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The Masters is volume one of seven of The Stone Dance of the Chameleon—a coming of age story—a saga of love and war—an apocalyptic epic fantasy about power and redemption.
A black ship defies winter gales, bringing to young Carnelian’s remote island of exile three masked Lords of the Chosen—a cruel ruling caste. These Masters beg his father to return with them to oversee the election of a new God Emperor. To repair their ship, they pillage and destroy Carnelian’s home—the only world he’s ever known—condemning his people to starve. He and his father embark with the visitors on a long and perilous journey—against deadly opposition—to Osrakum, the heart and wonder of the world and seat of absolute power.
(This Second Edition is a leaner and extensive reworking of the acclaimed original.)
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 30, 2020
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February 26, 2020
Back in 1999, a much younger me was working at Borders Books. By some fortuitous decision by the manager, I ended up being assigned the Science-Fiction/Fantasy section to shelf and maintain. One day I pulled a stack of books out of the new release box that immediately caught my eye because of the unbelievably striking cover art and the intriguing summary on the back cover. The book was called The Chosen by Ricardo Pinto and it was the first book in what was then a trilogy called The Stone Dance of the Chameleon.
I devoured each book with profound satisfaction and have always wanted to revisit the series since, but for a variety of different reasons over the years I was unable to make it happen. My decision was made easier for me however, as I recently discovered that author Ricardo Pinto is re-releasing The Stone Dance of the Chameleon as a revised 7-book 2nd edition that will be published in its entirety in 2020! Would I enjoy it as much as I did the first time around? Would the changes made by the author affect my feelings about the story in any way? I quickly obtained a copy of book 1, THE MASTERS and sat down on my comfy reading chair to find out.
THE MASTERS opens in an ominous fashion as a mysterious black ship approaches the harbor of the island home of young Carnelian and his father Master Suth. The two, along with their family and servants, were exiled a number of years ago from their previous homeland of Osrakum for reasons that will be revealed as the story plays out. Braving the violent winter gales, it is obvious that the ship has been battered and those aboard are worse for the treacherous journey. The visitors aboard the ship are robed and masked much in the same fashion as Carnelian and his father, but somehow their presence is more menacing than peaceful and Carnelian wonders what dark mission has brought them to their shores.
Carnelian's suspicions prove to be true as the three immediately seek audience with his father upon disembarking and relay that there are urgent matters to be discussed. What is apparent to Carnelian is that the strangers seem accustomed to being obeyed without question and display a superior air of arrogance and entitlement. It is soon revealed that Master Aurum, Master Vennel, and Master Jaspar are all Masters and members of "The Chosen" of Osrakum, the upper class of a caste system who see themselves as divine and god-like. So much so that they are not to be looked upon by the eyes of any of the lesser classes, upon threat of immediate dismemberment or death. Thus, the reason why they are almost always masked and only unmask when in the presence of those of equal social stature.
As they disclose the reasons for their arrival, Carnelian begins to find out more about the land that his father was exiled from and also gets a rude awakening in the customs of The Chosen, of which he himself is a part. Arbitrary killing is a fact of life among The Chosen and "the laws" of this cruel class must be adhered to without exception, even if it means killing or maiming your own family members. Carnelian cannot believe that he has been sheltered from his origins and as his resentment with his father grows for keeping him in the dark, he finds out that he must accompany him, along with the three other Masters, back to Osrakum to oversee the election of a new Emperor. His father holds a very influential vote and because of this, his presence in the election is vital to the future of his homeland. Yet there are forces who may not want the Lord Suth to make it back alive, for they have their own ideas about who should rule going forward.
If you like your fantasy reeeeally dark, unrelentingly brutal, and with brilliant world-building that is simply on another level, then look no further than THE MASTERS and the larger series of The Stone Dance of the Chameleon. This is not a feel-good fantasy tale replete with magical fairies, bitingly sarcastic dwarves, and mythical unicorns. It's a book that requires a little patience as it divulges its many secrets. THE MASTERS is also amazingly well-crafted with a deep history and a societal structure that has clearly defined classes and a specific set of brutal laws that govern them. This book truly contains some of the best world-building you are going to find anywhere. Pinto doesn't sugarcoat anything in his narrative and there are moments where it's almost too uncomfortable to continue reading, and yet....you just have to continue on because the story compels you to find out what could possibly be around the corner.
THE MASTERS hooks you right from the first page as the mystery of the visiting black ship begins to take center stage. As the story progresses, we see Carnelian go from his protected life of exile in his island homeland to a very uncertain future that awaits as he travels back to turbulent Osrakum, a place that he has no real connection to anymore. He also is unaware of the potential danger that he and his father will face upon their return, and that is where the story really picks up and takes flight. For it is at this point that Carnelian realizes he and his father can no longer be sheltered from the horrors of Osrakum and the assassins who lurk behind glittering masks of gold.
This is a book that demands to be read if you like being challenged and are tired of reading the usual template of predictable fantasy. Absolutely everyone is put in danger, there are no inherently "good" characters to speak of, and Pinto clearly has a message that comes through with regard to oppressive regimes and how they can keep the populace under the boot of authoritarianism through merciless violence and fear. He delivers that message in an unforgiving and real way. So if you have the courage to read a book that pulls zero punches, then by all means this is the book that you have to pick up now. It's one of my favorite non-traditional fantasy series. The enhancements made by the author have only served to make the beginning of this tale even better in my opinion. Looking forward to reading and reviewing the next six installments. Be on the lookout for my review of book #2, The Chosen coming soon!
I devoured each book with profound satisfaction and have always wanted to revisit the series since, but for a variety of different reasons over the years I was unable to make it happen. My decision was made easier for me however, as I recently discovered that author Ricardo Pinto is re-releasing The Stone Dance of the Chameleon as a revised 7-book 2nd edition that will be published in its entirety in 2020! Would I enjoy it as much as I did the first time around? Would the changes made by the author affect my feelings about the story in any way? I quickly obtained a copy of book 1, THE MASTERS and sat down on my comfy reading chair to find out.
THE MASTERS opens in an ominous fashion as a mysterious black ship approaches the harbor of the island home of young Carnelian and his father Master Suth. The two, along with their family and servants, were exiled a number of years ago from their previous homeland of Osrakum for reasons that will be revealed as the story plays out. Braving the violent winter gales, it is obvious that the ship has been battered and those aboard are worse for the treacherous journey. The visitors aboard the ship are robed and masked much in the same fashion as Carnelian and his father, but somehow their presence is more menacing than peaceful and Carnelian wonders what dark mission has brought them to their shores.
Carnelian's suspicions prove to be true as the three immediately seek audience with his father upon disembarking and relay that there are urgent matters to be discussed. What is apparent to Carnelian is that the strangers seem accustomed to being obeyed without question and display a superior air of arrogance and entitlement. It is soon revealed that Master Aurum, Master Vennel, and Master Jaspar are all Masters and members of "The Chosen" of Osrakum, the upper class of a caste system who see themselves as divine and god-like. So much so that they are not to be looked upon by the eyes of any of the lesser classes, upon threat of immediate dismemberment or death. Thus, the reason why they are almost always masked and only unmask when in the presence of those of equal social stature.
As they disclose the reasons for their arrival, Carnelian begins to find out more about the land that his father was exiled from and also gets a rude awakening in the customs of The Chosen, of which he himself is a part. Arbitrary killing is a fact of life among The Chosen and "the laws" of this cruel class must be adhered to without exception, even if it means killing or maiming your own family members. Carnelian cannot believe that he has been sheltered from his origins and as his resentment with his father grows for keeping him in the dark, he finds out that he must accompany him, along with the three other Masters, back to Osrakum to oversee the election of a new Emperor. His father holds a very influential vote and because of this, his presence in the election is vital to the future of his homeland. Yet there are forces who may not want the Lord Suth to make it back alive, for they have their own ideas about who should rule going forward.
If you like your fantasy reeeeally dark, unrelentingly brutal, and with brilliant world-building that is simply on another level, then look no further than THE MASTERS and the larger series of The Stone Dance of the Chameleon. This is not a feel-good fantasy tale replete with magical fairies, bitingly sarcastic dwarves, and mythical unicorns. It's a book that requires a little patience as it divulges its many secrets. THE MASTERS is also amazingly well-crafted with a deep history and a societal structure that has clearly defined classes and a specific set of brutal laws that govern them. This book truly contains some of the best world-building you are going to find anywhere. Pinto doesn't sugarcoat anything in his narrative and there are moments where it's almost too uncomfortable to continue reading, and yet....you just have to continue on because the story compels you to find out what could possibly be around the corner.
THE MASTERS hooks you right from the first page as the mystery of the visiting black ship begins to take center stage. As the story progresses, we see Carnelian go from his protected life of exile in his island homeland to a very uncertain future that awaits as he travels back to turbulent Osrakum, a place that he has no real connection to anymore. He also is unaware of the potential danger that he and his father will face upon their return, and that is where the story really picks up and takes flight. For it is at this point that Carnelian realizes he and his father can no longer be sheltered from the horrors of Osrakum and the assassins who lurk behind glittering masks of gold.
