man, afflicted by an incurable debilitating plague, that was slowly turning his flesh into stone. Gah, Spar was just... everything. His suffering, his loyalty, and the love he had for his friends, was just so charming. Each chapter always compelled me to find out more about all three of them.
~
‘He takes the pain of jealousy and loss and cherishes it as he walks; his heart, at least, has not turned to stone.’
~
The world building in this book was INCREDIBLE! There was just... so much! The book is set in the city of Guerdon; a dangerous place that inhabited a myriad of dark, gruesome , and grotesque creatures birthed from the Alchemist’s Guild. Some of these included, Tarrowmen, Ravellers, Elder ghouls, a Fever Knight, and Crawling Ones. It has been a long time since I’ve read something that creeped me out, but the Crawling Ones, well, they made my skin crawl! I really enjoyed the inclusion of horror elements here. Thank you Hanrahan, not only did you make the city come vividly alive off the page for me, you also made my monster loving heart so happy! 👏🏽👏🏽
🕯
For those of you who like your fantasy dark, that want an array of monsters and intricate world building, and that want a novel that solidly ends with a bang, then I highly recommend this book.
January 15, 2019
It usually takes me two to three days to finish an average-sized book. The Gutter Prayer took me two weeks. Now you may think that I struggled to finish it, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I tried to savor it for as long as I could, because although this is just my first read for 2019 and we're only in January, I'm confident that I won't find a greater book this year.
Ghouls who feed on rotting flesh. People who slowly turn to stone, becoming living statues with incredible strength before they petrify completely. Minions made of wax, burning like living candles, capable of inhuman feats. Ethereal creatures that can absorb both body and soul. Beings made out of living worms, commanding powers so terrible that could melt the flesh from your bones. Immortal Gods who can alter reality. Take a stroll around Guerdon and chances are you'll stubble across half of those creatures at the same night.
Grimdark is a loose term. A lot of people have tried to define this relatively new sub-genre of speculative fiction, but opinions vary. What makes a work grimdark? Does it have to be nihilistic, immoral or violent? Should the protagonist be an anti-hero or even a straight up villain? Does the world portrayed have to be a cynical, disillusioned or dystopian place? Should it all be grey and not at all black or white? Should there be no hope? Ask ten people and you'll get ten different answers. And yet, if you ask those same people what they think about Prince of Thorns, The Darkness that Comes Before, or Beyond Redemption, you'll get one answer. Grimdark. They may not agree as to why, each one of them may list a different reason, but in the end all of them will agree that it's Grimdark. They'll just know. Because Grimdark isn't something that you can define. Grimdark is something you feel. Now if you go around and ask those few people who've read The Gutter Prayer, or if you're patient enough to wait a few years before asking thousands of people the same question, chances are you'll get the exact same answer. Grimdark. Pure, unadulterated Grimdark.
What makes The Gutter Prayer so special though isn't that it's Grimdark. It's that it's weird. And I mean weird in every kind of sense. The narrative is unorthodox. The plot is bizarre and grotesque. The characters are eccentric and the world is peculiar and borderline absurd. I uttered "whaaaaaaat", "oh come on!" and "what the actual fuck did I just read..." more times than I can count, and yet... And yet, when I finished I knew that everything was exactly as it should be. This was a crazy ride, the craziest one I've been in a while, and I wouldn't change it for the world. The only thing I could possibly ask for is "more".
The Gutter Prayer is, undoubtedly, the debut of the year, and I won't be surprised to see it sweeping every award next year.
Ghouls who feed on rotting flesh. People who slowly turn to stone, becoming living statues with incredible strength before they petrify completely. Minions made of wax, burning like living candles, capable of inhuman feats. Ethereal creatures that can absorb both body and soul. Beings made out of living worms, commanding powers so terrible that could melt the flesh from your bones. Immortal Gods who can alter reality. Take a stroll around Guerdon and chances are you'll stubble across half of those creatures at the same night.
"Change is simultaneously a fast and a slow process. The great forces of history are slow-moving and unnoticed by those surrounded by them, visible only in hindsight where they appear inevitable."
Grimdark is a loose term. A lot of people have tried to define this relatively new sub-genre of speculative fiction, but opinions vary. What makes a work grimdark? Does it have to be nihilistic, immoral or violent? Should the protagonist be an anti-hero or even a straight up villain? Does the world portrayed have to be a cynical, disillusioned or dystopian place? Should it all be grey and not at all black or white? Should there be no hope? Ask ten people and you'll get ten different answers. And yet, if you ask those same people what they think about Prince of Thorns, The Darkness that Comes Before, or Beyond Redemption, you'll get one answer. Grimdark. They may not agree as to why, each one of them may list a different reason, but in the end all of them will agree that it's Grimdark. They'll just know. Because Grimdark isn't something that you can define. Grimdark is something you feel. Now if you go around and ask those few people who've read The Gutter Prayer, or if you're patient enough to wait a few years before asking thousands of people the same question, chances are you'll get the exact same answer. Grimdark. Pure, unadulterated Grimdark.
What makes The Gutter Prayer so special though isn't that it's Grimdark. It's that it's weird. And I mean weird in every kind of sense. The narrative is unorthodox. The plot is bizarre and grotesque. The characters are eccentric and the world is peculiar and borderline absurd. I uttered "whaaaaaaat", "oh come on!" and "what the actual fuck did I just read..." more times than I can count, and yet... And yet, when I finished I knew that everything was exactly as it should be. This was a crazy ride, the craziest one I've been in a while, and I wouldn't change it for the world. The only thing I could possibly ask for is "more".
The Gutter Prayer is, undoubtedly, the debut of the year, and I won't be surprised to see it sweeping every award next year.
February 28, 2019
Way back in June of 2018 I came across a tweet showing this amazingly beautiful cover and touting an upcoming book release by author Gareth Hanrahan. The name of the book was THE GUTTER PRAYER, the first book in The Black Iron Legacy series. I was instantly drawn to it just from seeing the cover art alone. I mean it was just stunningly beautiful. I knew that it was a book that I would keep on my radar and as more information came trickling out about it from the publisher Orbit, I was even more convinced that I needed to check it out. Then the buzz began toward the beginning of the Fall as advance copies started circulating and it became almost an obsession to try and track the book down. Unfortunately I wasn't able to snag an early copy but I did preorder the book as a backup and had it delivered to my Kindle on publication day. I spent the better part of the past month reading this thoroughly engrossing fantasy story and came away from the experience more than rewarded for pegging this one very early on as a must-read. And with that on to my review of THE GUTTER PRAYER.
The main action in the story takes place in the haunting and foreboding city of Guerdon. Not much is known about the city at the beginning of the story, but what is alluded to is the existence of a war going on outside its borders. Guerdon is depicted as a neutral territory of sorts that is profiting from selling sorcery-enhanced weapons to both sides of the conflict, thus reaping the financial benefits from each while also trying to hide their double-crossing activity from the other. Meanwhile the setting of the city is one that is extremely dark, filled with underground labyrinths, catacombs, and all type of creatures who stalk its mysterious nooks and crannies. It's a setting that is quite reminiscent of such dark fantasies as The Black Company by Glen Cook and The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. Enter into this city the three main characters of the story: Cari or Carillion is a thief with a checkered past. Her story is often interspersed with visions that allude to this past and slowly paint a picture of what she has experienced in her past life and will yet experience still. Spar is a stone man who has been afflicted by a plague that is slowly petrifying his body to the point where he finds it extremely painful and difficult to move. Rat is perhaps the most intriguing main character of the three. He is what is known of as a ghoul, an animalistic and wild version of a human but with almost wolf-like tendencies and behaviors. Very disparate characters to be brought together, but that is also what makes this story so fascinating. The three are eventually recruited by the guild master of thieves named Henreil to embark on a mission to steal an important piece of history in document form from the city's House of Law. Not knowing that Henreil actually has plans to betray them and only desires the three expendable pawns do his dirty work for him in creating a distraction for another nefarious purpose, something ultimately disastrous occurs while trying to claim the document. The city is leveled, people are slaughtered, and the three are suddenly thrust into something that is now much larger than just a quick hit and run petty robbery. Now Cari, Spar, and Rat are determined to get revenge on Henreil, but in doing so, they begin to uncover much about the city's dark past and about the gods who previously held sway in this dismal land where mysteries lie upon mysteries. What will be the ultimate fate of Guerdon remains entirely uncertain. Even more, what exactly have the three thieves uncovered about the history of this place, and will it lead to the unleashing of something worse than the war raging around its borders? So many questions are both posed and answered within the 500 or so pages of this complex and multi-layered fantasy story that you just absolutely have to read to discover.
