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Vortex of Worlds #1
This Broken World
NEW EPIC FANTASY FROM AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR CHARLES E. GANNON. A young man must face dangers from without and within—and question everything he believes to be true.
Since boyhood, Druadaen expected he’d ascend to the command of an elite legion and become the leader his father predicted he would be. However, fate had something different in store.
Assigned instead to a small group of outriders tasked with watching nearby kingdoms, Druadaen discovers that the world beyond his homeland is riddled with impossibilities. How do humanoid raiders, known as the Bent, suffer staggering losses and yet return as a vast horde every decade? How do multi-ton dragons fly? How have fossils formed in a world which sacrists insist has existed for only ten millennia?
Determined to solve these mysteries, Druadaen journeys into the dank warrens of the Bent, seeks out a dragon’s lair, and ventures into long-buried ruins in search of ancient scrolls. But, whereas legends tell of heroes who encounter their greatest perils during just such forays into the unknown, Druadaen’s most lethal enemies might lurk in even more unusual places:
The temples and council chambers of his own homeland.
About Charles E. Gannon:
“Chuck Gannon is one of those marvelous finds—someone as comfortable with characters as he is with technology, and equally adept at providing those characters with problems to solve. Imaginative, fun, and not afraid to step on the occasional toe or gore the occasional sacred cow, his stories do not disappoint.”—David Weber
“If we meet strong aliens out there, will we suffer the fate of the Aztecs and Incas, or find the agility to survive? Gannon fizzes with ideas about the dangerous politics of first contact.”—David Brin
“Chuck Gannon writes the kind of science fiction we all grew up on: rousing, mind-expanding, pulse-pounding sagas of spaceships and aliens. He's a terrific writer, and we're lucky to have him.” —Robert J. Sawyer
“[A] strong [writer of] . . . military SF . . . [much] action going on in his work, with a lot of physics behind it. There is a real sense of the urgency of war and the sacrifices it demands.” —Locus
About the work of Charles E. Gannon:
Caine's Mutiny:
“This is military Science Fiction the way it’s supposed to be written. . . . All in all, a highly satisfying tale of the Terran Republic that moves the story forward and sets us up for the next chapter, which promises to be interesting at worst and explosive at best.”—SFcrowsnest
Raising Caine:
“Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine. It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride.”—Fantasy and Science Fiction Book and Audiobook Reviews
“This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale.”—Kirkus
“Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying.”—Publishers Weekly
“[A]n incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants. . . . [A] whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous world-building . . . will certainly have their needs met.”—BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog
Nebula-nominated Trial by Fire:
“I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt
“Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first (Fire with Fire). . . . The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review
“[D]efinitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right.”—Analog
“[O]ffers the type of hard science-fiction those familiar with the John Campbell era of Analog Science Fiction will remember. Gannon throws his readers into an action-packed adventure. A sequel to Fire With Fire, it is a nonstop tale filled with military science-fiction action.”—The Galveston County Daily News
Compton Crook Award winner for best first novel, Fire with Fire:
“The plot is intriguing and then some. Well-developed and self-consistent; intelligent readers are going to like it.”—Jerry Pournelle
“[T]he intersecting plot threads, action and well-conceived science kept those pages turning.”—SFcrowsnest
Starfire series hit Extremis, coauthored by Charles E. Gannon:
“Vivid . . . Battle sequences mingle with thought-provoking exegesis . . .”—Publishers Weekly
“It’s a grand, fun series of battles and campaigns, worthy of anything Dale Brown or Larry Bond ever wrote.” —Analog
Since boyhood, Druadaen expected he’d ascend to the command of an elite legion and become the leader his father predicted he would be. However, fate had something different in store.
Assigned instead to a small group of outriders tasked with watching nearby kingdoms, Druadaen discovers that the world beyond his homeland is riddled with impossibilities. How do humanoid raiders, known as the Bent, suffer staggering losses and yet return as a vast horde every decade? How do multi-ton dragons fly? How have fossils formed in a world which sacrists insist has existed for only ten millennia?
Determined to solve these mysteries, Druadaen journeys into the dank warrens of the Bent, seeks out a dragon’s lair, and ventures into long-buried ruins in search of ancient scrolls. But, whereas legends tell of heroes who encounter their greatest perils during just such forays into the unknown, Druadaen’s most lethal enemies might lurk in even more unusual places:
The temples and council chambers of his own homeland.
