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Masters and Mages #2
Dark Forge
The next book in the new series from the master of fantasy, Miles Cameron!
Following on from COLD IRON, this a new series where you will discover that iron can be forged into steel . . . for only steel will survive what is to come . . .
'A stirring, gritty and at times quite brutal epic fantasy' Tor.com
'This series promises to be the standout epic fantasy for the ages' Fantasy Book Critic
Only fools think war is simple or glorious.
On the magic-drenched battlefield, information is the lifeblood of victory, and Aranthur is about to discover that carrying messages, scouting the enemy, keeping his nerve, and passing on orders is more dangerous, and more essential, than an inexperienced soldier could imagine . . . especially when everything starts to go wrong.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 24, 2019
475 people are currently reading
1697 people want to read
About the author
Miles Cameron
29 books2,740 followersMiles Cameron is an author, a re-enactor, an outdoors expert and a weapons specialist. He lives, works and writes in Toronto, where he lives with his family. This is his debut fantasy novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
August 18, 2019
I loved Dark Forge.
It opened with a bang, a nail-biting battle scene full of Miles Cameron's trademark detailed authenticity that throws you straight back into the story and never lets up.
I love how Cameron takes fantasy tropes and makes them feel real. Aranthur's journey from novice student to fledgling leader is spread across this book, and written brilliantly. It's a wonderful blend of epic situations and nuanced, characterful moments. And this is not just page-turning entertainment, there are genuine, thoughtful themes throughout this book that are so relatable in todays world.
This is a series that is going from strength to strength. A must read.
It opened with a bang, a nail-biting battle scene full of Miles Cameron's trademark detailed authenticity that throws you straight back into the story and never lets up.
I love how Cameron takes fantasy tropes and makes them feel real. Aranthur's journey from novice student to fledgling leader is spread across this book, and written brilliantly. It's a wonderful blend of epic situations and nuanced, characterful moments. And this is not just page-turning entertainment, there are genuine, thoughtful themes throughout this book that are so relatable in todays world.
This is a series that is going from strength to strength. A must read.
February 7, 2020
Check out my review for this fantastic book on Grimdark Magazine at: Grimdark Magazine
My 14th book this year! Huzzah!
’There is always time to talk. You must not be in such a rush to die, my brother.’
Miles Cameron continues to go from strength to strength in his fantastic novel Dark Forge. Immense world-building, unique characters and bloody action that has a realism and authentic grit that is rare for fantasy books. Book 2 of Masters and Mages, Dark Forge is fantastic. Read it!
Dark Forge does not feel like the 2nd book of a trilogy. It is not a filler, and although it sets up book 3 fantastically, it also stands tall alongside Cold Iron. For those that have read book 1, Cold Iron, the second instalment is a surprising and very different read. Where in Cold Iron, Cameron had calm world-building, growing and several brilliant but small set-pieces, Dark Forge has great battles, sieges, and a massive step up on the magic side.
‘She handed him a bowl of fish stew. “Horses like it.”
This seems to represent her highest level of compliment.’
It kicks off with a chapter from a new character, someone on the ‘dark side’. Val-al-Dun’s story here brings about the intense and cataclysmic events that change Aranthur’s life. It switches then, to a great battle, continuing from where Cold Iron finished, which brings about the familiar and accomplished battles that Miles Cameron is renowned for. (Cameron takes a lot of inspiration from his re-enactment, writing battle scenes from experience. Don’t be too worried though, I don’t think he’s ever actually killed someone with a sword. Or has he?) Aranthur and his comrades must use their skills and will to defeat the ‘Pure’, magic snobs who believe it belongs to the nobles, rather than the common.
Aranthur, our main PoV, is a young man who we have grown to love throughout Cold Iron. His journey started excellently, showing his traits as being a special individual, from humble beginnings but seeking a life in the Big City that his family had warned him of. His awareness throughout Cold Iron of the character he could become through his sword-craft, university studies, magic-practising and woman chasing explored his ‘normal-ness’. (I sometimes realise that I wish I was Aranthur…) He is a real, believable character, and his arc through Dark Forge took him to places that I did not expect, and places he definitely did not expect.
‘This is a meeting of Cold Iron.’