This is the type of fantasy book that I love love love. I am such a sucker for a setting that has a deep history layered with a ton of mystery as well. I'm also enamored with world-building that involves multiple interesting cultures and creatures who live in said place. Both of these boxes were instantly checked off for me. THE GUTTER PRAYER had me hooked from the very beginning of the book when I was treated to a little taste of the city of Guerdon and its inhabitants. As the story progressed much more was revealed about this rich world and we get to see the underbelly of the city, which is really where the thrills and action occur. There are underground passages, labyrinths, murky canals, and an entire society living underneath the population above ground. All of these things have a greater history as to why they are there and learning about them and how they came about was half the fun of this incredible book. Gareth Hanrahan has created an entirely original story that resonates with subtle hints of Scott Lynch, China Mieville, Glen Cook, and Steven Erikson. All of those authors are among my favorites, so this was a dream read for me as it had that kind of feel while remaining very much its own world and story. I can't say enough about this book other than if you don't read it, you are missing out on one of the best fantasy book you will ever read. This is a book where you savor every page and pay attention to every vivid detail of the characters and world. I have to say that although the characters were interesting and diverse in their makeup and thinking, the world-building was where I was truly blown away. And now that it's over I have to fight off the urge to start at page one and read it all over again. I do have other books to review after all! Pick up THE GUTTER PRAYER and do yourself a favor, read it soon if not immediately. You will come away feeling like you've been transported to one of the most incredible fantasy settings ever dreamed of and put to paper. And then you'll want to read it again. Can't wait for book two!
The main action in the story takes place in the haunting and foreboding city of Guerdon. Not much is known about the city at the beginning of the story, but what is alluded to is the existence of a war going on outside its borders. Guerdon is depicted as a neutral territory of sorts that is profiting from selling sorcery-enhanced weapons to both sides of the conflict, thus reaping the financial benefits from each while also trying to hide their double-crossing activity from the other. Meanwhile the setting of the city is one that is extremely dark, filled with underground labyrinths, catacombs, and all type of creatures who stalk its mysterious nooks and crannies. It's a setting that is quite reminiscent of such dark fantasies as The Black Company by Glen Cook and The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. Enter into this city the three main characters of the story: Cari or Carillion is a thief with a checkered past. Her story is often interspersed with visions that allude to this past and slowly paint a picture of what she has experienced in her past life and will yet experience still. Spar is a stone man who has been afflicted by a plague that is slowly petrifying his body to the point where he finds it extremely painful and difficult to move. Rat is perhaps the most intriguing main character of the three. He is what is known of as a ghoul, an animalistic and wild version of a human but with almost wolf-like tendencies and behaviors. Very disparate characters to be brought together, but that is also what makes this story so fascinating. The three are eventually recruited by the guild master of thieves named Henreil to embark on a mission to steal an important piece of history in document form from the city's House of Law. Not knowing that Henreil actually has plans to betray them and only desires the three expendable pawns do his dirty work for him in creating a distraction for another nefarious purpose, something ultimately disastrous occurs while trying to claim the document. The city is leveled, people are slaughtered, and the three are suddenly thrust into something that is now much larger than just a quick hit and run petty robbery. Now Cari, Spar, and Rat are determined to get revenge on Henreil, but in doing so, they begin to uncover much about the city's dark past and about the gods who previously held sway in this dismal land where mysteries lie upon mysteries. What will be the ultimate fate of Guerdon remains entirely uncertain. Even more, what exactly have the three thieves uncovered about the history of this place, and will it lead to the unleashing of something worse than the war raging around its borders? So many questions are both posed and answered within the 500 or so pages of this complex and multi-layered fantasy story that you just absolutely have to read to discover.
This is the type of fantasy book that I love love love. I am such a sucker for a setting that has a deep history layered with a ton of mystery as well. I'm also enamored with world-building that involves multiple interesting cultures and creatures who live in said place. Both of these boxes were instantly checked off for me. THE GUTTER PRAYER had me hooked from the very beginning of the book when I was treated to a little taste of the city of Guerdon and its inhabitants. As the story progressed much more was revealed about this rich world and we get to see the underbelly of the city, which is really where the thrills and action occur. There are underground passages, labyrinths, murky canals, and an entire society living underneath the population above ground. All of these things have a greater history as to why they are there and learning about them and how they came about was half the fun of this incredible book. Gareth Hanrahan has created an entirely original story that resonates with subtle hints of Scott Lynch, China Mieville, Glen Cook, and Steven Erikson. All of those authors are among my favorites, so this was a dream read for me as it had that kind of feel while remaining very much its own world and story. I can't say enough about this book other than if you don't read it, you are missing out on one of the best fantasy book you will ever read. This is a book where you savor every page and pay attention to every vivid detail of the characters and world. I have to say that although the characters were interesting and diverse in their makeup and thinking, the world-building was where I was truly blown away. And now that it's over I have to fight off the urge to start at page one and read it all over again. I do have other books to review after all! Pick up THE GUTTER PRAYER and do yourself a favor, read it soon if not immediately. You will come away feeling like you've been transported to one of the most incredible fantasy settings ever dreamed of and put to paper. And then you'll want to read it again. Can't wait for book two!
December 17, 2018
How do I even describe it? Was it just insane or insanely good?
Enter Guerdon. Mad deities and divinely powered saints fight, Lovecraftian horrors awake and crawl out from below. Shape-shifting Ravellers, servants of the ancient and evil Black Iron Gods, bring mayhem to the streets for the first time in decades and it can only mean one thing - Doomsday approaches.
Meanwhile, a new member of the Thieves’ Brotherhood, Carillon Thay, experiences unnerving visions that place her in the centre of the conflict between mad deities. She navigates the city in the company of Rat, a corpse-eating ghoul, and Spar, a Stoneman, whose flesh is slowly calcifying into rock.
Rules mean nothing to Hanrahan - he plays with the language, world-building, and usual genre’s tropes. He twists them and offers something fresh and new. Examples? Gutter Prayer opens with a prologue written in the second person pro-noun, a thing considered a huge no-no. And yet, it works. Hanrahan’s lyrical prose contains a lot of archaisms and rare words, it yells for a reader's attention and yet it only makes the experience more immersive. His visual and visceral style blew my mind. I usually dislike detailed world-building, but his world, with all its minutiae, immersed me.
A note to aspiring writers - don’t read this book; it‘ll make you loathe your unimaginative, bland phrases.
The setting lives from the very first pages. It feels real, and dynamic. It changes and affects the characters in the story. It‘s a prime example of a powerfully portrayed city that seems to have a life of its own. I sincerely hope I’ll never visit Guerdom, though. I still have a long TBR list and things to do in life and I wouldn’t last five minutes there. Check this description of one of the city’s hidden places (it gives a good example of the setting and Hanrahan’s prose):
All characters feel realised and three dimensional. Carillon is impulsive, and she acts too fast regularly getting into trouble. Her emotionally charged chapters contrast slightly with other POV’s. although each POV character faces traumatic situations. Take Spar, a Stoneman. He’s dying. His disease will win in the end - there’s no cure. He’ll turn into a stone, but not before he experiences all his joints and organs calcify slowly and painfully. Then we have Rat - a young ghoul who experiences extreme, nauseating transformation.
Secondary characters shine as well. A lovely mentor who’s secretly a manipulative monster, a teleporting boy with insane speed and agility, tallowmen whose minds are a flickering candle flames, burning within the waxy hollow of their skulls captured my imagination. That said, the character I liked most was Aleena - a brutally honest saint who swears like a trooper in an angelic voice (literally - angels speak through her). Hanrahan’s saints don’t remind our saints. They’re deeply traumatised embodiments of divine madness.
I’m sure people will speak about Gutter Prayer in years to come. I suspect it’ll divide the audience a bit. A casual fantasy reader may feel lost in the plot for a significant part of the book. Hanrahan’s distinct, rich writing style won’t appeal to everyone. But it did work for me. A brilliant, imaginative debut. Absolutely worth the read and insanely good.
ARC through NetGalley
Enter Guerdon. Mad deities and divinely powered saints fight, Lovecraftian horrors awake and crawl out from below. Shape-shifting Ravellers, servants of the ancient and evil Black Iron Gods, bring mayhem to the streets for the first time in decades and it can only mean one thing - Doomsday approaches.
Meanwhile, a new member of the Thieves’ Brotherhood, Carillon Thay, experiences unnerving visions that place her in the centre of the conflict between mad deities. She navigates the city in the company of Rat, a corpse-eating ghoul, and Spar, a Stoneman, whose flesh is slowly calcifying into rock.
Rules mean nothing to Hanrahan - he plays with the language, world-building, and usual genre’s tropes. He twists them and offers something fresh and new. Examples? Gutter Prayer opens with a prologue written in the second person pro-noun, a thing considered a huge no-no. And yet, it works. Hanrahan’s lyrical prose contains a lot of archaisms and rare words, it yells for a reader's attention and yet it only makes the experience more immersive. His visual and visceral style blew my mind. I usually dislike detailed world-building, but his world, with all its minutiae, immersed me.
A note to aspiring writers - don’t read this book; it‘ll make you loathe your unimaginative, bland phrases.
The setting lives from the very first pages. It feels real, and dynamic. It changes and affects the characters in the story. It‘s a prime example of a powerfully portrayed city that seems to have a life of its own. I sincerely hope I’ll never visit Guerdom, though. I still have a long TBR list and things to do in life and I wouldn’t last five minutes there. Check this description of one of the city’s hidden places (it gives a good example of the setting and Hanrahan’s prose):
Pipes hiss and gurgle like the intestines of a flayed man. The air is hot and thick with fumes. Through portholes lined with green-tinted glass, she can spy on the things growing inside the vats - embryonic Gullheads, raptequines, disembodied organs. A thing that might be the heart and circulatory system of a man swims past one viewport, like a ghastly jellyfish that squirts blood with every spasm of its artery limbs.