This is a book that demands to be read if you like being challenged and are tired of reading the usual template of predictable fantasy. Absolutely everyone is put in danger, there are no inherently "good" characters to speak of, and Pinto clearly has a message that comes through with regard to oppressive regimes and how they can keep the populace under the boot of authoritarianism through merciless violence and fear. He delivers that message in an unforgiving and real way. So if you have the courage to read a book that pulls zero punches, then by all means this is the book that you have to pick up now. It's one of my favorite non-traditional fantasy series. The enhancements made by the author have only served to make the beginning of this tale even better in my opinion. Looking forward to reading and reviewing the next six installments. Be on the lookout for my review of book #2, The Chosen coming soon!
July 16, 2025
Steampunk dark fantasy
The entry into The Stone Dance of the Chameleon, a coming of age story—a saga of love and war—an apocalyptic epic fantasy about power and redemption
The Masters by Ricardo Pinto captivated me with its poetry in a way that will likely appeal to fans of NK Jemisin and dark fantasy in general. It's unique and fresh. This story does not contain a lot of exposition or explanations of how the magic systems work, rather, the world building is built into the prose to evoke feeling before giving all the answers. I found the imagery so creative and captivating. There are basically steampunk ammonites and tons of really fun steampunk and gem imagery that really appeals to me. This features father-son relationship, and male friendship And jealosy in a morally gray world. I included quotes and comments in my highlights :) I will continue reading this series :) Another bonus: this book is under 400 pages. It is lushly written without being long-winded, so very refreshing.
'Harmony with Essences, or virtue . . . yes.’ Jaspar smiled. ‘I had always understood that we had gained our empire through conquest . . .’ ‘Perhaps,’ said Suth, ‘but we hold it by maintaining various . . . harmonious balances . . . Reeds bend with wind yet, woven, make shields.’
"Harmonious balances" hrmmmm....*rubs hands together malevolently*
The entry into The Stone Dance of the Chameleon, a coming of age story—a saga of love and war—an apocalyptic epic fantasy about power and redemption
The Masters by Ricardo Pinto captivated me with its poetry in a way that will likely appeal to fans of NK Jemisin and dark fantasy in general. It's unique and fresh. This story does not contain a lot of exposition or explanations of how the magic systems work, rather, the world building is built into the prose to evoke feeling before giving all the answers. I found the imagery so creative and captivating. There are basically steampunk ammonites and tons of really fun steampunk and gem imagery that really appeals to me. This features father-son relationship, and male friendship And jealosy in a morally gray world. I included quotes and comments in my highlights :) I will continue reading this series :) Another bonus: this book is under 400 pages. It is lushly written without being long-winded, so very refreshing.
'Harmony with Essences, or virtue . . . yes.’ Jaspar smiled. ‘I had always understood that we had gained our empire through conquest . . .’ ‘Perhaps,’ said Suth, ‘but we hold it by maintaining various . . . harmonious balances . . . Reeds bend with wind yet, woven, make shields.’
"Harmonious balances" hrmmmm....*rubs hands together malevolently*
January 11, 2023
A novel of darkness, brutality, oppression, relentless authoritarianism, social stratification, and fear, “The Masters”, by Ricardo Pinto, Book One of the “Stone Dance of the Chameleon”, is an absolutely brilliant grimdark book. This novel was one of my final reads of 2022. Since I’d already decided my top books for that year prior to reading it, I’m counting this one as a 2023 book. Why? Because I have the utmost confidence it’s going to factor in my 2023 best book of the year discussions. I cannot stop thinking about this book, and will be picking up the entire series as soon as I can.
I’ve learned that this book was originally published two decades earlier, as part of a trilogy, by its author. Then, the author elected to re-edit the books, and chop them into a sequence of seven more condensed novels.
Pinto immerses his readers in a Mesoamerican-inspired setting, that as bleak as it is diabolical. At the top of the completely inhumane and draconian, caste-based society are the eponymous Masters, an aristocracy divided into noble houses that is revered akin to gods by those they oppress. There is absolutely no benevolence in this ruling group whatsoever, and the Masters rule with virtually unrivalled power, assurance, and entitlement. In their fortress city of Osrakum, the Masters seat of power, these detestable potentates amass and secure untold riches.
Yet their opulence and status is tenuous. They constantly scheme to depose or circumvent each other’s ambitions, and enhance their own, playing a complex and deadly political game, where bloodline “purity” is measured down to infinitesimal quantities. Every Master aspires to ultimately ascend to godhood by proving their bloodline is the least “polluted”. The highest ranking master called the God-Emperor, the monarch of the society, is considered divine.
But it is not only internal brinksmanship that threatens the Masters’ ironclad rule. Because they horribly subjugate the lower castes such as the Sartlar (agricultural labourers) and Marumaga (household serfs), these lesser classes sometimes dare – using their superior numbers – to rebel and attempt to slay their overlords, and free themselves from the yolk of despotism. The Masters can never rest easily in their position, and that insecurity makes them even more tyrannical with their subjects.
Anyone deemed of lesser blood are proscribed from viewing the faces of the Masters. The Masters wear masks as an eerie symbol of their status, and in order prevent them having to kill virtually everyone who they rule. For, the penalty for violation, in terms of looking upon the face of an unmasked Master, can range from blinding, to mutilation, to death, depending on how “merciful” the Master is, or how valuable the person is who has committed the transgression. Many of the Masters’ slaves have their eyelids sewn shut or their eyeballs taken.
If this sounds like a pretty grim world to you so far, believe it or not, it actually gets grimmer.
In a sort of idyllic haven, isolated from much of the brutality of Osrakum, a self-exiled ruling Master named Suth, lords over a remote island. Suth’s son and heir, also considered a Master, named Carnelian, and many of the younger people of the island, have never lived in Osrakum, or came to the island too young to truly remember it. In this island sanctuary, Suth’s illegitimate progeny and relatives are treated more kindly, some becoming high-ranking soldiers and chums with the Suth royal household members. The commoners are treated, generally, in a more humanitarian fashion, although all the brutal rules regarding the Masters still apply. They are just not enforced as often or as harshly.
Then a forbidding-looking ship arrives at the tranquil island, commanded by three baleful Masters from Osrakum, and Carnelian’s world is turned upside down.
The characterization in this novel is wholly first-rate. Be warned, you’ll be hard pressed to find many characters you like, but drawing extremely compelling characters that you’ll be interested in but that you hate, is a skill. Pinto displays the equivalent of a Doctorate Degree with the level of this skill he exhibits. Most of the characters, other than a few of those innocents who are inhabitants of the island, are highly flawed at best, utterly deplorable at worst. But they’re very well-drawn, believable, and you’ll love to hate most of them.
It’s easy to forget at times that Carnelian, our protagonist, is a part of the brutal Masters’ regime. But make no mistake, though he’s one of the few likeable players, he is.
It’s the fact he’s grown up away from Osrakum, and has an innate goodness, naivety, and abhorrence for the depravity of the Masters, is his saving grace as someone we care about. But he still sees himself as superior to the lower castes, though he may have brotherly affection for his half-siblings. He a strong desire, and the courage to try and protect his household servants and the common people, but will only disobey his father, and challenge the power structure, so far. What kind-hearted ways he does possess are a liability in the unforgiving ranks of nobility he’s part of.
Carnelian must become more politically savvy, and more severe, to survive as a Master, once the newcomers arrive at his home. Living on the favourable side of a class structure that only cares about birthright and blood, trapped in a game of power jockeying that he has no choice but to play, how cruel will Carnelian need to become to save his own life, and the lives of those he cares about?
This can be a tough book on one’s emotions. The themes of ritual hierarchical status, prejudice, bigotry, exclusion, oppression, subjugation, torture, mutilation, arbitrary violence, loss, grief, pain, ostricization, and more dark issues hang with dread over every page. Reader, you will be uncomfortable about some things that happen in this book. This book is, in fact, one of the darkest books I’ve ever read. Some of the scenes will absolutely gut you, and I sense this is just the beginning in terms of the poignancy of this series.
The novel may be dark, but it is exquisitely, deliciously written. The prose is wonderful, succinct yet evocative, clear and concise yet lush, poetic, profound. For someone who enjoys gorgeous prose, I was enamoured.
Superb worldbuilding, lore, history, and mystery, drips from this book. Curiously, this is a book absent of tangible magic, but it feels like dark sorcery lurks in every corner. The palpable malcontent of the Masters, their unholy aura, their remorseless ways, their otherworldly masks, it all seems like they are some kind of shamans.