The list of secondary-characters grows throughout Dark Forge, as Aranthur and his comrades move their way from the city to pursue a journey across countries. Aranthur’s responsibility grows gradually as he is promoted, and he takes leadership roles sometimes from his role within the army, and other times because he is Aranthur, and he is what ties his band together. Dahlia is as fantastic as ever, I constantly found myself wanting to read more between her and Aranthur. Other notable characters are Inoques and General Tribane, brilliant female characters. Each character adds to the Eastern and refreshing world, making me want to read more fantasy in Eastern settings.
‘“Traitor!”
“Traitor to what?” Aranthur shot back. “An Empire whose nobles endlessly place self-interest before even simple patriotism?”’
5/5 - yet another masterclass from Cameron, superb world-building, enjoyable characters, a realistic plot and story (as realistic as magic and fantasy can get), and the familiar brutal and bone-shattering battle scenes and duels. Dark Forge propels Aranthur into a world of trouble, and I can’t wait for the final instalment.
My 14th book this year! Huzzah!
’There is always time to talk. You must not be in such a rush to die, my brother.’
Miles Cameron continues to go from strength to strength in his fantastic novel Dark Forge. Immense world-building, unique characters and bloody action that has a realism and authentic grit that is rare for fantasy books. Book 2 of Masters and Mages, Dark Forge is fantastic. Read it!
Dark Forge does not feel like the 2nd book of a trilogy. It is not a filler, and although it sets up book 3 fantastically, it also stands tall alongside Cold Iron. For those that have read book 1, Cold Iron, the second instalment is a surprising and very different read. Where in Cold Iron, Cameron had calm world-building, growing and several brilliant but small set-pieces, Dark Forge has great battles, sieges, and a massive step up on the magic side.
‘She handed him a bowl of fish stew. “Horses like it.”
This seems to represent her highest level of compliment.’
It kicks off with a chapter from a new character, someone on the ‘dark side’. Val-al-Dun’s story here brings about the intense and cataclysmic events that change Aranthur’s life. It switches then, to a great battle, continuing from where Cold Iron finished, which brings about the familiar and accomplished battles that Miles Cameron is renowned for. (Cameron takes a lot of inspiration from his re-enactment, writing battle scenes from experience. Don’t be too worried though, I don’t think he’s ever actually killed someone with a sword. Or has he?) Aranthur and his comrades must use their skills and will to defeat the ‘Pure’, magic snobs who believe it belongs to the nobles, rather than the common.
Aranthur, our main PoV, is a young man who we have grown to love throughout Cold Iron. His journey started excellently, showing his traits as being a special individual, from humble beginnings but seeking a life in the Big City that his family had warned him of. His awareness throughout Cold Iron of the character he could become through his sword-craft, university studies, magic-practising and woman chasing explored his ‘normal-ness’. (I sometimes realise that I wish I was Aranthur…) He is a real, believable character, and his arc through Dark Forge took him to places that I did not expect, and places he definitely did not expect.
‘This is a meeting of Cold Iron.’
The list of secondary-characters grows throughout Dark Forge, as Aranthur and his comrades move their way from the city to pursue a journey across countries. Aranthur’s responsibility grows gradually as he is promoted, and he takes leadership roles sometimes from his role within the army, and other times because he is Aranthur, and he is what ties his band together. Dahlia is as fantastic as ever, I constantly found myself wanting to read more between her and Aranthur. Other notable characters are Inoques and General Tribane, brilliant female characters. Each character adds to the Eastern and refreshing world, making me want to read more fantasy in Eastern settings.
‘“Traitor!”
“Traitor to what?” Aranthur shot back. “An Empire whose nobles endlessly place self-interest before even simple patriotism?”’
5/5 - yet another masterclass from Cameron, superb world-building, enjoyable characters, a realistic plot and story (as realistic as magic and fantasy can get), and the familiar brutal and bone-shattering battle scenes and duels. Dark Forge propels Aranthur into a world of trouble, and I can’t wait for the final instalment.
October 20, 2020
Dark Forge was an incredible second instalment in the Masters & Mages trilogy. While I loved Cold Iron, this was in my opinion just a level above, in term so all aspects of this craft.
Full RTC
Full RTC
February 20, 2020
Fantastic. Even better than the first, which I loved. This one exchanges the streets and schools of Megara for large-scale battles and desperate sieges. Really, really looking forward to the final instalment.
June 3, 2019
‘The Sword was in his hand, and he felt, not fear, not rage, nor even disgust, but a sort of joy, a pleasure like singing, like making love. The battle, the enemy gun line, the flashes of power, were beautiful, the way a sword blade could be beautiful, even held by an adversary.’