All characters feel realised and three dimensional. Carillon is impulsive, and she acts too fast regularly getting into trouble. Her emotionally charged chapters contrast slightly with other POV’s. although each POV character faces traumatic situations. Take Spar, a Stoneman. He’s dying. His disease will win in the end - there’s no cure. He’ll turn into a stone, but not before he experiences all his joints and organs calcify slowly and painfully. Then we have Rat - a young ghoul who experiences extreme, nauseating transformation.
Secondary characters shine as well. A lovely mentor who’s secretly a manipulative monster, a teleporting boy with insane speed and agility, tallowmen whose minds are a flickering candle flames, burning within the waxy hollow of their skulls captured my imagination. That said, the character I liked most was Aleena - a brutally honest saint who swears like a trooper in an angelic voice (literally - angels speak through her). Hanrahan’s saints don’t remind our saints. They’re deeply traumatised embodiments of divine madness.
I’m sure people will speak about Gutter Prayer in years to come. I suspect it’ll divide the audience a bit. A casual fantasy reader may feel lost in the plot for a significant part of the book. Hanrahan’s distinct, rich writing style won’t appeal to everyone. But it did work for me. A brilliant, imaginative debut. Absolutely worth the read and insanely good.
ARC through NetGalley
March 15, 2019
If you’ve been following my updates you probably know I wasn’t a fan of this book. I pushed through because I didn’t want to half read 2 books in a single week... I guess I’m a glutton for punishment because it wasn’t worth finishing.
I have so many issues I don’t even really know where to begin. I’m baffled this went to print this way. It feels unfinished- like a second draft with most of the proofreading errors taken out. I found multiple typos, inconsistencies in the way words were spelled, characters popping into scenes where they shouldn’t be. One time I think Rat was called Spar and then went right back to being Rat, and another one Miren popped up when he should have been Haden (even better Miren was all the way across town, and the scene he wasn’t supposed to be in was sandwiched between his two scenes, imagine my confusion at him being in two places at once). This is not confusing because it’s complex, it’s confusing because it’s poorly written/edited. I actually had to stop at one point and double check that it wasn’t self published. I’ve read self-published books with fewer errors. Not sure what Orbit was thinking.
The plot was a cool concept poorly executed. For centuries across this steampunkish land, the gods have been battling each other- dragging Mortals down into their fights. Not sure why gods need mortals to fight for them, or even why they are fighting, but Guerdon’s gods are kept in check. Now someone wants to free them.
My issue with the execution is two fold. The first issue I have is that no ones motivations make any sense.
The second part of my upset with the execution comes from the fact that this is largely a metaphysical tale. I say Godswar and you’re thinking a war of titanic proportions right? Buildings crumbling, swords flying, heroes and villains.
Wrong. Mostly it’s someone having an out of body experience and observing everything from a distance. It was incredibly boring. This is largely personal preference but I like the up close and personal battle scenes. There were none to be had. Aleena comes close with her more physical abilities and her sainthood and flaming sword, but a lot of the action scenes fade to black in some misguided attempt to build suspense into the plot. There isn’t any.
The book is so hung up in its own world building, in its pages upon pages of raptequine horses and Tallowmen and alchemical weapons that it forgot to describe the action. Don’t get me wrong- the world building was very cool. Lots of fun elements that felt unique. But it wasn’t enough to keep me engaged and wanting more.
There are some really odd sex scenes thrown in that one of the MCs constantly thinks about after it happens that destroyed her character in its entirety. They were bizarre and so out of left field any mention of them immediately withdrew me from the story. They detracted from the MCs character and took her from feeling whole to feeling flimsy. Especially when the partner is described as inexperienced and clumsy in the very first line of their hookup.
Rat’s character and Jere’s character largely feel useless. Characters were killed that pop backup in the epilogue, apparently alive and well. In the beginning there are references to ongoing riots that are never witnessed.
I thought it was supposed to be grimdark but it felt more like New Adult to me. Cari carries around a “knife” she never uses... (knife? Really? You couldn’t give her a dagger or something? Knife?) I was just annoyed with the whole thing. I feel bad writing this because I wanted to love it. If it had been edited properly and dropped 200 pages of world building and description and a couple POVs I might have... but for now I just don’t have many nice things to say about it and I can’t recommend it. Maybe an update from Orbit can fix the kindle version, but unfortunately for the hardback I guess it’s too late.
I have so many issues I don’t even really know where to begin. I’m baffled this went to print this way. It feels unfinished- like a second draft with most of the proofreading errors taken out. I found multiple typos, inconsistencies in the way words were spelled, characters popping into scenes where they shouldn’t be. One time I think Rat was called Spar and then went right back to being Rat, and another one Miren popped up when he should have been Haden (even better Miren was all the way across town, and the scene he wasn’t supposed to be in was sandwiched between his two scenes, imagine my confusion at him being in two places at once). This is not confusing because it’s complex, it’s confusing because it’s poorly written/edited. I actually had to stop at one point and double check that it wasn’t self published. I’ve read self-published books with fewer errors. Not sure what Orbit was thinking.
The plot was a cool concept poorly executed. For centuries across this steampunkish land, the gods have been battling each other- dragging Mortals down into their fights. Not sure why gods need mortals to fight for them, or even why they are fighting, but Guerdon’s gods are kept in check. Now someone wants to free them.
My issue with the execution is two fold. The first issue I have is that no ones motivations make any sense.
The second part of my upset with the execution comes from the fact that this is largely a metaphysical tale. I say Godswar and you’re thinking a war of titanic proportions right? Buildings crumbling, swords flying, heroes and villains.
Wrong. Mostly it’s someone having an out of body experience and observing everything from a distance. It was incredibly boring. This is largely personal preference but I like the up close and personal battle scenes. There were none to be had. Aleena comes close with her more physical abilities and her sainthood and flaming sword, but a lot of the action scenes fade to black in some misguided attempt to build suspense into the plot. There isn’t any.
The book is so hung up in its own world building, in its pages upon pages of raptequine horses and Tallowmen and alchemical weapons that it forgot to describe the action. Don’t get me wrong- the world building was very cool. Lots of fun elements that felt unique. But it wasn’t enough to keep me engaged and wanting more.
There are some really odd sex scenes thrown in that one of the MCs constantly thinks about after it happens that destroyed her character in its entirety. They were bizarre and so out of left field any mention of them immediately withdrew me from the story. They detracted from the MCs character and took her from feeling whole to feeling flimsy. Especially when the partner is described as inexperienced and clumsy in the very first line of their hookup.
Rat’s character and Jere’s character largely feel useless. Characters were killed that pop backup in the epilogue, apparently alive and well. In the beginning there are references to ongoing riots that are never witnessed.
I thought it was supposed to be grimdark but it felt more like New Adult to me. Cari carries around a “knife” she never uses... (knife? Really? You couldn’t give her a dagger or something? Knife?) I was just annoyed with the whole thing. I feel bad writing this because I wanted to love it. If it had been edited properly and dropped 200 pages of world building and description and a couple POVs I might have... but for now I just don’t have many nice things to say about it and I can’t recommend it. Maybe an update from Orbit can fix the kindle version, but unfortunately for the hardback I guess it’s too late.
August 31, 2021
Después de mucho pensarlo creo que le bajo la puntuación de cuatro a tres estrellas.
Este es un libro que lleva pululando por las redes meses y meses. Fue ganador del Booknest a la primera novela de 2019. La catalogan como una novela de fantasía con una ambientación potente, unos personajes que ganan al lector, continuas sorpresas y un trasfondo donde se enfrentan los poderes económicos, políticos y religiosos.
Sinceramente ante dicha publicidad lo menos que puedes hacer es leerlo y así forjarte tu propia opinión para ver si todos esos comentarios positivos no son infundados. Ahora bien, lo que me he encontrado...se me aleja un poco de la realidad y me ha parecido que lo han “inflado un poco” (a mi parecer).
En primer lugar, sí es verdad que lo que más destaca de esta novela es el wordbuilding, bueno la “idea” de worldbuilding. Me explico: el autor nos presenta un mundo, concretamente una ciudad que podríamos encuadrar entre el siglo XVIII-XIX. La ciudad está plagada de monasterios y cultos a otras deidades pero no sabemos nada de ellas ni por qué hay tantos. El régimen que hay apenas se explica sino grosso modo y aún me quedan bastantes dudas que ansían respuestas ¿ Está repartido con un culto en concreto? ¿Con los ghouls? ¿Cuáles son dichos acuerdos que se mencionan a lo largo de la novela? Lo que sí se sabe es la historia de siempre, los ricos son muy ricos y los pobres muy pobres y esa parte tiene que cambiar.