Although everything in this highly atmospheric book feels downright creepy, bizarre, and preternatural, those looking for hard magic will be disappointed. I personally loved how Pinto completely spooked me throughout my reading experience, expecting something unearthly to happen on the next page. What happened was quite earthly, but no less terrifying than any cosmic horror.
It was the darkness within the hearts of humans, personified by the Masters, and their capacity for inhumanity, that was the horrifying thing about the book. And that petrifying feel to "The Masters", was masterfully done.
Beautiful, barbaric, haunting, an unstinting look into the degeneracy of humans when given unfettered power, and an indecent righteous sense of superiority over others, “The Masters” is a tale of moral bankruptcy, profligacy, and callous indifference that will stay with you.
It will compel you to find out just how low we can sink, and if there is any hope to perhaps survive, even perhaps (dare we dream) conquer and tear down the rotting system from the inside. Or, if we’re destined just to become part of that system, no matter the best of intentions.
I can’t wait to find out, so I’m all in for reading the entirety of the “Stone Dance of the Chameleon” Series by the phenomenal Ricardo Pinto.
I’ve learned that this book was originally published two decades earlier, as part of a trilogy, by its author. Then, the author elected to re-edit the books, and chop them into a sequence of seven more condensed novels.
Pinto immerses his readers in a Mesoamerican-inspired setting, that as bleak as it is diabolical. At the top of the completely inhumane and draconian, caste-based society are the eponymous Masters, an aristocracy divided into noble houses that is revered akin to gods by those they oppress. There is absolutely no benevolence in this ruling group whatsoever, and the Masters rule with virtually unrivalled power, assurance, and entitlement. In their fortress city of Osrakum, the Masters seat of power, these detestable potentates amass and secure untold riches.
Yet their opulence and status is tenuous. They constantly scheme to depose or circumvent each other’s ambitions, and enhance their own, playing a complex and deadly political game, where bloodline “purity” is measured down to infinitesimal quantities. Every Master aspires to ultimately ascend to godhood by proving their bloodline is the least “polluted”. The highest ranking master called the God-Emperor, the monarch of the society, is considered divine.
But it is not only internal brinksmanship that threatens the Masters’ ironclad rule. Because they horribly subjugate the lower castes such as the Sartlar (agricultural labourers) and Marumaga (household serfs), these lesser classes sometimes dare – using their superior numbers – to rebel and attempt to slay their overlords, and free themselves from the yolk of despotism. The Masters can never rest easily in their position, and that insecurity makes them even more tyrannical with their subjects.
Anyone deemed of lesser blood are proscribed from viewing the faces of the Masters. The Masters wear masks as an eerie symbol of their status, and in order prevent them having to kill virtually everyone who they rule. For, the penalty for violation, in terms of looking upon the face of an unmasked Master, can range from blinding, to mutilation, to death, depending on how “merciful” the Master is, or how valuable the person is who has committed the transgression. Many of the Masters’ slaves have their eyelids sewn shut or their eyeballs taken.
If this sounds like a pretty grim world to you so far, believe it or not, it actually gets grimmer.
In a sort of idyllic haven, isolated from much of the brutality of Osrakum, a self-exiled ruling Master named Suth, lords over a remote island. Suth’s son and heir, also considered a Master, named Carnelian, and many of the younger people of the island, have never lived in Osrakum, or came to the island too young to truly remember it. In this island sanctuary, Suth’s illegitimate progeny and relatives are treated more kindly, some becoming high-ranking soldiers and chums with the Suth royal household members. The commoners are treated, generally, in a more humanitarian fashion, although all the brutal rules regarding the Masters still apply. They are just not enforced as often or as harshly.
Then a forbidding-looking ship arrives at the tranquil island, commanded by three baleful Masters from Osrakum, and Carnelian’s world is turned upside down.
The characterization in this novel is wholly first-rate. Be warned, you’ll be hard pressed to find many characters you like, but drawing extremely compelling characters that you’ll be interested in but that you hate, is a skill. Pinto displays the equivalent of a Doctorate Degree with the level of this skill he exhibits. Most of the characters, other than a few of those innocents who are inhabitants of the island, are highly flawed at best, utterly deplorable at worst. But they’re very well-drawn, believable, and you’ll love to hate most of them.
It’s easy to forget at times that Carnelian, our protagonist, is a part of the brutal Masters’ regime. But make no mistake, though he’s one of the few likeable players, he is.
It’s the fact he’s grown up away from Osrakum, and has an innate goodness, naivety, and abhorrence for the depravity of the Masters, is his saving grace as someone we care about. But he still sees himself as superior to the lower castes, though he may have brotherly affection for his half-siblings. He a strong desire, and the courage to try and protect his household servants and the common people, but will only disobey his father, and challenge the power structure, so far. What kind-hearted ways he does possess are a liability in the unforgiving ranks of nobility he’s part of.
Carnelian must become more politically savvy, and more severe, to survive as a Master, once the newcomers arrive at his home. Living on the favourable side of a class structure that only cares about birthright and blood, trapped in a game of power jockeying that he has no choice but to play, how cruel will Carnelian need to become to save his own life, and the lives of those he cares about?
This can be a tough book on one’s emotions. The themes of ritual hierarchical status, prejudice, bigotry, exclusion, oppression, subjugation, torture, mutilation, arbitrary violence, loss, grief, pain, ostricization, and more dark issues hang with dread over every page. Reader, you will be uncomfortable about some things that happen in this book. This book is, in fact, one of the darkest books I’ve ever read. Some of the scenes will absolutely gut you, and I sense this is just the beginning in terms of the poignancy of this series.
The novel may be dark, but it is exquisitely, deliciously written. The prose is wonderful, succinct yet evocative, clear and concise yet lush, poetic, profound. For someone who enjoys gorgeous prose, I was enamoured.
Superb worldbuilding, lore, history, and mystery, drips from this book. Curiously, this is a book absent of tangible magic, but it feels like dark sorcery lurks in every corner. The palpable malcontent of the Masters, their unholy aura, their remorseless ways, their otherworldly masks, it all seems like they are some kind of shamans.
Although everything in this highly atmospheric book feels downright creepy, bizarre, and preternatural, those looking for hard magic will be disappointed. I personally loved how Pinto completely spooked me throughout my reading experience, expecting something unearthly to happen on the next page. What happened was quite earthly, but no less terrifying than any cosmic horror.
It was the darkness within the hearts of humans, personified by the Masters, and their capacity for inhumanity, that was the horrifying thing about the book. And that petrifying feel to "The Masters", was masterfully done.
Beautiful, barbaric, haunting, an unstinting look into the degeneracy of humans when given unfettered power, and an indecent righteous sense of superiority over others, “The Masters” is a tale of moral bankruptcy, profligacy, and callous indifference that will stay with you.
It will compel you to find out just how low we can sink, and if there is any hope to perhaps survive, even perhaps (dare we dream) conquer and tear down the rotting system from the inside. Or, if we’re destined just to become part of that system, no matter the best of intentions.
I can’t wait to find out, so I’m all in for reading the entirety of the “Stone Dance of the Chameleon” Series by the phenomenal Ricardo Pinto.
October 11, 2024
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. What we have discovered here is a hidden gem in the grimdark genre published over twenty years ago. Once written as a trilogy, Ricardo Pinto has decided to release a Second edition of the series with several small editorial changes. The results were the expanding of the series from three massive novels to seven smaller and condensed novels for the reader to devour. A Dark Epic Fantasy like no other and one of the most grim worlds and atmospheres I have ever come across in a fantasy volume. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
The story takes place in a Mesoamerican world where the ruling class, The Masters, are treated as walking gods in human form. Their slaves are forbidden to look upon the faces of The Masters, which is why the rulers walk around in public wearing masks. Servants of the rulers have been blinded either by sewing of the eyelids shut or removal of the eyes all together in a surgery that could mean death and we haven’t even gotten to the bloody scenes yet.
We start off on an isolated island where Carnelian and his father Suth, both of them are Masters, reside over their people in exile and are unaware of the bigger disasters taking place on the mainland. One day they are greeted by a black ship on the horizon bringing forth three masked figures of The Chosen. These Masters implore Suth as well as his son to return with them to the main land as the God Emperor is dying and a new election needs to begin. The one problem is that the black ship is damaged and in order to repair it, the island is pillaged and all but destroyed because of the laws of the ruling class. With his home in ruins and his people destined to starve, Carnelian accompanies his father on his journey to the capital city of Osrakum in the middle of The Guarded Lands. I will stop the summary here to avoid spoilers but the grit and dread for this series have only just begun.
Carnelian is a kind hearted main character but very curious and aware of his surrounding environment. He constantly questions the devastating and tragic laws his people have to live under and his shocked reactions are truly valid because he has live in isolation and has grown up unaware. In order to combat the harsh reality’s of this world, Carnelian will have to learn quickly to become a true Master and play this political game. Allegiances will be tested and on the journey to the ancient city, the group has to fight off invaders and assassins’ while combating a plague that has infested the land. I told you this was grim.