~
Dark Forge by Miles Cameron is the second book in the Masters and Mages trilogy, which follows directly on from Cold Iron. This sequel brilliantly developed much of the story arcs and characters from the first book, and effectively heightened up the tension and pace.
⚔️
The novel begins with a prologue concerning a mysterious new character, Val al-Dun, who is on a mission to the Sacred Black Pyramid, where unwittingly he becomes involved with dark forces, which lead to cataclysmic consequences. We then journey with Aranthur, our main protagonist, as his friends Dahlia, Prince Ansu and Sasan become involved in a battle against ‘the Pure’, (which were a faction of extremists who believe magic should be solely for those of noble birth) and other entities.
⚔️
Immediately we see a complete change in pace with Dark Forge, as the first few chapters have a lot of action going on, whilst still incorporating plenty of world building. This shift was really welcomed as although I enjoyed Cold Iron and appreciated it’s slow build up, I really did long for some more battle scenes that I’ve grown to love by Cameron in his other series. I also really enjoyed seeing different parts of the world in this instalment, as the setting moves away from the isolated Academy, and drifts to places such as Armea, Masr, and Antioke, which were all devastated by warfare and oppression. I absolutely loved the Eastern esque settings, the hot deserts, the barren landscape, the temples where grotesque sacrifices had been made; it really enriched the various cultures represented in the book.
⚔️
The slight problem I faced though, was the level of technical terminology and details that were incorporated. These unfortunately went completely over my head. Don’t get me wrong, I acknowledge that Cameron is a writer who loves his historical detail, and meticulously researches all the weaponry, clothing, even breed of horses that fit the Persian influences he uses here, and I think that’s absolutely fantastic. However for me personally, it became too much in Dark Forge, as I kept forgetting what the terms meant, and had to keep asking a friend or looking it up on Google. Which is brilliant in a way, as I learnt a lot, and I did have to do this with Cold Iron too and didn’t mind; but I think in this book, a glossary at the end would have made my reading experience less jarring as I’d have been easily able to refer to it.
⚔️
What I truly did enjoy from the onset is how we’re shown that Aranthur has changed; his confidence has grown, as has his strength and magical ability. Almost all the book is told from Aranthur’s POV, and as he plays various roles of messenger, scout and Centark in the army, we view the battles through his eyes. I loved how Aranthur became so experienced with battle magic! I love me some battle magic, and there was plenty in here to keep me satisfied. He became so powerful as the book went on, but Cameron really did show the toll a soldier’s lifestyle can have on a person, as Aranthur began to show signs of PTSD. I felt this characterisation was beautifully done.
⚔️
I also have to mention how much I loved the female characters in this. Dahlia is always a favourite for me, I admire the way she fights against sexist attitudes; but now I have a new favourite too, as Cameron introduced Myr Inoques, who was just brilliant! 👏🏽 Inoques is one I can’t tell you much about for fear of spoilers, but she’s seductive, dark and fiercely loyal to those she cares about. I mean just look at this beautiful speech by her...
~
‘I love sailing on the deep water - when the wind rips the surface, and throws the spray in my face - when my ship runs through the waves like a gazelle over the desert.’ She smiled. ‘And when your hands close on me in a certain way, and I know you find me desirable. When you tilt your head and listen, as if I was a person.’
~
Overall this was a great sequel that I really enjoyed, despite finding it challenging at times. I’m very much curious to see how the story arc climaxes in Bright Steel.
Thank you to the publisher Gollancz for this review copy. Dark Forge is released in paperback on 13th June 2019.
~
Dark Forge by Miles Cameron is the second book in the Masters and Mages trilogy, which follows directly on from Cold Iron. This sequel brilliantly developed much of the story arcs and characters from the first book, and effectively heightened up the tension and pace.
⚔️
The novel begins with a prologue concerning a mysterious new character, Val al-Dun, who is on a mission to the Sacred Black Pyramid, where unwittingly he becomes involved with dark forces, which lead to cataclysmic consequences. We then journey with Aranthur, our main protagonist, as his friends Dahlia, Prince Ansu and Sasan become involved in a battle against ‘the Pure’, (which were a faction of extremists who believe magic should be solely for those of noble birth) and other entities.