Por otro lado, está la ambientación. Nada más empiezas a leer notas como te sumerges en un mundo bastante oscuro. Da igual que sea de día tu lo ves todo con gafas grises y claroscuros. Las únicas luces que vislumbras son la de las farolas o las linternas portátiles por no hablar de uno de los monstruos que pueblan esta novela que portan consigo luz propia. Esto me ha gustado mucho porque da una sensación de encontrarme en un videojuego de “terror” como puede ser el famoso Dark souls lleno de catedrales y edificios góticos europeos.
Pasando a los personajes. Lo siento pero son bastantes planos y clichés. El único que se salva siquiera es Rata, un ghoul, y sus capítulos son algo más graciosos que el resto porque tiene ocurrencias. El resto...ni de broma se salvan. Eso sí los mejores personajes aparte de rata son Eleonora y Aleena.
“Me los habría comido”-le gustaría decirle al padre-.“Me habría quedado lleno. Parecían un buen bocado”.
La narración. El autor no se anda por las ramas e intenta que todo sea claro y conciso, creo que esto le ha influenciado porque él mismo es escritor y creador de videojuegos. Es decir, en los videojuegos lo que se intenta es exactamente es ser claro y conciso y te ayudan otros factores como la imagen-desarrollo. Sin embargo, esto falla en una novela porque para mí falta profundidad y no somos capaces de ver sino una pequeña parte de lo que él quiere mostrarnos.
¿El argumento? La verdad es que ahí me quitó el sombrero por la idea que nos quiere mostrar aunque arranca un poco más tarde de lo que uno se espera. También considero que se trata de una trilogía así que tampoco le intento dar muchas vueltas a la tortilla e intento ver por donde van a ir los siguientes libros. Eso sí, ha habido pasajes que parecieron fuera de lugar y me han provocado que me moleste y tome menos en serio la novela.
El final también me dejó un poco descolocada. No sé qué rumbo tendrá. Solo espero varias cosas: que se mejore el wordbuilding, haya desarrollo de los personajes y que no haya más pasajes fanservice, por favor.
Este es un libro que lleva pululando por las redes meses y meses. Fue ganador del Booknest a la primera novela de 2019. La catalogan como una novela de fantasía con una ambientación potente, unos personajes que ganan al lector, continuas sorpresas y un trasfondo donde se enfrentan los poderes económicos, políticos y religiosos.
Sinceramente ante dicha publicidad lo menos que puedes hacer es leerlo y así forjarte tu propia opinión para ver si todos esos comentarios positivos no son infundados. Ahora bien, lo que me he encontrado...se me aleja un poco de la realidad y me ha parecido que lo han “inflado un poco” (a mi parecer).
En primer lugar, sí es verdad que lo que más destaca de esta novela es el wordbuilding, bueno la “idea” de worldbuilding. Me explico: el autor nos presenta un mundo, concretamente una ciudad que podríamos encuadrar entre el siglo XVIII-XIX. La ciudad está plagada de monasterios y cultos a otras deidades pero no sabemos nada de ellas ni por qué hay tantos. El régimen que hay apenas se explica sino grosso modo y aún me quedan bastantes dudas que ansían respuestas ¿ Está repartido con un culto en concreto? ¿Con los ghouls? ¿Cuáles son dichos acuerdos que se mencionan a lo largo de la novela? Lo que sí se sabe es la historia de siempre, los ricos son muy ricos y los pobres muy pobres y esa parte tiene que cambiar.
Por otro lado, está la ambientación. Nada más empiezas a leer notas como te sumerges en un mundo bastante oscuro. Da igual que sea de día tu lo ves todo con gafas grises y claroscuros. Las únicas luces que vislumbras son la de las farolas o las linternas portátiles por no hablar de uno de los monstruos que pueblan esta novela que portan consigo luz propia. Esto me ha gustado mucho porque da una sensación de encontrarme en un videojuego de “terror” como puede ser el famoso Dark souls lleno de catedrales y edificios góticos europeos.
Pasando a los personajes. Lo siento pero son bastantes planos y clichés. El único que se salva siquiera es Rata, un ghoul, y sus capítulos son algo más graciosos que el resto porque tiene ocurrencias. El resto...ni de broma se salvan. Eso sí los mejores personajes aparte de rata son Eleonora y Aleena.
“Me los habría comido”-le gustaría decirle al padre-.“Me habría quedado lleno. Parecían un buen bocado”.
La narración. El autor no se anda por las ramas e intenta que todo sea claro y conciso, creo que esto le ha influenciado porque él mismo es escritor y creador de videojuegos. Es decir, en los videojuegos lo que se intenta es exactamente es ser claro y conciso y te ayudan otros factores como la imagen-desarrollo. Sin embargo, esto falla en una novela porque para mí falta profundidad y no somos capaces de ver sino una pequeña parte de lo que él quiere mostrarnos.
¿El argumento? La verdad es que ahí me quitó el sombrero por la idea que nos quiere mostrar aunque arranca un poco más tarde de lo que uno se espera. También considero que se trata de una trilogía así que tampoco le intento dar muchas vueltas a la tortilla e intento ver por donde van a ir los siguientes libros. Eso sí, ha habido pasajes que parecieron fuera de lugar y me han provocado que me moleste y tome menos en serio la novela.
El final también me dejó un poco descolocada. No sé qué rumbo tendrá. Solo espero varias cosas: que se mejore el wordbuilding, haya desarrollo de los personajes y que no haya más pasajes fanservice, por favor.
December 17, 2018
You know things aren’t going to plan when you’re in the middle of a robbery and the building blows up around you, alchemical fire turning what was already a pretty difficult job into complete chaos, threatening a fiery death, and possibly getting you nicked to boot. If that was part of the game plan, nobody told Cari, Spar, or Rat. It’s almost like no-one cared whether they lived or died. Or if they got caught… Yet the man who sent them isn’t the kind of whom you ask hard questions, unless you want blade-sharp answers. That or worse, an unfriendly visit from the Fever Knight. But now they’re being sought by all kinds of interested parties, from the Brotherhood to the Watch, from hidden gods to mythical monsters, and they’re running low on people to trust. They’ve been pitched into the middle of an ongoing battle with no idea of the rules, or even who’s playing, and they desperately need to find out what’s going on. With THIS IS NOT THE LAST chillingly painted at the scene of the explosion, it seems like there’s way more destruction to come - and these three stand right at its heart, whether they like it or not. Their choices are going to change the world, so they better be good ones…
To say this book is imaginative is to undersell it, the author’s inventiveness is showcased on every page, from the ghoul inhabited depths below the city to the dirty streets and dirtier politics of the streets above. It’s a thoroughly lived in place, each new generation of occupation layered on the remains of the past, creating a stratified history and material culture that’s only partly visible. Guerdon has the feel of an old, old city, the kind that’s as much a character as those who live there. Its secrets sit just out of sight, snapping into focus only when you look deeper. It works as much for the plot and the characters as it does for the worldbuilding. The expected path is rarely taken and it brings some thrilling challenges for the reader. So you’re putting a ghoul who eats rotting human flesh as a main character? Interesting… I like where this is going. Nobody is who you expect them to be, flawed at the very least, and often much worse than that. There’s a seedy immorality to it all, superbly contrasted by the bonds of friendship between the main three. Their willingness to fight for each other is what keeps this from being as grim as it might seem at first glance, in their relationship is enough hope and trust and faithfulness to counter the dark.
Even so, the writing sometimes had a jerkiness, an indecisiveness, a fumbling in the movement from scene to scene that nullified the overall impact. In flicking from one to the next, sometimes repeating the same moment from another character angle, going for the quick shock and terse explanation, any emotional effect was lost. People died at the end, but they did so almost by the wayside, an ooops-they’re-gone shrug of the shoulders and it’s the End. Perhaps this reflected the fleeting nature of human experience when measured against the weighty, layered past of the city itself, but it fed into my general lack of feeling for anyone involved. I just didn’t really care who was going to come though it and when some of them didn’t, I barely noticed. I had to go back and reread a few bits because I was wondering about people who were already dead. In all honesty, I was skimming by this point, the prioritisation of action over feeling (and maybe over cohesion too) meant I’d lost my connection to the story. For all the imagination and creativity on display here, I already know I won’t be rereading the book. These are not characters to love and come back to. They’re interesting but distant. Nevertheless, this does nothing to undermine my admiration of the author’s talent in creating something original. Definitely one to try for yourself.
ARC via Netgalley
To say this book is imaginative is to undersell it, the author’s inventiveness is showcased on every page, from the ghoul inhabited depths below the city to the dirty streets and dirtier politics of the streets above. It’s a thoroughly lived in place, each new generation of occupation layered on the remains of the past, creating a stratified history and material culture that’s only partly visible. Guerdon has the feel of an old, old city, the kind that’s as much a character as those who live there. Its secrets sit just out of sight, snapping into focus only when you look deeper. It works as much for the plot and the characters as it does for the worldbuilding. The expected path is rarely taken and it brings some thrilling challenges for the reader. So you’re putting a ghoul who eats rotting human flesh as a main character? Interesting… I like where this is going. Nobody is who you expect them to be, flawed at the very least, and often much worse than that. There’s a seedy immorality to it all, superbly contrasted by the bonds of friendship between the main three. Their willingness to fight for each other is what keeps this from being as grim as it might seem at first glance, in their relationship is enough hope and trust and faithfulness to counter the dark.