Ricardo Pintos writing style is truly something to behold. He will bring you in so close that you could almost feel the dark world around you while keeping you at a distance in the same breath. The writing can be dense at times and will be riddle with history, worldbuilding, and secrets that will become relevant down the road, at least I hope so. Now, with all that being said I need the shed some light on the Second edition of this release. Of the original three books in the First edition, the novels had to be divided up amongst the new seven. So book one of the original trilogy is now books one and two of the Second edition. Book two of the original is now books three and four. Finally the concluding volume of the original is now books five, six, and seven.
The Master is essentially one half of a novel although written extremely well and the ending stops in a place where having book two in hand is a must. This is just something to keep in mind but this will in no way deter my rating of this wonder. If you a grimdark fantasy fan of Joe Abercrombie or Mark Lawrence, then you will feel like chill and shivers (pun intended) with this series. I don’t know how this series has gone unknown for twenty years but let that be the end of it!!! This series has so much potential and riveting characters and atmosphere that I don’t know which way is up. I have been told by my author friends that this series will rip my heart out and be served to the dogs on a silver plate. Well I’ll say this to everyone, BRING IT ON!
Cheers!
My Podcast Episode with Ricardo Pinto - https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/...
The story takes place in a Mesoamerican world where the ruling class, The Masters, are treated as walking gods in human form. Their slaves are forbidden to look upon the faces of The Masters, which is why the rulers walk around in public wearing masks. Servants of the rulers have been blinded either by sewing of the eyelids shut or removal of the eyes all together in a surgery that could mean death and we haven’t even gotten to the bloody scenes yet.
We start off on an isolated island where Carnelian and his father Suth, both of them are Masters, reside over their people in exile and are unaware of the bigger disasters taking place on the mainland. One day they are greeted by a black ship on the horizon bringing forth three masked figures of The Chosen. These Masters implore Suth as well as his son to return with them to the main land as the God Emperor is dying and a new election needs to begin. The one problem is that the black ship is damaged and in order to repair it, the island is pillaged and all but destroyed because of the laws of the ruling class. With his home in ruins and his people destined to starve, Carnelian accompanies his father on his journey to the capital city of Osrakum in the middle of The Guarded Lands. I will stop the summary here to avoid spoilers but the grit and dread for this series have only just begun.
Carnelian is a kind hearted main character but very curious and aware of his surrounding environment. He constantly questions the devastating and tragic laws his people have to live under and his shocked reactions are truly valid because he has live in isolation and has grown up unaware. In order to combat the harsh reality’s of this world, Carnelian will have to learn quickly to become a true Master and play this political game. Allegiances will be tested and on the journey to the ancient city, the group has to fight off invaders and assassins’ while combating a plague that has infested the land. I told you this was grim.
Ricardo Pintos writing style is truly something to behold. He will bring you in so close that you could almost feel the dark world around you while keeping you at a distance in the same breath. The writing can be dense at times and will be riddle with history, worldbuilding, and secrets that will become relevant down the road, at least I hope so. Now, with all that being said I need the shed some light on the Second edition of this release. Of the original three books in the First edition, the novels had to be divided up amongst the new seven. So book one of the original trilogy is now books one and two of the Second edition. Book two of the original is now books three and four. Finally the concluding volume of the original is now books five, six, and seven.
The Master is essentially one half of a novel although written extremely well and the ending stops in a place where having book two in hand is a must. This is just something to keep in mind but this will in no way deter my rating of this wonder. If you a grimdark fantasy fan of Joe Abercrombie or Mark Lawrence, then you will feel like chill and shivers (pun intended) with this series. I don’t know how this series has gone unknown for twenty years but let that be the end of it!!! This series has so much potential and riveting characters and atmosphere that I don’t know which way is up. I have been told by my author friends that this series will rip my heart out and be served to the dogs on a silver plate. Well I’ll say this to everyone, BRING IT ON!
Cheers!
My Podcast Episode with Ricardo Pinto - https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/...
December 4, 2020
It's intriguing and bleak. This book has a complicated history (some google-fu will reveal it). While I appreciate unique world-building, I didn't relate to Carnelian and I wasn't immersed in the plot. The end of the book resolves nothing and offers no closure. Perhaps I'll check book two. Perhaps I won't.
TL;DR: intriguing and with unique world-building. Rather bleak. The pacing is off. The ending isn't actually an ending.
TL;DR: intriguing and with unique world-building. Rather bleak. The pacing is off. The ending isn't actually an ending.
October 10, 2022
A very unique take on grimdark fantasy. Definitely not for the faint of heart as this book is brutal in every way. I’m curious to see where it goes next. Full review to come on my channel.
May 28, 2021
In the Three Lands, the rule of the Chosen is absolute. At the top of a society they have stratified and subjugated, the Chosen marinate in their ludicrous wealth in the walled city of Osrakum. Their time is spent endlessly plotting against each other and refining the purity of their bloodlines – a project for the ages whose pinnacle is godhood. Never mind the thousands of debased sartlar who toil on the land, or the marumaga house slaves who will meet a cruel end if they accidentally glimpse the unmasked face of a Chosen lord they don't serve. For masks, in this world, are everything.
Enter fifteen-year-old Carnelian, raised in faraway exile by his father, Lord Suth. Oblivious to his heritage, Carnelian enjoys a homely relationship with his marumaga household, embracing his half-brothers as playmates and protectors. So it's a shock when three Chosen Masters arrive to strip his island home of its resources for a forced return trip to Osrakum. There, Lord Suth must supervise an election to replace the dying God Emperor. But it's a long way to Osrakum, and on the way Carnelian will be threatened by the sea crossing, assassins, and his own ignorance of the ruthless world to which he must assimilate.
If Carnelian's introduction to his native culture is rough, it’s a picnic compared to that of his family. The fact is that Carnelian's marumaga relations are also his property, and Lord Suth has fatally insulated his son from the full meaning of that power relationship. The other Masters, who exploit vulnerability as a reflex, use Carnelian's naivety for sport, but he's not the one who has to bleed. And other people do bleed, a lot, while Carnelian (gradually) summons up a poker face and a little political acumen. This doesn't always make for easy reading.
The Chosen play the world like a four-dimensional game of chess, both empowered and constrained by the elaborate rituals, rules and lawmakers that govern their every move. Everything is done for show, and every move hides a sleight of hand.The Stone Dance of the Chameleon as a whole is about Carnelian's attempt to upend the chess board with compassion. To refuse to play, like Suth, is still a move in the game, with consequences for the pawns. So the larger question asked both by The Masters and the series overall is: do we have to play the game in order to beat it?
This is a book that intentionally seduces you with a rich culture, a deep history and a beautiful constructed language. You wallow in the aesthetic, and then you catch yourself in the (gilt, bejewelled) mirror, and you start asking yourself: are those blood diamonds? And then you look more closely at your own reflection, at the garments you wear, at the systems of power and exploitation in which you are complicit in our modern world.
Originally, The Stone Dance of the Chameleon was published as a trilogy, and Pinto's reworking of it into a septet is a bravura choice, but a canny one. The editing only refines both the beauty and the horror of the text, and the ending of The Masters, once a pause in a longer novel, is recontextualised here as a moment of psychedelic transcendence, leaving Carnelian on the threshold of a new and threatening world. The complexity, both moral and narrative, remain intact, and the message is more relevant than ever before.
Enter fifteen-year-old Carnelian, raised in faraway exile by his father, Lord Suth. Oblivious to his heritage, Carnelian enjoys a homely relationship with his marumaga household, embracing his half-brothers as playmates and protectors. So it's a shock when three Chosen Masters arrive to strip his island home of its resources for a forced return trip to Osrakum. There, Lord Suth must supervise an election to replace the dying God Emperor. But it's a long way to Osrakum, and on the way Carnelian will be threatened by the sea crossing, assassins, and his own ignorance of the ruthless world to which he must assimilate.
If Carnelian's introduction to his native culture is rough, it’s a picnic compared to that of his family. The fact is that Carnelian's marumaga relations are also his property, and Lord Suth has fatally insulated his son from the full meaning of that power relationship. The other Masters, who exploit vulnerability as a reflex, use Carnelian's naivety for sport, but he's not the one who has to bleed. And other people do bleed, a lot, while Carnelian (gradually) summons up a poker face and a little political acumen. This doesn't always make for easy reading.
The Chosen play the world like a four-dimensional game of chess, both empowered and constrained by the elaborate rituals, rules and lawmakers that govern their every move. Everything is done for show, and every move hides a sleight of hand.The Stone Dance of the Chameleon as a whole is about Carnelian's attempt to upend the chess board with compassion. To refuse to play, like Suth, is still a move in the game, with consequences for the pawns. So the larger question asked both by The Masters and the series overall is: do we have to play the game in order to beat it?