⚔️
Immediately we see a complete change in pace with Dark Forge, as the first few chapters have a lot of action going on, whilst still incorporating plenty of world building. This shift was really welcomed as although I enjoyed Cold Iron and appreciated it’s slow build up, I really did long for some more battle scenes that I’ve grown to love by Cameron in his other series. I also really enjoyed seeing different parts of the world in this instalment, as the setting moves away from the isolated Academy, and drifts to places such as Armea, Masr, and Antioke, which were all devastated by warfare and oppression. I absolutely loved the Eastern esque settings, the hot deserts, the barren landscape, the temples where grotesque sacrifices had been made; it really enriched the various cultures represented in the book.
⚔️
The slight problem I faced though, was the level of technical terminology and details that were incorporated. These unfortunately went completely over my head. Don’t get me wrong, I acknowledge that Cameron is a writer who loves his historical detail, and meticulously researches all the weaponry, clothing, even breed of horses that fit the Persian influences he uses here, and I think that’s absolutely fantastic. However for me personally, it became too much in Dark Forge, as I kept forgetting what the terms meant, and had to keep asking a friend or looking it up on Google. Which is brilliant in a way, as I learnt a lot, and I did have to do this with Cold Iron too and didn’t mind; but I think in this book, a glossary at the end would have made my reading experience less jarring as I’d have been easily able to refer to it.
⚔️
What I truly did enjoy from the onset is how we’re shown that Aranthur has changed; his confidence has grown, as has his strength and magical ability. Almost all the book is told from Aranthur’s POV, and as he plays various roles of messenger, scout and Centark in the army, we view the battles through his eyes. I loved how Aranthur became so experienced with battle magic! I love me some battle magic, and there was plenty in here to keep me satisfied. He became so powerful as the book went on, but Cameron really did show the toll a soldier’s lifestyle can have on a person, as Aranthur began to show signs of PTSD. I felt this characterisation was beautifully done.
⚔️
I also have to mention how much I loved the female characters in this. Dahlia is always a favourite for me, I admire the way she fights against sexist attitudes; but now I have a new favourite too, as Cameron introduced Myr Inoques, who was just brilliant! 👏🏽 Inoques is one I can’t tell you much about for fear of spoilers, but she’s seductive, dark and fiercely loyal to those she cares about. I mean just look at this beautiful speech by her...
~
‘I love sailing on the deep water - when the wind rips the surface, and throws the spray in my face - when my ship runs through the waves like a gazelle over the desert.’ She smiled. ‘And when your hands close on me in a certain way, and I know you find me desirable. When you tilt your head and listen, as if I was a person.’
~
Overall this was a great sequel that I really enjoyed, despite finding it challenging at times. I’m very much curious to see how the story arc climaxes in Bright Steel.
Thank you to the publisher Gollancz for this review copy. Dark Forge is released in paperback on 13th June 2019.
January 29, 2019
Another very disappointing book that came with great promise after the superb Cold Iron; nothing really worked for me in this one - the action seemed contrived, the prose flat and the characters lost a lot of the interestingness from the first volume as the plot moved in ways I didn't really care for
May 2, 2020
A very fine second installment to this series. Lots of secrets and plotting, great characterizing, and fantastic battle scenes.
Ratings:- 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Ratings:- 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
January 31, 2020
This second book of the Masters & Mages is a fast paced, whirlwind of story. While many of the characters from the first book are still featured, several new and equally rich characters are introduced. The magic system is fascinating and Miles continues to teach the reader how it works through the eyes of Aranthur. As usual, the world building, political intrigue and character development are always great. His fight scenes both individual confrontations and epic multi-layered battle scenes are still some of the best you will ever read. The level of detail he is able to describe brings you right into the action of the scene. As a master swordsman himself, you can clearly feel the passion and respect in which he treats these scenes.
Like the first book, I couldn't put this one down for long and found myslelf suddenly finished after only a handful of days. So now I'm off to read the final book, Bright Steel and see how this wonderful story ends.
Like the first book, I couldn't put this one down for long and found myslelf suddenly finished after only a handful of days. So now I'm off to read the final book, Bright Steel and see how this wonderful story ends.
January 28, 2019
Review:
Miles Cameron burst onto the fantasy scene in 2012 and quickly established himself as one of the best writers in the genre, not a huge surprise given that he is also Christian Cameron arguably the best writer in Historical Fiction genre. In both genres he takes all his knowledge as a soldier, intelligencer, historian and re-enactor and couples that with a writing ability that is the envy of many established writers.