Even so, the writing sometimes had a jerkiness, an indecisiveness, a fumbling in the movement from scene to scene that nullified the overall impact. In flicking from one to the next, sometimes repeating the same moment from another character angle, going for the quick shock and terse explanation, any emotional effect was lost. People died at the end, but they did so almost by the wayside, an ooops-they’re-gone shrug of the shoulders and it’s the End. Perhaps this reflected the fleeting nature of human experience when measured against the weighty, layered past of the city itself, but it fed into my general lack of feeling for anyone involved. I just didn’t really care who was going to come though it and when some of them didn’t, I barely noticed. I had to go back and reread a few bits because I was wondering about people who were already dead. In all honesty, I was skimming by this point, the prioritisation of action over feeling (and maybe over cohesion too) meant I’d lost my connection to the story. For all the imagination and creativity on display here, I already know I won’t be rereading the book. These are not characters to love and come back to. They’re interesting but distant. Nevertheless, this does nothing to undermine my admiration of the author’s talent in creating something original. Definitely one to try for yourself.
ARC via Netgalley
August 29, 2021
250 páginas y abandonado.
A pesar de que algunos decís que la cosa mejora, el estilo del autor es el que es y mucho tiene que podar la paja que mete para que sea de mi gusto.
En estas 250 páginas nos muestra la ciudad de Guerdon en un, eso sí, gran despliegue de seres, conceptos, dioses y descripciones. Un gran ejemplo de fantasía urbana oscura que, si sólo pides eso y no te importa la paja, lo vas a gozar.
¿Y el resto? Meh, meh y más meh.
Personajes flojos, sin cuerpo (Jere el cazarrecompensas salva). Infodump a saco que no es necesario. Ritmo cansino a pesar de que no paran de pasar cosas. Coño, que no me apetece seguir leyendo y que bastantes páginas le he dado de triguillo.
Repito que algún amigo -Overhaul- dice que mejora: pues bien, pues vale, pues me alegro pero no aguanto más.
A tenor del premio ese, Booknest a la Mejor Primera Novela 2019, creo que mi opinión va a ser minoritaria, pero en conciencia no puedo escribir ora cosa que lo que leéis.
A pesar de que algunos decís que la cosa mejora, el estilo del autor es el que es y mucho tiene que podar la paja que mete para que sea de mi gusto.
En estas 250 páginas nos muestra la ciudad de Guerdon en un, eso sí, gran despliegue de seres, conceptos, dioses y descripciones. Un gran ejemplo de fantasía urbana oscura que, si sólo pides eso y no te importa la paja, lo vas a gozar.
¿Y el resto? Meh, meh y más meh.
Personajes flojos, sin cuerpo (Jere el cazarrecompensas salva). Infodump a saco que no es necesario. Ritmo cansino a pesar de que no paran de pasar cosas. Coño, que no me apetece seguir leyendo y que bastantes páginas le he dado de triguillo.
Repito que algún amigo -Overhaul- dice que mejora: pues bien, pues vale, pues me alegro pero no aguanto más.
A tenor del premio ese, Booknest a la Mejor Primera Novela 2019, creo que mi opinión va a ser minoritaria, pero en conciencia no puedo escribir ora cosa que lo que leéis.
February 5, 2019
Most would agree that change is one of the essential ingredients of any good story. Character growth and development are just as important to a story as how it begins and ends. In many cases, the most compelling stories feature characters and environments that experience massive transformations that redefine everything we knew or will know. Gareth Hanrahan’s debut novel The Gutter Prayer, book one of the Black Iron Legacy series, is one such story. It is an imaginative tale of changing identities, nightmarish terrors, and the crushing responsibilities of power, and one of the more unconventional dark fantasies I’ve read.
One theme that elevates this story is how the many physical and spiritual changes manifest themselves in interesting ways. While our three main protagonists all undergo extensive changes throughout the story, the environment itself is subject of some of the most interesting narrative choices. The animate and inanimate alike are given points of view; the prologue is written in second-person, addressing and identifying ‘you’ as a city building. This initially feels both innovative and off-putting, but its intention is revealed over time and ends up being quite brilliant. The city of Guerdon is just as an important character as our three protagonists; there are untold networks of tunnels full of alchemical and magical life forces that extend far below the city’s surface. We also spend time learning about landmarks across the sprawling metropolis that are intrinsic to the plot and tightly woven into the overarching story. In a world where warring immortals use demi-human avatars to channel the power of the gods, it seems justifiable to include the setting itself as a driving agent of change and growth.
The story takes place entirely within the city limits of Guerdon, a neutral territory that sells alchemical weapons to both sides of the nearby Gods War. The war has yet to come to the shores of Guerdon, and the Alchemists Guild is reaping a fortune in the interim. While the Alchemists Guild holds great power in the city, another faction has been gaining influence over the past few decades: The Brotherhood of Thieves. Carillon Thay is a one such thief who is haunted by painful visions that pull her mind into an omni-present state. (The vivid descriptions of these episodes are some of my favorite passages in the novel.) Spar is the son of the former leader of the Brotherhood, driven by a responsibility to provide for the city’s less fortunate, yet is dying from an incurable disease that turns his skin into stone. Rat is a ghoul, a half-feral being who lives on the surface but feels the pull of joining his elders in the depths of the warrens far beneath the city. We first meet these three friends on a thieving mission that goes horribly awry, and the story takes off and never looks back.
There are some memorable side characters, notably Aleena, a foul-mouthed Saint of the local Keeper gods, tasked with defending her city from the various horrors that threaten it. There’s also Jere the Thief-Taker, a former soldier-turned-bounty-hunter with a penchant for trouble, and Eladora, a student historian who is pulled into events far outside her comfort zone. But the book really shines when it introduces us to the many macabre and disquieting creatures that populate the city. The Tallowmen are deadly wax automatons with a burning spinal wick, built from human remains, serving as the city’s specialized police force. The Creeping Ones are sorcerous beings made up of thousands of soul-hungry white worms that arrange themselves into humanoid forms. The Ravellers are tentacled black membranes that act as extensions of an evil, dormant race of gods, driven to murder and sacrifice for their masters’ freedom. It’s all very detailed and very chilling. Hanrahan is not afraid to ‘go there’ in terms of surprising the reader with unpredictable and shocking moments of violence and dread.
Many aspects of this book appealed to me. Notably, one side character is a collector of leftover bits of alchemical waste that’s repackaged and sold on the black market, which is strongly reminiscent of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky’s sci-fi classic Roadside Picnic. Another interesting detail is a theory on the various gods represented in the book, that they are all “self-sustaining magical constructs… spells that keep going. Like waterwheels powered by the passage of souls, maybe.” Most of all, I particularly enjoyed how the main characters are all tempted by evil, and we experience their thought process of why it might be the more attractive path. In some books, the heroes don’t think twice about taking the moral high ground. Here, we are privy to them considering going to the dark side, the path of least resistance, weighing their chances of success and survival, and attempting to justify their decisions. It’s refreshing, and in my eyes, more realistic. Perhaps that says something more about me than the characters in the story, which I appreciate even more.
I did have a couple of minor issues with the story. There are a couple of instances when an antagonist reveals a long-winded master plan, which felt more than a bit supervillainy. There were some atonal mustache-twirling exposition dumps by more than one character that felt very out of place. Coming from one person I can accept as a character flaw, but two or more characters felt like the explanations were shoehorned in instead of unfolding organically. And while I grew to enjoy our main cast of heroes, I felt that their characterizations weren’t particularly deep. Since this is mainly a plot-driven story, I never felt like I grew close to the cast beyond some surface level character traits.
I will absolutely be continuing this series, so I hope those aspects will be improved upon in the next volume. The final line of the epilogue is a killer one, and I’ll no doubt be mulling over its implications until book two arrives. The Gutter Prayer is an exceptional dark fantasy debut with imaginative approaches to creature-building, religious warfare, and urban decay. It’s a fantastic introduction to the mind of Gareth Hanrahan and will likely make it to many of 2019’s lists of the year’s best.
8.4 / 10
One theme that elevates this story is how the many physical and spiritual changes manifest themselves in interesting ways. While our three main protagonists all undergo extensive changes throughout the story, the environment itself is subject of some of the most interesting narrative choices. The animate and inanimate alike are given points of view; the prologue is written in second-person, addressing and identifying ‘you’ as a city building. This initially feels both innovative and off-putting, but its intention is revealed over time and ends up being quite brilliant. The city of Guerdon is just as an important character as our three protagonists; there are untold networks of tunnels full of alchemical and magical life forces that extend far below the city’s surface. We also spend time learning about landmarks across the sprawling metropolis that are intrinsic to the plot and tightly woven into the overarching story. In a world where warring immortals use demi-human avatars to channel the power of the gods, it seems justifiable to include the setting itself as a driving agent of change and growth.