This is a book that intentionally seduces you with a rich culture, a deep history and a beautiful constructed language. You wallow in the aesthetic, and then you catch yourself in the (gilt, bejewelled) mirror, and you start asking yourself: are those blood diamonds? And then you look more closely at your own reflection, at the garments you wear, at the systems of power and exploitation in which you are complicit in our modern world.
Originally, The Stone Dance of the Chameleon was published as a trilogy, and Pinto's reworking of it into a septet is a bravura choice, but a canny one. The editing only refines both the beauty and the horror of the text, and the ending of The Masters, once a pause in a longer novel, is recontextualised here as a moment of psychedelic transcendence, leaving Carnelian on the threshold of a new and threatening world. The complexity, both moral and narrative, remain intact, and the message is more relevant than ever before.
March 10, 2022
BRUTALE. Quello che comincia quasi come un romanzo di formazione su caratteristiche mesoamericane si trasforma in pochissimo tempo in un intrigo/intrico costante, una corsa contro il tempo per la vita e la gloria, in un'ambientazione ricchissima di dettagli inconsueti e inconsulti, violenze e crudeltà immense (alcune delle scene più spiritualmente violente che abbia mai letto) e dialoghi teologici e filosofici così criptici da fare invidia a Erikson. Il ritmo dei mini capitoli è tutto un programma che spero di gustarmi anche nei libri successivi.
January 29, 2024
Sono rimasto molto deluso da questo libro.. Mi era stato consigliato come un dark fantasy originale e avvincente.. e dalle recensioni lette sembrava oscuro e ricco di avvenimenti..
L autore ha costruito un Worldbuilding unico, eccezionale, ricchissimo, ma poi si è dimenticato di costruire una storia interessante!!
Anche tenendo conto che è un volume introduttivo, non succede praticamente nulla.. è di una noia mortale..
Sembra che deve succedere qualcosa... Ma poi nulla..
C'è un viaggio in nave in cui non succede nulla e poteva essere solo accennato.. e poi c'è un viaggio via terra, per una strada pericolosissima dove può succedere di tutto, ma non succede nulla!! 🤣🤣
Il sistema politico e quello "regale" basato sulle frazioni di sangue divino che uno ha è inutilmente complicato e monotono, una lista di cose inutili..
Il sistema magico in realtà sembra non esistere, perché si intuisce che c'è qualcosa, ma non c'è nulla, sembra più una sorta di auto convincimento.. Magari negli altri volumi può venire fuori, ma valeva la pena di farlo già emergere e rendere il tutto più interessante e non così aleatorio..
Inoltre l autore perde un sacco di tempo a descrivere inutilmente vestiti, abiti e scarpe, i personaggi non fanno altro che mettersi la maschera, togliere la maschera, mettere la maschera, togliere, mettere, togliere..
C'è uno che per tutto il viaggio continua a chiedere perché non passano dalla strada principale, quando il motivo era chiaro e evidente, gli viene pure spiegato un paio di volte, ma continua a ripetere le stesse frasi..
È ripetitiva e noiosa come narrazione, peccato, perché come ambientazione poteva dare molto, infatti non gli do una stella solo per questo..
(E leggendo altre recensioni in modo più accurato, vedo che anche nei volumi successivi non cambia molto!)
Dispiaciuto, non continuerò le serie..
L autore ha costruito un Worldbuilding unico, eccezionale, ricchissimo, ma poi si è dimenticato di costruire una storia interessante!!
Anche tenendo conto che è un volume introduttivo, non succede praticamente nulla.. è di una noia mortale..
Sembra che deve succedere qualcosa... Ma poi nulla..
C'è un viaggio in nave in cui non succede nulla e poteva essere solo accennato.. e poi c'è un viaggio via terra, per una strada pericolosissima dove può succedere di tutto, ma non succede nulla!! 🤣🤣
Il sistema politico e quello "regale" basato sulle frazioni di sangue divino che uno ha è inutilmente complicato e monotono, una lista di cose inutili..
Il sistema magico in realtà sembra non esistere, perché si intuisce che c'è qualcosa, ma non c'è nulla, sembra più una sorta di auto convincimento.. Magari negli altri volumi può venire fuori, ma valeva la pena di farlo già emergere e rendere il tutto più interessante e non così aleatorio..
Inoltre l autore perde un sacco di tempo a descrivere inutilmente vestiti, abiti e scarpe, i personaggi non fanno altro che mettersi la maschera, togliere la maschera, mettere la maschera, togliere, mettere, togliere..
C'è uno che per tutto il viaggio continua a chiedere perché non passano dalla strada principale, quando il motivo era chiaro e evidente, gli viene pure spiegato un paio di volte, ma continua a ripetere le stesse frasi..
È ripetitiva e noiosa come narrazione, peccato, perché come ambientazione poteva dare molto, infatti non gli do una stella solo per questo..
(E leggendo altre recensioni in modo più accurato, vedo che anche nei volumi successivi non cambia molto!)
Dispiaciuto, non continuerò le serie..
August 2, 2023
Foi uma leitura fora da minha zona de conforto. Muito worldbuilding interessante mas que por vezes foi demasiado e dificultava imaginar... Aprendi bué inglês novo ahahhahah mas só no final é que a história começou a ter algum desenvolvimento. Mixed feelings
November 30, 2022
This was a reread of sorts, very enjoyable.
January 7, 2023
The prose in this was presented in a very stylistically, which I think made it interesting to keep reading. As other reviewers commented, this was about 75% description of details and minutiae, 20% plot, and 5% actual dialogue. There was generous world building, references galore, and so much info dump that it became tedious to keep up with the imagination unfolding.
I did not find the protagonist, Carnelian, to be engaging or interesting and the stupid things he kept doing over and over I put down to his youth and immaturity. In the first chapters, we see almost a different person in him as he turns from carefree and flighty to resentful.
During a break in the winter storms, Carnelian witnesses a battered ship land and three Masters disembark. They've come to demand Carnelian's father Lord Suth return to the capital of Osrakum to mediate the succession of the dying God-Emperor. It is revealed that Carnelian, his father, and the three Masters all belong to the apex of the very strict caste system of their society, they are The Chosen. They are physically larger than the humans and viewed as deities.. and they basically act like it. Throughout their journey, the Masters are brutal to anyone lesser than themselves.
First of all, they can never be seen by lesser peoples. They hide their skin by painting it, donning gloves or elaborate costumes, and they never remove their masks except when alone with each other. To be seen by a lesser is to draw punishment to the lesser by blinding or worse. It's heavily implied the Chosen's natural skin color is white-yellow under their paint.
The Masters are very casual about violence to those they view as lesser- easily riding over them, stabbing them, killing them. Nearly every other page in this first (of seven books) includes a scene of some sort of violence occurring, hence why this is GRIMDARK brutalist fantasy. There's no magic involved in this.
A lot can be drawn from the tropes and details teased. The Masters is intriguing, sometimes fascinating, but often unpleasant reading. I think if it had been less detailed, it might have garnered a different reaction from me.
Two and half stars - rounded up to three stars.
I did not find the protagonist, Carnelian, to be engaging or interesting and the stupid things he kept doing over and over I put down to his youth and immaturity. In the first chapters, we see almost a different person in him as he turns from carefree and flighty to resentful.
During a break in the winter storms, Carnelian witnesses a battered ship land and three Masters disembark. They've come to demand Carnelian's father Lord Suth return to the capital of Osrakum to mediate the succession of the dying God-Emperor. It is revealed that Carnelian, his father, and the three Masters all belong to the apex of the very strict caste system of their society, they are The Chosen. They are physically larger than the humans and viewed as deities.. and they basically act like it. Throughout their journey, the Masters are brutal to anyone lesser than themselves.
First of all, they can never be seen by lesser peoples. They hide their skin by painting it, donning gloves or elaborate costumes, and they never remove their masks except when alone with each other. To be seen by a lesser is to draw punishment to the lesser by blinding or worse. It's heavily implied the Chosen's natural skin color is white-yellow under their paint.
The Masters are very casual about violence to those they view as lesser- easily riding over them, stabbing them, killing them. Nearly every other page in this first (of seven books) includes a scene of some sort of violence occurring, hence why this is GRIMDARK brutalist fantasy. There's no magic involved in this.
A lot can be drawn from the tropes and details teased. The Masters is intriguing, sometimes fascinating, but often unpleasant reading. I think if it had been less detailed, it might have garnered a different reaction from me.
Two and half stars - rounded up to three stars.
May 20, 2020
Obtuse to the point of near opacity
I have joufully read many fantasy novels, including ones where a dictionary was my constant companion. I have of course been dropped wholesale into fantastic worlds that required imagination and rereading to find and follow the main intent of the author. I have found myself getting headaches trying to bring some of them together.
Then there is this one.
It defies explanation, so I will instead try to describe the pitfalls.