The big worry for any reader and writer in a new genre is that when a series is as good as The Traitor Son cycle, then what comes next is it possible to reach that same heady heights as series one? and TSC is one of the best epic fantasy series you can find so that’s a tough ask.
full review
https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
Miles Cameron burst onto the fantasy scene in 2012 and quickly established himself as one of the best writers in the genre, not a huge surprise given that he is also Christian Cameron arguably the best writer in Historical Fiction genre. In both genres he takes all his knowledge as a soldier, intelligencer, historian and re-enactor and couples that with a writing ability that is the envy of many established writers.
The big worry for any reader and writer in a new genre is that when a series is as good as The Traitor Son cycle, then what comes next is it possible to reach that same heady heights as series one? and TSC is one of the best epic fantasy series you can find so that’s a tough ask.
full review
https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
February 4, 2020
Brilliant book. These books are just uniquely suited to my taste I think. This book was both better than the first and worse in some ways. Perhaps it just had different strengths and weaknesses. A change in pace from the first book, this volume was full of action and combat. The evolution in power of our main character is brilliantly done; the pacing is superb, with numerous set-pieces. The weakness was the magic, which was hard to follow and got quite technical. This book expanded the world, as we followed our characters journey across great distances. Overall, this author brings a level of historical inspired detail that I just love.
August 26, 2024
Dark Forge hit the ground Running and didn’t stop running the entire novel. Wow what a ride! Miles Cameron improved exponentially from the 1st novel and delivered an incredible adrenaline rush of a sequel. I can appreciate the first book so much more now, seeing as it was a perfect build up for everything that happened in this one. The characters were compelling, the character development was *chefs kiss*, the story was captivating, the world well-built and fleshed out, the historic aspects written very well and with great detail, and the magic system was more well fleshed out. Not to mention, the action/battles were vivid, large-scale, intense, bad ass, and had me on the edge of my seat! I’m jumping into the 3rd book immediately.
December 11, 2019
2.5. Straight down the middle with this one. Very different from the first, which I loved. I have read a couple dozen of Cameron’s book and loved em all. This particular volume just didn’t resonate with me. It felt choppy and left me disconnected. I am confident the final volume will not be like so.
Hate giving a top 5 author a shitty rating. Even so.
Hate giving a top 5 author a shitty rating. Even so.
August 10, 2021
This is a brilliant series. The last 100 pages left me exhausted. Good and evil, swords and magic, politics and war, love and life — this has it all.
January 14, 2023
I'm not sure how to feel about this book. It switches from the school and learning of the first book to full blown battle scenes and war in this one. It was well written though.
My own issue is all the traveling in between the action. It just felt pointless to me and I wasn't as engaged with those parts.
I don't know, a lot of it felt meandering to me, and I think that's a big part of my issue with this series in general, even though there's still a lot I find enjoyable in it. The overall world building is very good.
We'll see how I feel after I finish the last book.
My own issue is all the traveling in between the action. It just felt pointless to me and I wasn't as engaged with those parts.
I don't know, a lot of it felt meandering to me, and I think that's a big part of my issue with this series in general, even though there's still a lot I find enjoyable in it. The overall world building is very good.
We'll see how I feel after I finish the last book.
December 1, 2020
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
Once again there were far too many characters making the story very difficult to follow.
Although it was fast paced with plenty of action I found the story confusing.
Managed to complete it though and left me thinking about whether to read the next on.
Once again there were far too many characters making the story very difficult to follow.
Although it was fast paced with plenty of action I found the story confusing.
Managed to complete it though and left me thinking about whether to read the next on.
January 31, 2019
A cliff hanger ending cannot make up for a very drab book. So many promising plot-lines and world building blocks were ignored or stomped over to bring in incessant action that made no sense.
Very disappointed.
Very disappointed.
January 27, 2019
I loved the first book in this trilogy and I loved this one.
The first book did a great job in describing the characters and the world around them, this one is more action and fast paced.
It starts with a bang and keeps you reading, never slowing the pace or being boring. It's exciting and enthralling.
This is a great fantasy series and I look forward to reading the final installment.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Orion Publishing Group (Gollancz) and Netgalley for this arc.
The first book did a great job in describing the characters and the world around them, this one is more action and fast paced.
It starts with a bang and keeps you reading, never slowing the pace or being boring. It's exciting and enthralling.