The story takes place entirely within the city limits of Guerdon, a neutral territory that sells alchemical weapons to both sides of the nearby Gods War. The war has yet to come to the shores of Guerdon, and the Alchemists Guild is reaping a fortune in the interim. While the Alchemists Guild holds great power in the city, another faction has been gaining influence over the past few decades: The Brotherhood of Thieves. Carillon Thay is a one such thief who is haunted by painful visions that pull her mind into an omni-present state. (The vivid descriptions of these episodes are some of my favorite passages in the novel.) Spar is the son of the former leader of the Brotherhood, driven by a responsibility to provide for the city’s less fortunate, yet is dying from an incurable disease that turns his skin into stone. Rat is a ghoul, a half-feral being who lives on the surface but feels the pull of joining his elders in the depths of the warrens far beneath the city. We first meet these three friends on a thieving mission that goes horribly awry, and the story takes off and never looks back.
There are some memorable side characters, notably Aleena, a foul-mouthed Saint of the local Keeper gods, tasked with defending her city from the various horrors that threaten it. There’s also Jere the Thief-Taker, a former soldier-turned-bounty-hunter with a penchant for trouble, and Eladora, a student historian who is pulled into events far outside her comfort zone. But the book really shines when it introduces us to the many macabre and disquieting creatures that populate the city. The Tallowmen are deadly wax automatons with a burning spinal wick, built from human remains, serving as the city’s specialized police force. The Creeping Ones are sorcerous beings made up of thousands of soul-hungry white worms that arrange themselves into humanoid forms. The Ravellers are tentacled black membranes that act as extensions of an evil, dormant race of gods, driven to murder and sacrifice for their masters’ freedom. It’s all very detailed and very chilling. Hanrahan is not afraid to ‘go there’ in terms of surprising the reader with unpredictable and shocking moments of violence and dread.
Many aspects of this book appealed to me. Notably, one side character is a collector of leftover bits of alchemical waste that’s repackaged and sold on the black market, which is strongly reminiscent of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky’s sci-fi classic Roadside Picnic. Another interesting detail is a theory on the various gods represented in the book, that they are all “self-sustaining magical constructs… spells that keep going. Like waterwheels powered by the passage of souls, maybe.” Most of all, I particularly enjoyed how the main characters are all tempted by evil, and we experience their thought process of why it might be the more attractive path. In some books, the heroes don’t think twice about taking the moral high ground. Here, we are privy to them considering going to the dark side, the path of least resistance, weighing their chances of success and survival, and attempting to justify their decisions. It’s refreshing, and in my eyes, more realistic. Perhaps that says something more about me than the characters in the story, which I appreciate even more.
I did have a couple of minor issues with the story. There are a couple of instances when an antagonist reveals a long-winded master plan, which felt more than a bit supervillainy. There were some atonal mustache-twirling exposition dumps by more than one character that felt very out of place. Coming from one person I can accept as a character flaw, but two or more characters felt like the explanations were shoehorned in instead of unfolding organically. And while I grew to enjoy our main cast of heroes, I felt that their characterizations weren’t particularly deep. Since this is mainly a plot-driven story, I never felt like I grew close to the cast beyond some surface level character traits.
I will absolutely be continuing this series, so I hope those aspects will be improved upon in the next volume. The final line of the epilogue is a killer one, and I’ll no doubt be mulling over its implications until book two arrives. The Gutter Prayer is an exceptional dark fantasy debut with imaginative approaches to creature-building, religious warfare, and urban decay. It’s a fantastic introduction to the mind of Gareth Hanrahan and will likely make it to many of 2019’s lists of the year’s best.
8.4 / 10
March 5, 2019
Went to write reviews of another couple of books I’ve just read, and realised I’d forgotten to leave even a rating for this (despite having read the ARC for it… mid last year, I think?). That’s somewhat to my shame, because it’s a wonderfully written, highly original debut that’s still quite clear in my memory even several months on.
For those interested, the world – or more specifically, the city in which the entire story is set – is solidly ‘grimdark’, but the main characters are likeable and have plenty of redeeming qualities to offset that backdrop. It also helped that the world wasn’t just unique and beautifully realised, but really woven into the fabric of the story – it all just meshes together wonderfully.
There’s certainly much more of the world to explore in the sequels, but it’s worth noting that this book stood by itself quite well too: there’s clearly still a larger story to be told, but there were no immediately unsatisfying loose ends. I’m looking forward to book 2!
For those interested, the world – or more specifically, the city in which the entire story is set – is solidly ‘grimdark’, but the main characters are likeable and have plenty of redeeming qualities to offset that backdrop. It also helped that the world wasn’t just unique and beautifully realised, but really woven into the fabric of the story – it all just meshes together wonderfully.
There’s certainly much more of the world to explore in the sequels, but it’s worth noting that this book stood by itself quite well too: there’s clearly still a larger story to be told, but there were no immediately unsatisfying loose ends. I’m looking forward to book 2!
dnf-lost-interest
June 18, 2019Going to put this on hold for now, and try coming back to it at a later date.
September 7, 2022
Primer libro de la trilogía "El legado del hierro negro", novela de fantasía oscura con una gran cantidad de dioses, santos, criaturas originales y magia.
Su punto fuerte es su fantástica y original ambientación, con una trama compleja y a priori genial, narrada desde varios puntos de vista y con mucha historia y política en un entorno en conflicto, aunque el ritmo resulta lento y avanza a trompicones. Los personajes son muy interesantes pero sus motivaciones e interacciones me han parecido pobres.
Ideas interesantes y una ambientación soberbia.
3,5⭐
Su punto fuerte es su fantástica y original ambientación, con una trama compleja y a priori genial, narrada desde varios puntos de vista y con mucha historia y política en un entorno en conflicto, aunque el ritmo resulta lento y avanza a trompicones. Los personajes son muy interesantes pero sus motivaciones e interacciones me han parecido pobres.
Ideas interesantes y una ambientación soberbia.
3,5⭐
August 8, 2022
4.0 Stars
This is an incredibly unique, gripping start to a fantasy trilogy. I loved most three main perspectives which is not something I can often say in multiple POV stories. I also appreciated how fresh the worldbuilding felt with some wonderfully dark elements to the story.
This is an incredibly unique, gripping start to a fantasy trilogy. I loved most three main perspectives which is not something I can often say in multiple POV stories. I also appreciated how fresh the worldbuilding felt with some wonderfully dark elements to the story.
March 7, 2019
The Gutter Prayer es un libro extraño, a lo sumo.
Soy consciente de que lo que hay aquí es una de las aproximaciones más originales y épicas (ésta vez en el sentido literal de la palabra) a la fantasía urbana que haya visto nunca. El mundo que construye Gareth Hanrahan es increíble. He adorado la ciudad de Guerdon, su enrevesada historia, sus monstruos, sus alquimistas y sus dioses. Me fascina el concepto de una guerra mundial basada en dioses enloquecidos. Pero la historia se hace enrevesada e inconexa en bastantes ocasiones, requiriendo esfuerzo para mantener conectados todos los puntos. A su vez, los personajes no me parecieron muy interesantes, con la excepción de Santa Aleena y Jere Taphson.
No obstante, al César lo que es del César: esta mierda es buena. Leedla.
Soy consciente de que lo que hay aquí es una de las aproximaciones más originales y épicas (ésta vez en el sentido literal de la palabra) a la fantasía urbana que haya visto nunca. El mundo que construye Gareth Hanrahan es increíble. He adorado la ciudad de Guerdon, su enrevesada historia, sus monstruos, sus alquimistas y sus dioses. Me fascina el concepto de una guerra mundial basada en dioses enloquecidos. Pero la historia se hace enrevesada e inconexa en bastantes ocasiones, requiriendo esfuerzo para mantener conectados todos los puntos. A su vez, los personajes no me parecieron muy interesantes, con la excepción de Santa Aleena y Jere Taphson.
No obstante, al César lo que es del César: esta mierda es buena. Leedla.
April 20, 2023
Horror is the filthiest genre. The most disgusting and repellent. It is the odious troll farm of the arts.
It is also the most fun. The most creative. And the most human.
It is the greatest genre in the arts.
As a special sauce horror improves everything. Fantasy. Science fiction. Superheroes. Pirate fiction. Dramatic literature. Political intrigue. Fairy smut. Slapstick comedy. Absurdist comedy. Giant monsters. Children's stories. It goes well with every kind of art, every type of idea, every story.
Because fear is essential, universal and endlessly imaginative. Fear can turn your empty closet into a realm of monsters.
The world just tastes bigger with a little bit of horror.
Horror as a genre is what websites like Twitter imagine they are. It is a deviant trickster mob eternally lighting fires (both political and otherwise). Only horror isn't some edge lord who lights fires to see the world burn. Horror lights fires for the sake of setting a good mood. To deepen the shadows, if you will.
So. Gutter Prayer is a fantasy story with a lot of horror elements. And the shadows here are really dark and really deep.
Gutter Prayer is a multiple perspective fantasy novel full of corpse-eating ghouls and worm-people and chronically ill men who are slowly petrifying. Also there are elder spirits captured in iron and melted down and formed into Gothic cathedral bells.
From the very first chapter I was like "Hell yeah. I'm on board. Take me to Funkytown."
And oh boy. Did I get a ride.