About Charles E. Gannon:
“Chuck Gannon is one of those marvelous finds—someone as comfortable with characters as he is with technology, and equally adept at providing those characters with problems to solve. Imaginative, fun, and not afraid to step on the occasional toe or gore the occasional sacred cow, his stories do not disappoint.”—David Weber
“If we meet strong aliens out there, will we suffer the fate of the Aztecs and Incas, or find the agility to survive? Gannon fizzes with ideas about the dangerous politics of first contact.”—David Brin
“Chuck Gannon writes the kind of science fiction we all grew up on: rousing, mind-expanding, pulse-pounding sagas of spaceships and aliens. He's a terrific writer, and we're lucky to have him.” —Robert J. Sawyer
“[A] strong [writer of] . . . military SF . . . [much] action going on in his work, with a lot of physics behind it. There is a real sense of the urgency of war and the sacrifices it demands.” —Locus
About the work of Charles E. Gannon:
Caine's Mutiny:
“This is military Science Fiction the way it’s supposed to be written. . . . All in all, a highly satisfying tale of the Terran Republic that moves the story forward and sets us up for the next chapter, which promises to be interesting at worst and explosive at best.”—SFcrowsnest
Raising Caine:
“Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine. It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride.”—Fantasy and Science Fiction Book and Audiobook Reviews
“This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale.”—Kirkus
“Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying.”—Publishers Weekly
“[A]n incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants. . . . [A] whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous world-building . . . will certainly have their needs met.”—BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog
Nebula-nominated Trial by Fire:
“I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt
“Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first (Fire with Fire). . . . The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe.”—Publishers Weekly Starred Review
“[D]efinitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right.”—Analog
“[O]ffers the type of hard science-fiction those familiar with the John Campbell era of Analog Science Fiction will remember. Gannon throws his readers into an action-packed adventure. A sequel to Fire With Fire, it is a nonstop tale filled with military science-fiction action.”—The Galveston County Daily News
Compton Crook Award winner for best first novel, Fire with Fire:
“The plot is intriguing and then some. Well-developed and self-consistent; intelligent readers are going to like it.”—Jerry Pournelle
“[T]he intersecting plot threads, action and well-conceived science kept those pages turning.”—SFcrowsnest
Starfire series hit Extremis, coauthored by Charles E. Gannon:
“Vivid . . . Battle sequences mingle with thought-provoking exegesis . . .”—Publishers Weekly
“It’s a grand, fun series of battles and campaigns, worthy of anything Dale Brown or Larry Bond ever wrote.” —Analog
756 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2021
37 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Charles E. Gannon
78 books207 followersDr. Charles E. Gannon is a Distinguished Professor of English (St. Bonaventure U.) & Fulbright Senior Specialist (American Lit & Culture). He has had novellas in Analog and the War World series. His nonfiction book "Rumors of War and Infernal Machines" won the 2006 ALA Outstanding Text Award. He also worked as author and editor for GDW, and was a routine contributor to both the scientific/technical content and story-line in the award-winning games "Traveller," and "2300 AD." He has been awarded Fulbrights to England, Scotland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Netherlands, and worked 8 years as scriptwriter/producer in NYC.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 16, 2021
A very interesting novel that has everything one wants in a fantasy (great world-building, fascinating characters, action, mystery etc) and which I enjoyed but not as much as I would have expected based on the package; not sure if it is the writing style that stops the narrative momentum or the structure of the novel that breaks that, but there is an episodic feel that detracts from the reading experience and makes the whole somewhat less than the sum of its parts; still quite interested in volume 2 and the ending promises a lot there, so let's hope the series will reach its potential
January 5, 2023
This book really surprised me.
Usually, when starting the first volume of an epic fantasy series, especially one with this kind of breadth and depth, you'll be deluged with mountains of world-building details, whether they be geographical, cultural, political, magical, or mundane. This book has those in spades. But what makes this book different from a typical beginning to a high fantasy series is that it makes that necessary yet often annoying part of the genre into a major part of the plot.
Druadaen, the main character, is by nature a curious man, and through various circumstances has been given the tools and connections to sate that curiosity. And so he begins a series of journeys to investigate phenomena that should exist according to the rules of nature. That curiosity, while encouraged by some in his adopted homeland, is also seen a threat by others. And so Druadaen learning about his world (with us peering over his shoulder) is not just an info-dump to get through in order for the story to happen, it is the story.
But an ingenious way of working world-building into the story is not the only thing to recommend. Oh no. The characters who Druadaen travels with and meets are memorable, from swordsman Ahearn to the character depicted on the cover of the book, with the dialogue and prose a joy to read. There's a lot of complex concepts, deep mysteries, and political machinations going on, and yet I never felt as if I had to slog my way through any section.