This is a great fantasy series and I look forward to reading the final installment.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Orion Publishing Group (Gollancz) and Netgalley for this arc.
February 5, 2019
As always, Mr Cameron's books are a page turner. Battle & action sequences are masterfully crafted so that you can feel yourself right in the thick of the action; plot exposition and development are just as good. This book goes a bit deeper into why everything seems to happen around Aranthur and why he seems to "solve everything" (which slightly bothered me in the last book despite the fact I loved it too) - but as always, Mr Cameron delivers a good and enjoyable tale, and ties things up to a satisfying plot. This series is high fantasy at its best without the grimdark plague that all of the latest fantasy books seem to *have* to adhere to, while not being too feel-good or unrealistic (or at least, unrealistic for a fantasy world!).
As Mr Cameron is at core a historical novelist, the books in this series also have the feel of a historical fiction series and you will recognise cultures, terms and peoples adapted from our own history while giving them the dimension of powers and magic. I guess you could say it sits between alternate history and fantasy.
If I have one regret, is that I have finished the book too fast, and I wish the next one was out already.
As Mr Cameron is at core a historical novelist, the books in this series also have the feel of a historical fiction series and you will recognise cultures, terms and peoples adapted from our own history while giving them the dimension of powers and magic. I guess you could say it sits between alternate history and fantasy.
If I have one regret, is that I have finished the book too fast, and I wish the next one was out already.
January 14, 2020
I think the best part of Cameron's writing has always been the verisimilitude of the worlds he paints, and this book is the first one of his where I feel that aspect is lacking. The setting is of course fantasy Byzantium and in the first book that worked great, but in this one I feel like it's unraveling somewhat when the fantasy bits don't gel so well with the "ripped from the pages of history" bits. Furthermore the geography and passage of time makes no sense and upsets my autism.
Story is good though and I appreciate that he's not killing off supporting cast at his usual pace, even though many of them suck and need to be pruned.
Story is good though and I appreciate that he's not killing off supporting cast at his usual pace, even though many of them suck and need to be pruned.
February 18, 2024
Another excellent fantasy novel by Miles Cameron, even better than the first. It's practically non-stop battle from beginning to near the end.
Our magic student from the first book is now out in the field on campaign with the army. His sword fighting and minor magical skills both growing.
Our magic student from the first book is now out in the field on campaign with the army. His sword fighting and minor magical skills both growing.
April 13, 2020
Publishing Date: 2019
Rating: 4.2/5
Review: Aranthur has left the lands that he knew and seeks to find a cure for the rift in the sky. Along the way, he bangs a lot of chicks and rises to Centark in the army for his brave and heroic deeds.
These novels continue to inspire character development that is usually absent from most fantasy novels. Aranthur is at once noble, thoughtful, self-deprecatory and bold. His escapades are fun while being an entertaining character to follow. The shift to a war footing in this novel over-rode the original world building essence in the first.
So, why no 5-stars? The reluctant hero shtick wears a little thin. The constant self-doubt and “I shouldn’t be here, I’m just a dumb farmer” wore a little thin. And Dhalia survives this novel which was a big disappointment. Piss and vinegar does not a character make.
Onward ho to the finale’.
Rating: 4.2/5
Review: Aranthur has left the lands that he knew and seeks to find a cure for the rift in the sky. Along the way, he bangs a lot of chicks and rises to Centark in the army for his brave and heroic deeds.
These novels continue to inspire character development that is usually absent from most fantasy novels. Aranthur is at once noble, thoughtful, self-deprecatory and bold. His escapades are fun while being an entertaining character to follow. The shift to a war footing in this novel over-rode the original world building essence in the first.
So, why no 5-stars? The reluctant hero shtick wears a little thin. The constant self-doubt and “I shouldn’t be here, I’m just a dumb farmer” wore a little thin. And Dhalia survives this novel which was a big disappointment. Piss and vinegar does not a character make.
Onward ho to the finale’.
January 22, 2019
Review to come shortly
September 10, 2019
A brilliant and explosive sequel to the calm Cold Iron, and I enjoyed it. While the previous book was confined to the city of Megara, here we are carried across the world by Cameron hinting at different cultures, religion, races, and as such the scope becomes epic. Cameron seamlessly blends the elements of military fantasy, sword & sorcery, and the coming-of-age tale in a enthusiastic manner.