Gutter Prayer tackles the spirituality of being eaten. Cannibalism as transcendence. The food chain as enlightenment. Allowing the flesh of your loved ones to be devoured so that they might get closer to the gods. The blessing of being consumed. By nature. By curses. By sickness. By magic.
It is about a city sinking in Lovecraftian horror. Full of backstabbing and politics, cruel cynicism and unwavering, undying resilience that only comes from pain and experience. In the deeper subterranean lairs, monsters and alchemists and giant lumbering undead have their own quiet war over who gets to slurp up the buried and watch the gates.
Where all of the forces of the world try to contain and use the eldritch power that lives deep within the soil and is literally alive within the culture. Zoetic magic spells, twisted and corrupted, tortured and cast into iron. Magic grown aware and hungry with designs of its own.
A fantasy where being chosen by a god ...is not always a good thing.
Some would call this novel 'grimdark', I prefer calling it "excellent".
Because it is fucking excellent.
I had a blast playing in the cobblestone streets of this eternally slimy place, one part Gormenghast, one part Innsmouth, two parts George R. R. Martin. Mix and settle.
Where a fresh abomination is waiting around every corner eager to lick your eyeball out.
And what can I say? I've never been one to turn down a good ball-licking. Que sera sera.
The truth about fantasy is that the world that inspired our legends and Dungeons and Dragons RPGs was disgusting. Smelly. Putrid. Heartless.
It was romantic to be sure. And it was full of high ideals. No doubt! The myths were built into the walls of every major landmark.
But...fresh? Clean? Just? A world of happy people with full bellies, occasionally upset by a rampaging monster? No. Afraid not. The monsters were a part of the scenery. The monsters haggled over who got to eat our dead. The monsters were in the walls and under the floorboards.
Our myths are built on corpse soil. Our fantasy worlds are grown from a garden of worms. Prince Charming tongue-kissing a cadaver like any good carrion animal.
And that spirituality is at the heart of Gutter Prayer.
Also bonus: Gutter Prayer uses smart body horror to accurately represent the slow march of degeneration in chronic illness and chronic pain.
There's one scene where a character with a body that is petrifying is hit with water. And he quietly cherishes it, as the water lights up the parts of his torso that can still feel. Like a road map of his remaining humanity.
I have a chronic illness and I have spent over ten years slowly being eaten by nerve damage. And I've done that exact same thing many times in a shower. Felt the exact same way.
I know people who suffer from illnesses like diabetes who have done it too.
Being cognisant of which parts of you can still touch and be touched is such a relief. The relief of knowing there's still some of you left.
And it's also deeply horrific. The isolation and the pain and the frustration of gradually losing everything you are, not all at once, but by inches? By days? It's existential terror. It assaults not just who you are, but the human experience entirely. Life itself. Where the idea of being able to put on your boots or close your fist, read a book or open your eye become a luxury. When you lose the small details, simple things you enjoyed become mountains. Myth. The old folklore of a life that in retrospect feels like a fairy tale.
I don't know if I would call this writing 'good representation' because such things are subjective. Different people have vastly different experiences, especially with illnesses, chronic pain and disabilities. But accurate? Yes. And more importantly, observant. Caring.
The scene shows the emotional skill of the author. It shows a mature storytelling that is often overlooked. The interest in the small details of the character's experience displays a heightened form of curiosity that is essential to writing good fiction in any genre.
But especially, horror.
How a shower feels, how standing in a crowd feels, the crippling social anxiety in losing the ability to touch. All the little things, the tiny moments that fill up our lives that we take for granted add dimension to our world.
In this fantasy, there is a true sense of adventure, because it's not just the lore or the magic system or the creatures or their mythology, it's not just the politics or the locations, it's the feeling of a lived-in experience.
Small details in a disturbing story can turn a body into a haunted house, can turn your skin into the lands of Mordor. It is cherished in horror fiction, because to get to that essential understanding of pain and fear, you must personalise it. To understand the real terror of mortality you must experience the treachery of flesh. That moment where you suddenly realise yourself and your body are not always the same thing. An attention not just to character, but to the character's life.
There's a difference.
And it's a very small distinction.
Not all good storytellers need it, but all great storytellers understand it.
And that is the value of horror. It is the secret sauce of empathy.
It adds dimension to our art. And our world.
It is also the most fun. The most creative. And the most human.
It is the greatest genre in the arts.
As a special sauce horror improves everything. Fantasy. Science fiction. Superheroes. Pirate fiction. Dramatic literature. Political intrigue. Fairy smut. Slapstick comedy. Absurdist comedy. Giant monsters. Children's stories. It goes well with every kind of art, every type of idea, every story.
Because fear is essential, universal and endlessly imaginative. Fear can turn your empty closet into a realm of monsters.
The world just tastes bigger with a little bit of horror.
Horror as a genre is what websites like Twitter imagine they are. It is a deviant trickster mob eternally lighting fires (both political and otherwise). Only horror isn't some edge lord who lights fires to see the world burn. Horror lights fires for the sake of setting a good mood. To deepen the shadows, if you will.
So. Gutter Prayer is a fantasy story with a lot of horror elements. And the shadows here are really dark and really deep.
Gutter Prayer is a multiple perspective fantasy novel full of corpse-eating ghouls and worm-people and chronically ill men who are slowly petrifying. Also there are elder spirits captured in iron and melted down and formed into Gothic cathedral bells.
From the very first chapter I was like "Hell yeah. I'm on board. Take me to Funkytown."
And oh boy. Did I get a ride.
Gutter Prayer tackles the spirituality of being eaten. Cannibalism as transcendence. The food chain as enlightenment. Allowing the flesh of your loved ones to be devoured so that they might get closer to the gods. The blessing of being consumed. By nature. By curses. By sickness. By magic.
It is about a city sinking in Lovecraftian horror. Full of backstabbing and politics, cruel cynicism and unwavering, undying resilience that only comes from pain and experience. In the deeper subterranean lairs, monsters and alchemists and giant lumbering undead have their own quiet war over who gets to slurp up the buried and watch the gates.
Where all of the forces of the world try to contain and use the eldritch power that lives deep within the soil and is literally alive within the culture. Zoetic magic spells, twisted and corrupted, tortured and cast into iron. Magic grown aware and hungry with designs of its own.
A fantasy where being chosen by a god ...is not always a good thing.
Some would call this novel 'grimdark', I prefer calling it "excellent".
Because it is fucking excellent.
I had a blast playing in the cobblestone streets of this eternally slimy place, one part Gormenghast, one part Innsmouth, two parts George R. R. Martin. Mix and settle.
Where a fresh abomination is waiting around every corner eager to lick your eyeball out.
And what can I say? I've never been one to turn down a good ball-licking. Que sera sera.
The truth about fantasy is that the world that inspired our legends and Dungeons and Dragons RPGs was disgusting. Smelly. Putrid. Heartless.
It was romantic to be sure. And it was full of high ideals. No doubt! The myths were built into the walls of every major landmark.
But...fresh? Clean? Just? A world of happy people with full bellies, occasionally upset by a rampaging monster? No. Afraid not. The monsters were a part of the scenery. The monsters haggled over who got to eat our dead. The monsters were in the walls and under the floorboards.
Our myths are built on corpse soil. Our fantasy worlds are grown from a garden of worms. Prince Charming tongue-kissing a cadaver like any good carrion animal.
And that spirituality is at the heart of Gutter Prayer.
Also bonus: Gutter Prayer uses smart body horror to accurately represent the slow march of degeneration in chronic illness and chronic pain.
There's one scene where a character with a body that is petrifying is hit with water. And he quietly cherishes it, as the water lights up the parts of his torso that can still feel. Like a road map of his remaining humanity.
I have a chronic illness and I have spent over ten years slowly being eaten by nerve damage. And I've done that exact same thing many times in a shower. Felt the exact same way.
I know people who suffer from illnesses like diabetes who have done it too.
Being cognisant of which parts of you can still touch and be touched is such a relief. The relief of knowing there's still some of you left.
And it's also deeply horrific. The isolation and the pain and the frustration of gradually losing everything you are, not all at once, but by inches? By days? It's existential terror. It assaults not just who you are, but the human experience entirely. Life itself. Where the idea of being able to put on your boots or close your fist, read a book or open your eye become a luxury. When you lose the small details, simple things you enjoyed become mountains. Myth. The old folklore of a life that in retrospect feels like a fairy tale.
I don't know if I would call this writing 'good representation' because such things are subjective. Different people have vastly different experiences, especially with illnesses, chronic pain and disabilities. But accurate? Yes. And more importantly, observant. Caring.
The scene shows the emotional skill of the author. It shows a mature storytelling that is often overlooked. The interest in the small details of the character's experience displays a heightened form of curiosity that is essential to writing good fiction in any genre.
But especially, horror.
How a shower feels, how standing in a crowd feels, the crippling social anxiety in losing the ability to touch. All the little things, the tiny moments that fill up our lives that we take for granted add dimension to our world.
In this fantasy, there is a true sense of adventure, because it's not just the lore or the magic system or the creatures or their mythology, it's not just the politics or the locations, it's the feeling of a lived-in experience.