It's a mix of so many different cultures and histories that unless you know (or care) little to nothing about world history, your brain may try to engage in an attempt to place this historically. Don't even try, or else don't even read. Even the descriptions of the book within the forewords and afterwords will baffle you as to what you just read compared to the descriptions you may have read to entoce you to give this a go. Keep a dictionary handy. You may very well need it. Take it in small bites, or keep your favorite headache remedy on hand...maybe both. Take notes, and yes, you will have to revise them in all probability. This world is IMO a disgusting one, and I hope the protagonist fixes it, but in case he doesn't, don't reas this if you are prone to depression. I found this first book grim.
I have joufully read many fantasy novels, including ones where a dictionary was my constant companion. I have of course been dropped wholesale into fantastic worlds that required imagination and rereading to find and follow the main intent of the author. I have found myself getting headaches trying to bring some of them together.
Then there is this one.
It defies explanation, so I will instead try to describe the pitfalls.
It's a mix of so many different cultures and histories that unless you know (or care) little to nothing about world history, your brain may try to engage in an attempt to place this historically. Don't even try, or else don't even read. Even the descriptions of the book within the forewords and afterwords will baffle you as to what you just read compared to the descriptions you may have read to entoce you to give this a go. Keep a dictionary handy. You may very well need it. Take it in small bites, or keep your favorite headache remedy on hand...maybe both. Take notes, and yes, you will have to revise them in all probability. This world is IMO a disgusting one, and I hope the protagonist fixes it, but in case he doesn't, don't reas this if you are prone to depression. I found this first book grim.
May 21, 2025
So, turns out there was a pre-2010 tradpub queer fantasy book that I hadn't read.
Giving this a 3 feels inaccurate, since this is ultimately the first third of a book and events are only just getting started. Let's say 3.5. It's good shit, but I need to see more.
So, this is the 2021, self-published second edition of a book originally published by Tor in 1999. I scoured the internet for any reviewers providing a comparison on the first and second editions of this series and glad I chose the second edition. Because, damn, the prose is the exact kind of floral that I dig, but it's dense, and apparently this is the streamlined version. Ironic since I chose this as my Lymond decompression book for commutes LMAO. If there's any critique it's that I do struggle to discern what is going on, like, architecturally, but... I get the vibes, if that makes sense? I give the auteur's respect to the vibes, and the vibes are painting an exquisite sense of place, which, honestly, is clearly what is important in this series. Because the worldbuilding is fantastic, and as the first third of a book, the worldbuilding naturally needs to take centre stage.
This is a grimdark world with a great deal of inspiration from Mesoamerica. This world is one of extremes: there's enormous decadence, opulence and strict propriety in stark contrast with a countryside riddled with plague, ancient, fallen cities overtaken by hovel townships, and an economy entirely dependent on slave labour. The picture this paints of how Empires operates on punitive justice and resource extraction, human and material, is vivid. Much of this book with our main cast comprised of the ruling cast ruthlessly bulldozing a path across the country simply to get from A to B. Pinto has an anthropology background and, yeah, this is evident. There's a heavy sense of dread here, despite how Carnelian is steadfast and hopeful in face of mounting horrors, and I like that. I fear we will see this kid crushed (more on that later.
I've seen reviews that complain about the violence being over the top, gratuitous, and pointless, to which I say - yeah, that is the point. How would a society this brutal not have fallen to revolution yet is a question I've seen a few times, to which I say, well, read a book - and this book lays down pretty clearly how hard it would be for the slave class to acquire weapons and organise, as well as the social contracts made by the various social classes that uphold its function pretty clearly. And, I can kinda pick up on what is being put down here and assume yeah, I think that's where this is going. I'll put real money on being wrong here lol.
But, even though the plot is just getting started, I'm strapped in for the ride. I'm just very... taken with this, some really creative and lush fantasy that's all about worldbuilding. but isn't Sanderson-like and quantified to the minutia. I can confidently say I've never read a fantasy setting that resembles what Pinto's described, and that's so lovely in a time where everything picked up by publishers in this genre feels increasingly rote, heartless, and skeletal.
The feeling of slow understanding dawning on me as I read through the first 40 or so pages and came to realise, wait, are the Chosen huge dudes? Was Carnelian's dad just then, like, a huge dude? Wait holy shit Carnelian is huge. It reminded me of that feeling of when Thecla munched on a leek in The Shadow of the Torturer and, if you're paying attention, you're like - wait, what? At no point are we ever given the exposition explaining that the Chosen are biologically huge dudes compared to barbarians and marumaga, or even what the fuck exactly the other classes in this society are. I loved that.
The characters too - we've only just scratched the surface. Carnelian is an interesting protagonist, and reminds me of a mirror version of Maia from The Goblin Emperor - motherless relative of the Emperor, raised on the outskirts of their Empire without the pomp and manners of his highly stratified court, and is a highly compassionate, humanist young man. But instead of an abusive household like Maia's, Carnelian was raised with love and warmth by an abundance of half-brothers, uncles and aunts, and even a beloved foster mother, one of his father's concubines - and most crucially, does not see these people as below him, but has a genuine fellowship with them. Carnelian is still quite young (age isn't specified in this volume, but we find out he's 14) and therefore still half-formed, but already has a keen sense of justice. I'm interested to see where he goes in the next book because he spent much of this one under his father's thumb or lost in the web of intrigue. Which is very sympathetic. I was right with you bud.
Also, right off the bat, I'm glad Pinto got back the rights and was able to republish on his own terms, that rules. His drawings are the covers? That whips ass. They're genuinely so evocative and eye-catching for me!
I was reading Jacqueline Carey's recent blog post on her few orphaned series - those series whose rights she will never get back, and haven't sold as consistently to warrant any new editions or promo, like my beloved Imriel trilogy. Or, thinking of Sarah Monette finally getting to republish the Doctrine of Labyrinths under the Katherine Addison moniker - even though we're long past her being able to capitalise on TGE hype, it's great because I haven't been able to legally purchase of copy of these books, with any of the money being able to go to her, like ever lol.
I'm all for authors who were trailblazers in writing complex female and queer characters in SFF having more control over their output, is what I'm getting at. But I'm also kinda mad that Tor apparently had been sitting on this and publishing the most batshit boring sanitised cosy garbage when they could be jumping on some seriously intriguing and unique LGBT grimdark fantasy. Plus, I was promised a queer love triangle, I'm here for the DRAMA.
Giving this a 3 feels inaccurate, since this is ultimately the first third of a book and events are only just getting started. Let's say 3.5. It's good shit, but I need to see more.
So, this is the 2021, self-published second edition of a book originally published by Tor in 1999. I scoured the internet for any reviewers providing a comparison on the first and second editions of this series and glad I chose the second edition. Because, damn, the prose is the exact kind of floral that I dig, but it's dense, and apparently this is the streamlined version. Ironic since I chose this as my Lymond decompression book for commutes LMAO. If there's any critique it's that I do struggle to discern what is going on, like, architecturally, but... I get the vibes, if that makes sense? I give the auteur's respect to the vibes, and the vibes are painting an exquisite sense of place, which, honestly, is clearly what is important in this series. Because the worldbuilding is fantastic, and as the first third of a book, the worldbuilding naturally needs to take centre stage.
This is a grimdark world with a great deal of inspiration from Mesoamerica. This world is one of extremes: there's enormous decadence, opulence and strict propriety in stark contrast with a countryside riddled with plague, ancient, fallen cities overtaken by hovel townships, and an economy entirely dependent on slave labour. The picture this paints of how Empires operates on punitive justice and resource extraction, human and material, is vivid. Much of this book with our main cast comprised of the ruling cast ruthlessly bulldozing a path across the country simply to get from A to B. Pinto has an anthropology background and, yeah, this is evident. There's a heavy sense of dread here, despite how Carnelian is steadfast and hopeful in face of mounting horrors, and I like that. I fear we will see this kid crushed (more on that later.
I've seen reviews that complain about the violence being over the top, gratuitous, and pointless, to which I say - yeah, that is the point. How would a society this brutal not have fallen to revolution yet is a question I've seen a few times, to which I say, well, read a book - and this book lays down pretty clearly how hard it would be for the slave class to acquire weapons and organise, as well as the social contracts made by the various social classes that uphold its function pretty clearly. And, I can kinda pick up on what is being put down here and assume yeah, I think that's where this is going. I'll put real money on being wrong here lol.
But, even though the plot is just getting started, I'm strapped in for the ride. I'm just very... taken with this, some really creative and lush fantasy that's all about worldbuilding. but isn't Sanderson-like and quantified to the minutia. I can confidently say I've never read a fantasy setting that resembles what Pinto's described, and that's so lovely in a time where everything picked up by publishers in this genre feels increasingly rote, heartless, and skeletal.