The world-building and mythology is definitely inspired from the ancient Egyptian and Mayan societies. The action is terrific with magic, sword-fights, guns and cannons. There is a lot of killing here, and the situation is a lot more grim than the first book. The prologue was excellent which hinted at the imminent catastrophe. We are also introduced to a few new characters who are quite the fun to read. There are political tensions rife in Megara as well, and the tyrannical magic-users are destroying everything that opposes them. Cameron keeps up the frantic pace as well as manages to build up the story.
Characterizations were once again very good. Aranthur has developed a lot. He still is idealistic, but he has his own moments of doubt and conflict in his mind. He gradually grows into the role of a leader, and keeps his friends together. He doesn't enjoy killing, not even in the war, but he loves to fight with the sword. He is a likable kind of reluctant leader. Inoques was the other who fascinated me the most. Her chemistry with Aranthur is undeniable. She is sexy, powerful, and a deeply complex character. I think that Inoques is the best character of the series. She has a godly charisma to her personality. The others like Dalhia, Iralia, Sassan were also fleshed out nicely. They felt like real people, and the intrapersonal dynamics between the characters were delightful.
Dark Forge ramps up the enjoyment, filled with frenzied excitement. Cameron portrays the chaotic situation of war, the fight against a dark ruthless enemy, political callousness with flourish.
The world-building and mythology is definitely inspired from the ancient Egyptian and Mayan societies. The action is terrific with magic, sword-fights, guns and cannons. There is a lot of killing here, and the situation is a lot more grim than the first book. The prologue was excellent which hinted at the imminent catastrophe. We are also introduced to a few new characters who are quite the fun to read. There are political tensions rife in Megara as well, and the tyrannical magic-users are destroying everything that opposes them. Cameron keeps up the frantic pace as well as manages to build up the story.
Characterizations were once again very good. Aranthur has developed a lot. He still is idealistic, but he has his own moments of doubt and conflict in his mind. He gradually grows into the role of a leader, and keeps his friends together. He doesn't enjoy killing, not even in the war, but he loves to fight with the sword. He is a likable kind of reluctant leader. Inoques was the other who fascinated me the most. Her chemistry with Aranthur is undeniable. She is sexy, powerful, and a deeply complex character. I think that Inoques is the best character of the series. She has a godly charisma to her personality. The others like Dalhia, Iralia, Sassan were also fleshed out nicely. They felt like real people, and the intrapersonal dynamics between the characters were delightful.
Dark Forge ramps up the enjoyment, filled with frenzied excitement. Cameron portrays the chaotic situation of war, the fight against a dark ruthless enemy, political callousness with flourish.
August 22, 2019
Miles Cameron does an outstanding job on continuing this epic series. The stakes are high and the growth, realizations of the characters are intricate, detailed and revealing. Intense battle scenes, vivid world building, high seas adventures, all included. On the fly, discoveries of powers and alliances is well written, well planned and classic Miles Cameron. I enjoyed book two in this strong series and look forward to reading book three, Bright Steel asap!
February 17, 2020
For a very long time I wondered what was the point of all this. The one-hour-long prologue that was to be the backgound story for later events felt distant and a bit boring. Then we were back to our prodigy who now gets a military command. I shared his constant doubts of his new status and his abilities but would have been content if he had mentioned it once or twice to himself and not as often as he did. Around the last third of the book the story got a bit more interesting than just different parts of warfare being told one after another.
No bad book but not a thrilling one either.
No bad book but not a thrilling one either.
May 21, 2019
A change in pace from the first book, this volume was full of action and military matters. This book expanded the world, as we followed our characters journey across great distances. The book was focused on battles and fighting, but the characters were still as strong as ever. I loved the fast-paced nature of this book.
May 22, 2019
The 2nd instalment in the masters and mages trilogy picks up the pace even more. Blistering action filled battle scenes, magic, journeys and characters you can’t help but root for, even as they struggle with the moral grey of war.
This was a 3 stars for me, I liked it.
This was a 3 stars for me, I liked it.
May 6, 2020
This was nothing like the first book 😕 almost the entire thing was battles. Long, descriptive, drawn out battles. And of course, a map that didn’t show any part of where they were.
April 4, 2022
Very different from the first book in the series. This one is too much battle-oriented and there's too little else going on for me. It got boring to be honest.
January 30, 2019
*** I received a free advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
Dark Forge follows on from Cold Iron and sees the hero, Aranthur, travelling through the desert-lands battling against "The Pure", a group of magikal fundamentalists that believe access to the world's magik should be restricted to those of noble birth.