Small details in a disturbing story can turn a body into a haunted house, can turn your skin into the lands of Mordor. It is cherished in horror fiction, because to get to that essential understanding of pain and fear, you must personalise it. To understand the real terror of mortality you must experience the treachery of flesh. That moment where you suddenly realise yourself and your body are not always the same thing. An attention not just to character, but to the character's life.
There's a difference.
And it's a very small distinction.
Not all good storytellers need it, but all great storytellers understand it.
And that is the value of horror. It is the secret sauce of empathy.
It adds dimension to our art. And our world.
September 20, 2020
The Gutter Prayer has a wonderfully balanced mix of worldbuilding, grimdark sensibilities, striking characters, and a huge blowout of an ending. Between an interesting race of Ghouls who get power from eating the dead, to men who are slowly, horribly turning into stone, or from an extremely fascinating history filled with old gods (and an extremely interesting setup and rule-orientation for them), overall, I thought this novel was a pretty decent epic-fantasy setup. There are many other details, of course, but I really latched on to these.
But the novel isn't merely a cool collection of interesting ideas. The characters are solid and interesting. The worldbuilding in particular tickled all my fancies. But above all, it is the balance between all these aspects, including pacing, reversals, and steady ramp-up to a huge ending, that made me take notice. I really appreciate how the author came from the gaming industry. It serves him in good stead.
So far, I'm quite pleased with the turnout here. I'm really curious to see how it takes the reveals in new directions, or if it does, in the next.
Those damn old gods... :)
But the novel isn't merely a cool collection of interesting ideas. The characters are solid and interesting. The worldbuilding in particular tickled all my fancies. But above all, it is the balance between all these aspects, including pacing, reversals, and steady ramp-up to a huge ending, that made me take notice. I really appreciate how the author came from the gaming industry. It serves him in good stead.
So far, I'm quite pleased with the turnout here. I'm really curious to see how it takes the reveals in new directions, or if it does, in the next.
Those damn old gods... :)
May 21, 2018
This book is bonkers from start to finish. Monsters, magic, thieves, alchemists, saints and gods rub shoulders and pick pockets in the city of Guerdon while across the sea the Godswar rages on, saints and avatars and alchemical bombs making a wasteland of the paradise the gods created for their followers and now destroy.
A ghoul, a man suffering from the Stone Plague and a young woman team up to rob a building and inadvertently get dragged into a plot to bring back some very nasty gods. None of them are exactly what they seem as they stumble unknowingly from one disaster to the next in a bid to prevent the return of the gods and to wrest control of the Brotherhood of Thieves from the vicious master, Heinreil.
This has lashings of black humour and some truly disgusting monsters and morals. If you like your fantasy turned up to 11 and stuffed with every weird thing you can think of - and a lot more you can't - then this is the Lovecraftian, eldritch book of the damned for you.
A ghoul, a man suffering from the Stone Plague and a young woman team up to rob a building and inadvertently get dragged into a plot to bring back some very nasty gods. None of them are exactly what they seem as they stumble unknowingly from one disaster to the next in a bid to prevent the return of the gods and to wrest control of the Brotherhood of Thieves from the vicious master, Heinreil.
This has lashings of black humour and some truly disgusting monsters and morals. If you like your fantasy turned up to 11 and stuffed with every weird thing you can think of - and a lot more you can't - then this is the Lovecraftian, eldritch book of the damned for you.
December 27, 2018
I received an ARC of The Gutter Prayer in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Gareth Hanrahan and Orbit Books for the opportunity.
The Gutter Prayer is something very rare. It is a fantasy book treading new ground, forging its own path.
From the first page, the writing lets you know that this is something very different. Not only is the narration very unusual (don’t even ask me what this narrative voice is called), Hanrahan’s voice is so unique, it is truly hard to believe that this is a debut effort. Unpublished writers beware! Judging by the talent on display here, every aspiring writer should up their game.
The main plot has us following three thieves with a mission, only for everything to go spectacularly wrong. What starts out as a simple little heist quickly unravels, and I mean very quickly, into a rabbit warren of mystery, magic, dark secrets and horrific truths. I will not even begin to try and explain the plot further than that, as it is dark delight best left unspoiled.
This is a world conjured up by some mad genius in possession of mind boggling creativity. Layer upon layer of rich, detailed elements, fascinating history, vivid imagery and unique characters cements this as an original world that I absolutely, unequivocally, emphatically, would never want to live in. It is scary as hell. The creativity on display here would warrant a read of this book all by itself, if not for the masterful crescendo of tension weaved into the story, making for a real page turner and culminating in a unputdownable finale.
Gareth Hanrahan topples your expectations and perceptions like dominoes, page by page, until you are left with nothing but pure, unadulterated awe.
All right then. High praise aside, I did have an issue with the book that killed any chance it had of becoming a favourite of mine.
The truth is, I did not care for the characters much. They were well written, and interesting, but somewhere along the lines, the magic that writers do to make you feel for the characters just did not happen for me. There were one or two instances where I started to get the barest inkling that I was starting to care for a character when they were summarily killed off. Maybe that was part of the problem. Main characters met sudden deaths and were gone from the story just like that. Or maybe it was just a timing thing on my part. Gone before I could care and those still present were not as much to my liking. It is a small thing, but it can have a huge influence. I still liked reading about what they were up to, but just did not care about them like I should have. It says a lot though that I still rate this as highly. Either way, I suspect that this won’t be a problem for the majority of readers, so once again it’s more a case of it’s me, not you. 🙂
To finish off with I need to reiterate. This is a very special book my friends. The Gutter Prayer is an absolutely phenomenal debut and with this first attempt Gareth Hanrahan has proven himself exceptionally talented. If the authors mantelpiece (I hope you have one Mr Hanrahan) is not stacked with awards by the end of 2019 I will be shocked and dismayed, as this effort deserves it. Yep, it’s that good. This book will undoubtedly be one of the best fantasy books you will read in 2019 and heralds the start of something absurdly promising. While I had my issues with it, I do not hesitate to call it fantastic and a must read for all who love fantasy. Be sure to mark the release date on your calendar.
PS: There is a gorgeous hardcover of this book available from Goldsboro already. (Release date everywhere else is 15 January 2019) It has beautiful blue edges and to top it all is signed by the author. YES PLEASE! Link
You can find this review at Booksprens
The Gutter Prayer is something very rare. It is a fantasy book treading new ground, forging its own path.
From the first page, the writing lets you know that this is something very different. Not only is the narration very unusual (don’t even ask me what this narrative voice is called), Hanrahan’s voice is so unique, it is truly hard to believe that this is a debut effort. Unpublished writers beware! Judging by the talent on display here, every aspiring writer should up their game.
The main plot has us following three thieves with a mission, only for everything to go spectacularly wrong. What starts out as a simple little heist quickly unravels, and I mean very quickly, into a rabbit warren of mystery, magic, dark secrets and horrific truths. I will not even begin to try and explain the plot further than that, as it is dark delight best left unspoiled.
This is a world conjured up by some mad genius in possession of mind boggling creativity. Layer upon layer of rich, detailed elements, fascinating history, vivid imagery and unique characters cements this as an original world that I absolutely, unequivocally, emphatically, would never want to live in. It is scary as hell. The creativity on display here would warrant a read of this book all by itself, if not for the masterful crescendo of tension weaved into the story, making for a real page turner and culminating in a unputdownable finale.
Gareth Hanrahan topples your expectations and perceptions like dominoes, page by page, until you are left with nothing but pure, unadulterated awe.
All right then. High praise aside, I did have an issue with the book that killed any chance it had of becoming a favourite of mine.
The truth is, I did not care for the characters much. They were well written, and interesting, but somewhere along the lines, the magic that writers do to make you feel for the characters just did not happen for me. There were one or two instances where I started to get the barest inkling that I was starting to care for a character when they were summarily killed off. Maybe that was part of the problem. Main characters met sudden deaths and were gone from the story just like that. Or maybe it was just a timing thing on my part. Gone before I could care and those still present were not as much to my liking. It is a small thing, but it can have a huge influence. I still liked reading about what they were up to, but just did not care about them like I should have. It says a lot though that I still rate this as highly. Either way, I suspect that this won’t be a problem for the majority of readers, so once again it’s more a case of it’s me, not you. 🙂
To finish off with I need to reiterate. This is a very special book my friends. The Gutter Prayer is an absolutely phenomenal debut and with this first attempt Gareth Hanrahan has proven himself exceptionally talented. If the authors mantelpiece (I hope you have one Mr Hanrahan) is not stacked with awards by the end of 2019 I will be shocked and dismayed, as this effort deserves it. Yep, it’s that good. This book will undoubtedly be one of the best fantasy books you will read in 2019 and heralds the start of something absurdly promising. While I had my issues with it, I do not hesitate to call it fantastic and a must read for all who love fantasy. Be sure to mark the release date on your calendar.
PS: There is a gorgeous hardcover of this book available from Goldsboro already. (Release date everywhere else is 15 January 2019) It has beautiful blue edges and to top it all is signed by the author. YES PLEASE! Link
You can find this review at Booksprens
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