The feeling of slow understanding dawning on me as I read through the first 40 or so pages and came to realise, wait, are the Chosen huge dudes? Was Carnelian's dad just then, like, a huge dude? Wait holy shit Carnelian is huge. It reminded me of that feeling of when Thecla munched on a leek in The Shadow of the Torturer and, if you're paying attention, you're like - wait, what? At no point are we ever given the exposition explaining that the Chosen are biologically huge dudes compared to barbarians and marumaga, or even what the fuck exactly the other classes in this society are. I loved that.
The characters too - we've only just scratched the surface. Carnelian is an interesting protagonist, and reminds me of a mirror version of Maia from The Goblin Emperor - motherless relative of the Emperor, raised on the outskirts of their Empire without the pomp and manners of his highly stratified court, and is a highly compassionate, humanist young man. But instead of an abusive household like Maia's, Carnelian was raised with love and warmth by an abundance of half-brothers, uncles and aunts, and even a beloved foster mother, one of his father's concubines - and most crucially, does not see these people as below him, but has a genuine fellowship with them. Carnelian is still quite young (age isn't specified in this volume, but we find out he's 14) and therefore still half-formed, but already has a keen sense of justice. I'm interested to see where he goes in the next book because he spent much of this one under his father's thumb or lost in the web of intrigue. Which is very sympathetic. I was right with you bud.
Also, right off the bat, I'm glad Pinto got back the rights and was able to republish on his own terms, that rules. His drawings are the covers? That whips ass. They're genuinely so evocative and eye-catching for me!
I was reading Jacqueline Carey's recent blog post on her few orphaned series - those series whose rights she will never get back, and haven't sold as consistently to warrant any new editions or promo, like my beloved Imriel trilogy. Or, thinking of Sarah Monette finally getting to republish the Doctrine of Labyrinths under the Katherine Addison moniker - even though we're long past her being able to capitalise on TGE hype, it's great because I haven't been able to legally purchase of copy of these books, with any of the money being able to go to her, like ever lol.
I'm all for authors who were trailblazers in writing complex female and queer characters in SFF having more control over their output, is what I'm getting at. But I'm also kinda mad that Tor apparently had been sitting on this and publishing the most batshit boring sanitised cosy garbage when they could be jumping on some seriously intriguing and unique LGBT grimdark fantasy. Plus, I was promised a queer love triangle, I'm here for the DRAMA.
July 1, 2020
I love this series for its unique setting and its brutal honesty. The Stone Dance of the Chameleon tells a story of violence and racism, fundamentalism and intrigue through the eyes of one who has grown up protected from this ugly world. Reading this book is mystical and like watching a car crash. The further one gets in the story, the more people suffer and die. It is not an easy read, but one (having read the complete first edition) that comes to a satisfying conclusion.
As of now, I am unsure why this new version was necessary - if narrative changes were made I did not notice them and as of now, I believe the first edition's first book worked well as one piece and did not have to be separated. The prose continues to be confusing (to me) at times.
As of now, I am unsure why this new version was necessary - if narrative changes were made I did not notice them and as of now, I believe the first edition's first book worked well as one piece and did not have to be separated. The prose continues to be confusing (to me) at times.
November 27, 2022
This second edition delivers as promised! I was in love before, and Pinto has really made some great changes. Nothing has been lost so far. I read the first edition series many years ago, but has remained my absolute favorite book (series) out of the hundreds I have read. I'll be interested to go back and put the two editions next to each other, when I'm done just out of curiosity to see what he changed. So far, it's much better writing for this first book. I could see the evolution and improvement throughout the first edition three books, and I'm excited by his going back and reworking things. Lifetime fan, thank you RP!
September 20, 2024
Stone Dance of the Chameleon is a series that I’ve been looking forward to reading for a while. Billed as a Dark Queer Fantasy that was written in the 2000s, this is theoretically exactly what I’ve been looking for: a gay lead where romance isn’t the main premise of the book. And while the book showed a lot of promise, I ultimately found myself underwhelmed by it.
The premise is a world with a rather extreme caste system. At the top are the Masters, people supposedly blessed with divine blood, who measure the fraction of their blood that is divine and are allocated power based on this. Those who look upon their faces are blinded, and all other life is little more than cattle to them. Carnelian, our main character, is one of these Masters, raised by his father in exile away from the main culture. Book 1 is more or less a travelogue as they are summoned back to the culture of brutality in the mainland.
And travel stories are ones that I know that I dislike. Strongly. Go here see new thing is not a type of plot I enjoy, and my distaste for the structure of book one (which does not seem like it will be the structure of the remaining books) is what has me interested in continuing. However, I generally found that the story didn’t do enough work with theme or characterization in this first volume to hold my attention. It was clear there was a lot of thought and care that went into the worldbuilding, but too much narrative time was spent on that work when ultimately I didn’t feel like I furthered the story in meaningful ways. There was a note about reference materials online before the book started, and while maps and charts are useful, I personally don’t want to have to cross-reference appendexises to enjoy the book.
Will I read the sequel? Yes. Is it a priority for me? No.
The premise is a world with a rather extreme caste system. At the top are the Masters, people supposedly blessed with divine blood, who measure the fraction of their blood that is divine and are allocated power based on this. Those who look upon their faces are blinded, and all other life is little more than cattle to them. Carnelian, our main character, is one of these Masters, raised by his father in exile away from the main culture. Book 1 is more or less a travelogue as they are summoned back to the culture of brutality in the mainland.
And travel stories are ones that I know that I dislike. Strongly. Go here see new thing is not a type of plot I enjoy, and my distaste for the structure of book one (which does not seem like it will be the structure of the remaining books) is what has me interested in continuing. However, I generally found that the story didn’t do enough work with theme or characterization in this first volume to hold my attention. It was clear there was a lot of thought and care that went into the worldbuilding, but too much narrative time was spent on that work when ultimately I didn’t feel like I furthered the story in meaningful ways. There was a note about reference materials online before the book started, and while maps and charts are useful, I personally don’t want to have to cross-reference appendexises to enjoy the book.
Will I read the sequel? Yes. Is it a priority for me? No.
April 18, 2024
Nella sua seconda edizione, primo libro di sette (tutti brevi)
È un libro introduttivo a quello che si prospetta essere una storia ricca, densa e brutale.
Nonostante appunto penso sia introduttivo, è già possibile vedere un worldbuilding spettacolare, unico, con un protagonista solidissimo e ben delineato.
Carnelian infatti è un ragazzo che conosce il mondo dei Chosen, dei Master e dei Wise di cui fa parte dall'istruzione del padre, Lord della famiglia. Cresciuto in esilio, ha sviluppato quello che i suoi simili non hanno: l'empatia, la giustizia, il legame. Lui e suoi simili sono esseri superiori dal sangue divino, i Chosen hanno costruito un regime oppressivo dove politica, intrighi, privilegi e potere fanno da padroni. Ma Carnelian è più di questo. Vuole bene ai propri fratellastri, che per lui sono fratelli veri e propri, alla matrigna, che considera una madre, anche se non sono come lui.
Lui e il padre, separati dalla società originaria, sono un di più.
Quando si trova a fronteggiarsi con i Master, venuti a prendere il padre per l'elezione del nuovo God Emperor, noi lettori vediamo proprio questa differenza. Il senso di superiorità, la discriminazione e il potere che hanno questi Master sono enormi.
Ma Carnelian certo non si fa intimidire, in quanto erede non ha di certo lo stesso potere del padre e spesso ha le mani legati, ma noi seguiamo il suo filo di pensieri deciso, rabbioso e che non ci sta alla malvagità sei simili.
Un bellissimo personaggio.
Un worldbuilding che iniziamo a vedere, fatto di importanza di sangue, di ritualità e di intrighi. Non vedo l'ora di scoprire di più.
È un libro introduttivo a quello che si prospetta essere una storia ricca, densa e brutale.
Nonostante appunto penso sia introduttivo, è già possibile vedere un worldbuilding spettacolare, unico, con un protagonista solidissimo e ben delineato.
Carnelian infatti è un ragazzo che conosce il mondo dei Chosen, dei Master e dei Wise di cui fa parte dall'istruzione del padre, Lord della famiglia. Cresciuto in esilio, ha sviluppato quello che i suoi simili non hanno: l'empatia, la giustizia, il legame. Lui e suoi simili sono esseri superiori dal sangue divino, i Chosen hanno costruito un regime oppressivo dove politica, intrighi, privilegi e potere fanno da padroni. Ma Carnelian è più di questo. Vuole bene ai propri fratellastri, che per lui sono fratelli veri e propri, alla matrigna, che considera una madre, anche se non sono come lui.
Lui e il padre, separati dalla società originaria, sono un di più.
Quando si trova a fronteggiarsi con i Master, venuti a prendere il padre per l'elezione del nuovo God Emperor, noi lettori vediamo proprio questa differenza. Il senso di superiorità, la discriminazione e il potere che hanno questi Master sono enormi.