As a rare treat, the book starts with a lengthy prologue telling of a group of mercenaries working for the Pure attempting to storm an ancient site and gain ownership of a magical artefact. A few dozen pages break from Aranthur was welcome and this was an exciting part of the story. As with the first book, the narrative style is something of a barrier to me, all the mundane details of clothing, horses, weapons are expounded ad nauseum, but when something important happens, or some new magik is used suddenly it's all very vague and hand-wavey.
That brings us back to Aranthur. We pick up with him and his crew acting as messengers for the General's army, relaying messages back and forth across the divisions of the forces. At times this changes to acting as advance scouts, other times running messages through the middle of battles. Given the rest of the story is told from Aranthur's PoV alone, this means we can see a great deal of the action through his eyes.
At long last we are treated to something of an inventory from Aranthur, as he goes over the magik he currently knows and their purpose. This felt like a brilliant improvement over book 1, where he just did a magik thing somehow. However this is short lived as over the course of the book odd words are used, with little explanation (and always in italics, suggesting they are important words but for the life of me I couldn't remember what most of them were).
A major failing for this book for me was that despite all being from one character's PoV, and we hear plenty of his thoughts and feelings, we are not privy to his experimentation with magik or some of his suspicions and theories (he suddenly in the heat of battle tries something he had been thinking about and it works - would have been so much more effective if there had been any hint of this previously). Similarly, so much of it is all metaphysical nonsense which I can't stand and can only see it as a cheap way out for an author as you don't have to explain things if they're all mystical.
The book reads like maybe the 5th in a series, where all the magical aspects and parts and peoples of the world have been solidly embedded, rather than book 2 where the world-building is being done almost real-time and there is something of a making-it-up-as-he-goes-along feel.
The overarching plot of the book is solid, and while I would have liked to see more traditional combat like the first book, and less magical/mystical stuff the action was plentiful and reasonably well told.
As with the first book, its only about 400 pages but felt like so much more to me, and it really was a bit of a slog at times.
I will finish this series with the conclusion when it is released but have enjoyed other series a lot more.
Dark Forge follows on from Cold Iron and sees the hero, Aranthur, travelling through the desert-lands battling against "The Pure", a group of magikal fundamentalists that believe access to the world's magik should be restricted to those of noble birth.
As a rare treat, the book starts with a lengthy prologue telling of a group of mercenaries working for the Pure attempting to storm an ancient site and gain ownership of a magical artefact. A few dozen pages break from Aranthur was welcome and this was an exciting part of the story. As with the first book, the narrative style is something of a barrier to me, all the mundane details of clothing, horses, weapons are expounded ad nauseum, but when something important happens, or some new magik is used suddenly it's all very vague and hand-wavey.
That brings us back to Aranthur. We pick up with him and his crew acting as messengers for the General's army, relaying messages back and forth across the divisions of the forces. At times this changes to acting as advance scouts, other times running messages through the middle of battles. Given the rest of the story is told from Aranthur's PoV alone, this means we can see a great deal of the action through his eyes.
At long last we are treated to something of an inventory from Aranthur, as he goes over the magik he currently knows and their purpose. This felt like a brilliant improvement over book 1, where he just did a magik thing somehow. However this is short lived as over the course of the book odd words are used, with little explanation (and always in italics, suggesting they are important words but for the life of me I couldn't remember what most of them were).
A major failing for this book for me was that despite all being from one character's PoV, and we hear plenty of his thoughts and feelings, we are not privy to his experimentation with magik or some of his suspicions and theories (he suddenly in the heat of battle tries something he had been thinking about and it works - would have been so much more effective if there had been any hint of this previously). Similarly, so much of it is all metaphysical nonsense which I can't stand and can only see it as a cheap way out for an author as you don't have to explain things if they're all mystical.
The book reads like maybe the 5th in a series, where all the magical aspects and parts and peoples of the world have been solidly embedded, rather than book 2 where the world-building is being done almost real-time and there is something of a making-it-up-as-he-goes-along feel.
The overarching plot of the book is solid, and while I would have liked to see more traditional combat like the first book, and less magical/mystical stuff the action was plentiful and reasonably well told.
As with the first book, its only about 400 pages but felt like so much more to me, and it really was a bit of a slog at times.
I will finish this series with the conclusion when it is released but have enjoyed other series a lot more.
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