Usually, when starting the first volume of an epic fantasy series, especially one with this kind of breadth and depth, you'll be deluged with mountains of world-building details, whether they be geographical, cultural, political, magical, or mundane. This book has those in spades. But what makes this book different from a typical beginning to a high fantasy series is that it makes that necessary yet often annoying part of the genre into a major part of the plot.
Druadaen, the main character, is by nature a curious man, and through various circumstances has been given the tools and connections to sate that curiosity. And so he begins a series of journeys to investigate phenomena that should exist according to the rules of nature. That curiosity, while encouraged by some in his adopted homeland, is also seen a threat by others. And so Druadaen learning about his world (with us peering over his shoulder) is not just an info-dump to get through in order for the story to happen, it is the story.
But an ingenious way of working world-building into the story is not the only thing to recommend. Oh no. The characters who Druadaen travels with and meets are memorable, from swordsman Ahearn to the character depicted on the cover of the book, with the dialogue and prose a joy to read. There's a lot of complex concepts, deep mysteries, and political machinations going on, and yet I never felt as if I had to slog my way through any section.
May 24, 2023
Whew. This Broken World checks in at a hefty 804 paperback pages. Yet it is only "the first book in the Vortex of Worlds" series? I certainly hope that the series is only a trilogy, because I cannot slog through too many successive volumes of this magnitude, even if I really like the story. Tolkien's epic masterpiece, LotR, finished in three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring = 527 pages, The Two Towers = 447 pages, and The Return of the King = 385 pages (not counting appendices). If an author needs more than 2500 pages to tell a tale, then the author needs an editor.
Despite its immense length, there is a lot to like in This Broken World. The book tells the story of Druadaen. He grows up in the Dunarra empire, displaying an unusually precocious understanding of the affairs of the adults around him. But Druadaen's family home is attacked by animals that are apparently driven mad by a "mancer" (magic user), and Druadaen barely escapes. When he comes out of a feverish coma, he learns he is an orphan (his dad is alive, but in some kind of state of suspended animation). Druadaen studies, hoping to join one of the Creedlands, but all of the gods reject him. Is there something about Druadaen that disqualifies him from acceptance into the church of one of the gods? Druadaen gets no answers to this question, and neither does the reader.
Druadaen grows up, spending a few years as a courier for the empire, but the events of this part of his life are glossed over. Years later, Druadaen is working in the service of his high-power aunt Shaananca. The periphery of the empire is periodically threatened by hordes of humanoids called the Bent. Where do these warriors come from, how can they assemble such numbers of fighters when their lands are resource poor, and every previous invasion has left the Bent with greatly diminished numbers? Druadaen undertakes a perilous mission into open territory to assess the Bent threat.
Gannon does a nice job of world building. Indeed, this story plays out over several continents, so it is a vast landscape. Gannon does his best to populate it with various cultures and history.
I like the unique idea at the heart of this story. Rather than the traditional fantasy-novel quest to find a magical item to defeat the dark villain(s), Druadaen is instead focused on answering questions that make no logical sense - how is it that a giant can walk when biology dictates that their heart would be unable to pump enough blood for a person that is the size of a 16' human? How is it possible for a dragon that weighs two tons to take flight, no matter how large its leathery wings may be? It is a bit puzzling that Druadaen is so focused on these questions, after all, he lives in a world where powerful "mancers" can cast spells, and the gods of the Creedlands can perform supernatural deeds. Druadaen himself has a mechanical/magical semi-sentient creature called a velene, plus he acquires a shape-shifting sword which seems to have at least a rudimentary intelligence of its own - if Druadaen can accept that magical creatures and devices can exist, why does the horde of the Bent puzzle him so? Isn't it just another example of magic?
Despite all of Druadaen's travels and adventures, when This Broken World is complete, there is much that remains a mystery. If there is an adversary, it is completely unidentified. There are some hints from his wizardly aunt Shaananca, but the reader is still in the dark about what is the central plot of this story. The events at the beginning - the attack on Druadaen family, and the mysterious Lady of the Mirror have been forgotten in all of the ensuing events. This is the first volume in the Vortex of Worlds, and so far there isn't even an inkling of a Vortex nor multiple Worlds, which makes me nervous that Gannon is planning to write more than three of these doorstoppers.
Although I liked This Broken World, there are some story points that prevented me from awarding it five stars.
Druadaen travels with a team of four or five companions (composition of team members varies during the course of the novel), yet despite the small number of characters, I could not tell S'ythreni and Umkhira apart. Druadaen's other fellow adventurers (Ahearn and Elweyr) are unique enough, and developed enough, to remember, but S'ythreni and Umkhira might as well have been a single character.