Ma Carnelian certo non si fa intimidire, in quanto erede non ha di certo lo stesso potere del padre e spesso ha le mani legati, ma noi seguiamo il suo filo di pensieri deciso, rabbioso e che non ci sta alla malvagità sei simili.
Un bellissimo personaggio.
Un worldbuilding che iniziamo a vedere, fatto di importanza di sangue, di ritualità e di intrighi. Non vedo l'ora di scoprire di più.
July 28, 2023
4 stars
This is a grimdark fantasy novel set in a world of harsh laws and social stratification. The worldbuilding is excellent. Despite a very basic plot, I can’t wait to see where the story goes next!
First, the political system of the novel is complex and intriguing. The ruling caste (the Chosen) have instituted a strict system of social rankings and voting laws based on perceived purity of blood. People who are closely related to the God Emperor are considered to have purer blood and thus get more votes than distant relations. Additionally, it is forbidden to see the face of anyone with a higher social ranking. If you accidentally see a superior without their ceremonial mask, they’ll cut out your eyes… or worse. It’s very bloody and perfect for anyone who likes horror novels.
The plot of the first book was basically a fetch quest; a Chosen family must return from exile and journey to the capital to elect a new God Emperor. The plot is therefore very simple and linear, and a lot of the set pieces are used for exposition. The writing is also Hemingway-esque, which works to move the plot quickly at the expense of detailed settings. I would have preferred more elaborate descriptions and slower-moving plot, but that is merely a personal preference. I already purchased the second book!
This is a grimdark fantasy novel set in a world of harsh laws and social stratification. The worldbuilding is excellent. Despite a very basic plot, I can’t wait to see where the story goes next!
First, the political system of the novel is complex and intriguing. The ruling caste (the Chosen) have instituted a strict system of social rankings and voting laws based on perceived purity of blood. People who are closely related to the God Emperor are considered to have purer blood and thus get more votes than distant relations. Additionally, it is forbidden to see the face of anyone with a higher social ranking. If you accidentally see a superior without their ceremonial mask, they’ll cut out your eyes… or worse. It’s very bloody and perfect for anyone who likes horror novels.
The plot of the first book was basically a fetch quest; a Chosen family must return from exile and journey to the capital to elect a new God Emperor. The plot is therefore very simple and linear, and a lot of the set pieces are used for exposition. The writing is also Hemingway-esque, which works to move the plot quickly at the expense of detailed settings. I would have preferred more elaborate descriptions and slower-moving plot, but that is merely a personal preference. I already purchased the second book!
March 24, 2025
These are fantastic books. they describe such a strange, terrible, awe inspiring world with so much detail that you get lost in it, a world so unlike ours but also so similar in many ways.. I found so much humanity here.
These books are not easy to read for several reasons. At the risk of sounding dumb; there are so many big and unusual words I am not used to seeing. So many words that I have really only seen in this book, or very rarely elsewhere. Additionally, there is a lot of hardship, cruelty and generally horrible situations that come up due to the setting of the society and culture. Unlike some dark books, the loss and hardship experienced in this story have a reason, they all make sense in the lens of this world, however this did not make it any easier to read.
The shining star of this story really is our main character… there is so much to like about him. Carnelian isn’t perfect, but his compassion, his ability to endure cruelty without becoming cruel himself, is incredible.. it’s so easy to let yourself go, let the cruelties you have experienced harden you and slowly turn you into the very things you can’t stand.
At the end of the day, I am glad I got to read Carnelian’s story, and the stories of those who are part of his life.
These books are not easy to read for several reasons. At the risk of sounding dumb; there are so many big and unusual words I am not used to seeing. So many words that I have really only seen in this book, or very rarely elsewhere. Additionally, there is a lot of hardship, cruelty and generally horrible situations that come up due to the setting of the society and culture. Unlike some dark books, the loss and hardship experienced in this story have a reason, they all make sense in the lens of this world, however this did not make it any easier to read.
The shining star of this story really is our main character… there is so much to like about him. Carnelian isn’t perfect, but his compassion, his ability to endure cruelty without becoming cruel himself, is incredible.. it’s so easy to let yourself go, let the cruelties you have experienced harden you and slowly turn you into the very things you can’t stand.
At the end of the day, I am glad I got to read Carnelian’s story, and the stories of those who are part of his life.
Read
July 31, 2022Sorry to say it but this book is 70% useless description and 30% plot, character time and dialogue combined.
The issue might have been that the author really wanted to worldbuild. As far as this is concerned, he does build quite the rich world, one that is quite distinct from usual fantasy settings, with interesting hierarchies and lore.
However, there is just no balance at all : we cannot spend 3/4 of a chapter reading how the sea roils, how birds fly, how the MC is crossing a river then get only a few lines that actually advances the plot and build the characters.
I feel like the book was fine enough at first but as soon as they set out for the journey, it becomes a real chore to read. From what I gather from the titles, this would have continued for the rest of this first book too as they would only reach their destination in the last chapter.
Anyway, aside from this, the prose is quite beautiful but, unfortunately, at times (more than a few) too obscure or very clunky which takes the attention away as one has to go over the line again and again.
The issue might have been that the author really wanted to worldbuild. As far as this is concerned, he does build quite the rich world, one that is quite distinct from usual fantasy settings, with interesting hierarchies and lore.
However, there is just no balance at all : we cannot spend 3/4 of a chapter reading how the sea roils, how birds fly, how the MC is crossing a river then get only a few lines that actually advances the plot and build the characters.
I feel like the book was fine enough at first but as soon as they set out for the journey, it becomes a real chore to read. From what I gather from the titles, this would have continued for the rest of this first book too as they would only reach their destination in the last chapter.
Anyway, aside from this, the prose is quite beautiful but, unfortunately, at times (more than a few) too obscure or very clunky which takes the attention away as one has to go over the line again and again.
August 16, 2020
So I think the reason the Chosen are white and all the 'slave races' are dark-skinned is because the Chosen are horrifically, disgustingly evil, and flipping the trope around - brown Chosen and white slaves - would be...pretty dodgy.
Although making everyone brown, in your Aztec-inspired world, might have negated the issue and also made more sense?
Other than that...the worldbuilding is phenomenal, and the writing is great. I despise the Chosen, but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to. If you're not up to dealing with a *lot* of casual violence, murder, and slavery, this is definitely not for you, but this is a very unique take on not-exactly-grimdark.
I hope Carnelian sets his whole society on fire, but I guess we'll see how that goes in book two.
Although making everyone brown, in your Aztec-inspired world, might have negated the issue and also made more sense?
Other than that...the worldbuilding is phenomenal, and the writing is great. I despise the Chosen, but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to. If you're not up to dealing with a *lot* of casual violence, murder, and slavery, this is definitely not for you, but this is a very unique take on not-exactly-grimdark.
I hope Carnelian sets his whole society on fire, but I guess we'll see how that goes in book two.
January 25, 2024
4 1/2 stars. This is that rarest of treats: an original-feeling fantasy setting and series (though the debts owed to Gene Wolfe, Frank Herbert, and JRR Tolkien are obvious). I was impressed by the compactness of the prose, the viciousness of the brutality, the breadth of vision, and the way the volume gets gradually turned up to 11 as the action moves closer toward the city of the eponymous Masters. I look forward to the sequels - and hope Tain survives.
March 18, 2020
Different
Three and a half stars. Exceptional writing, great characterizing and very imaginative. If you enjoy a well written story,try this one out. Definitely a dark tale where human life is worth next to nothing. People are ruled by the " masters", a bunch of pompous degradable excuses for humans. They are in a race to make it back to there city and not be assassinated. You'll learn a lot about them and there world on the way. Not sure if I care enough about these characters to continue reading, but I do recommend you give it a try.
Three and a half stars. Exceptional writing, great characterizing and very imaginative. If you enjoy a well written story,try this one out. Definitely a dark tale where human life is worth next to nothing. People are ruled by the " masters", a bunch of pompous degradable excuses for humans. They are in a race to make it back to there city and not be assassinated. You'll learn a lot about them and there world on the way. Not sure if I care enough about these characters to continue reading, but I do recommend you give it a try.
August 19, 2024
Really great book. Only rating it 4 because it feels like it’s just getting started. But the world felt really real and interesting. Somehow classic and unique all at once.
World building felt very natural and not clunky or forced and I really want to know more about the customs, religions etc
World building felt very natural and not clunky or forced and I really want to know more about the customs, religions etc
August 5, 2025
A feast for the imagination
I read this series in it's original form many years ago & this is a glorious new version. Ricardo paints such a vibrant image with words that it's both intoxicating and terrifying at once. If only it was watchable....
I read this series in it's original form many years ago & this is a glorious new version. Ricardo paints such a vibrant image with words that it's both intoxicating and terrifying at once. If only it was watchable....
February 8, 2020
Excellent stuff!
Read
October 24, 2021DNF
March 31, 2022
This was intriguing but sometimes a little too opaque to be fully enjoyed.
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