I felt that Druadaen magical aunt Shaananca was simply too powerful and too all knowing to be a credible character.
If the dragon can take human form, why doesn't it take some of that wealth from his lair and buy himself a herd of tasty cattle to feast upon?
Once in a while, one of the characters will use a phrase such as "Physician, heal thyself" or "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" - I found these statements from Earth's 20th century culture to be jarringly out of place when read in Gannon's fantasy world. Why would these characters talk like Earthlings?
I hope there is a good explanation for the vivid "dreams" the Druadaen sometimes has. They allow him to spy upon friends or foe just when they are discussing crucial information, which is awfully convenient!
If I see book 2, I will probably pick it up. Hopefully it is not another 800 pages long.
Despite its immense length, there is a lot to like in This Broken World. The book tells the story of Druadaen. He grows up in the Dunarra empire, displaying an unusually precocious understanding of the affairs of the adults around him. But Druadaen's family home is attacked by animals that are apparently driven mad by a "mancer" (magic user), and Druadaen barely escapes. When he comes out of a feverish coma, he learns he is an orphan (his dad is alive, but in some kind of state of suspended animation). Druadaen studies, hoping to join one of the Creedlands, but all of the gods reject him. Is there something about Druadaen that disqualifies him from acceptance into the church of one of the gods? Druadaen gets no answers to this question, and neither does the reader.
Druadaen grows up, spending a few years as a courier for the empire, but the events of this part of his life are glossed over. Years later, Druadaen is working in the service of his high-power aunt Shaananca. The periphery of the empire is periodically threatened by hordes of humanoids called the Bent. Where do these warriors come from, how can they assemble such numbers of fighters when their lands are resource poor, and every previous invasion has left the Bent with greatly diminished numbers? Druadaen undertakes a perilous mission into open territory to assess the Bent threat.
Gannon does a nice job of world building. Indeed, this story plays out over several continents, so it is a vast landscape. Gannon does his best to populate it with various cultures and history.
I like the unique idea at the heart of this story. Rather than the traditional fantasy-novel quest to find a magical item to defeat the dark villain(s), Druadaen is instead focused on answering questions that make no logical sense - how is it that a giant can walk when biology dictates that their heart would be unable to pump enough blood for a person that is the size of a 16' human? How is it possible for a dragon that weighs two tons to take flight, no matter how large its leathery wings may be? It is a bit puzzling that Druadaen is so focused on these questions, after all, he lives in a world where powerful "mancers" can cast spells, and the gods of the Creedlands can perform supernatural deeds. Druadaen himself has a mechanical/magical semi-sentient creature called a velene, plus he acquires a shape-shifting sword which seems to have at least a rudimentary intelligence of its own - if Druadaen can accept that magical creatures and devices can exist, why does the horde of the Bent puzzle him so? Isn't it just another example of magic?
Despite all of Druadaen's travels and adventures, when This Broken World is complete, there is much that remains a mystery. If there is an adversary, it is completely unidentified. There are some hints from his wizardly aunt Shaananca, but the reader is still in the dark about what is the central plot of this story. The events at the beginning - the attack on Druadaen family, and the mysterious Lady of the Mirror have been forgotten in all of the ensuing events. This is the first volume in the Vortex of Worlds, and so far there isn't even an inkling of a Vortex nor multiple Worlds, which makes me nervous that Gannon is planning to write more than three of these doorstoppers.
Although I liked This Broken World, there are some story points that prevented me from awarding it five stars.
Druadaen travels with a team of four or five companions (composition of team members varies during the course of the novel), yet despite the small number of characters, I could not tell S'ythreni and Umkhira apart. Druadaen's other fellow adventurers (Ahearn and Elweyr) are unique enough, and developed enough, to remember, but S'ythreni and Umkhira might as well have been a single character.
I felt that Druadaen magical aunt Shaananca was simply too powerful and too all knowing to be a credible character.
If the dragon can take human form, why doesn't it take some of that wealth from his lair and buy himself a herd of tasty cattle to feast upon?
Once in a while, one of the characters will use a phrase such as "Physician, heal thyself" or "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" - I found these statements from Earth's 20th century culture to be jarringly out of place when read in Gannon's fantasy world. Why would these characters talk like Earthlings?
I hope there is a good explanation for the vivid "dreams" the Druadaen sometimes has. They allow him to spy upon friends or foe just when they are discussing crucial information, which is awfully convenient!
If I see book 2, I will probably pick it up. Hopefully it is not another 800 pages long.
March 7, 2024
TL;DR: The best new fantasy I've read since Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings
Charles Gannon has been on the periphery of my radar for some time for his science fiction, but I grabbed this paperback when I saw him dabbling in fantasy. I offered a few books up to a friend in Feb, 2024 for us to read together, and this is the one he picked.
For that, I am immensely grateful. Gannon writes a "Western"-style fantasy (of which there is little enough these days, and which I quite enjoy) with a good bit of creativity, and not a ton of familiar tropes. There are elf-ish things and orc-ish things, but neither are really those things. There is magic, but not in great measure or ease. There are dragons and giants and monsters, but they've all got their own twists and place in This Broken World.
The adventure of Druadaen is something of a coming-of-age story (always a good foundation), but first and foremost a quest of curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. The political intrigue that I often enjoy is only here in small measure, and is unfortunately tedious (Gannon does indulge himself, as most authors, in a "religion is backwards and basically evil and stupid" sort of view), but there's a fair amount of detail about the lands, countries, and people that Druadaen and his companions encounter on their journeys.
The beginning of the story is a little hard to follow. There are some spasmodic shifts in time frame that, while later help to add color to Druadaen's story, feel kind of stilted when read. Eventually, the abrupt shifts of time and place become a familiar transition point, and I actually quite enjoy them - they eliminate some of the tedium of travel, and see the characters thrust into interesting new places. A LOT of ground is covered in this book, and it could very easily have been two separate novels.
What Gannon is great at is building atmosphere and developing strong, believable relationships between his protagonists. Strangers become fast friends and indomitable allies by the end of the story - with selfish ends slowly evolving into selfless bonds of loyalty. Furthermore, there are two extended sequences of this book that I found incredibly gripping. The first: a delve into the Undergloom, where dwell the barbaric Bent. The party is constantly in mortal danger and immersed in a strange ecology and pseudo-society. These chapters evoked the kind of feeling I've always associated with subterranean fantasy adventures. Secondly, a riverboat ride upstream to hunt for a dragon results in glory, tragedy, mystery, and good character building. These passages and more will feel familiar to any veteran of party-based tabletop RPGs like D&D. I'd never read the book before, but it felt nostalgic and exciting: as if rediscovering the excitement of these kinds of adventures for the first time.
Will buy this series in hardcover, and unless book 2 is a significant step back in quality, this will be prominently featured both on my shelf and on my tongue!
Charles Gannon has been on the periphery of my radar for some time for his science fiction, but I grabbed this paperback when I saw him dabbling in fantasy. I offered a few books up to a friend in Feb, 2024 for us to read together, and this is the one he picked.
For that, I am immensely grateful. Gannon writes a "Western"-style fantasy (of which there is little enough these days, and which I quite enjoy) with a good bit of creativity, and not a ton of familiar tropes. There are elf-ish things and orc-ish things, but neither are really those things. There is magic, but not in great measure or ease. There are dragons and giants and monsters, but they've all got their own twists and place in This Broken World.
The adventure of Druadaen is something of a coming-of-age story (always a good foundation), but first and foremost a quest of curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. The political intrigue that I often enjoy is only here in small measure, and is unfortunately tedious (Gannon does indulge himself, as most authors, in a "religion is backwards and basically evil and stupid" sort of view), but there's a fair amount of detail about the lands, countries, and people that Druadaen and his companions encounter on their journeys.
The beginning of the story is a little hard to follow. There are some spasmodic shifts in time frame that, while later help to add color to Druadaen's story, feel kind of stilted when read. Eventually, the abrupt shifts of time and place become a familiar transition point, and I actually quite enjoy them - they eliminate some of the tedium of travel, and see the characters thrust into interesting new places. A LOT of ground is covered in this book, and it could very easily have been two separate novels.
What Gannon is great at is building atmosphere and developing strong, believable relationships between his protagonists. Strangers become fast friends and indomitable allies by the end of the story - with selfish ends slowly evolving into selfless bonds of loyalty. Furthermore, there are two extended sequences of this book that I found incredibly gripping. The first: a delve into the Undergloom, where dwell the barbaric Bent. The party is constantly in mortal danger and immersed in a strange ecology and pseudo-society. These chapters evoked the kind of feeling I've always associated with subterranean fantasy adventures. Secondly, a riverboat ride upstream to hunt for a dragon results in glory, tragedy, mystery, and good character building. These passages and more will feel familiar to any veteran of party-based tabletop RPGs like D&D. I'd never read the book before, but it felt nostalgic and exciting: as if rediscovering the excitement of these kinds of adventures for the first time.
Will buy this series in hardcover, and unless book 2 is a significant step back in quality, this will be prominently featured both on my shelf and on my tongue!
December 17, 2025
I picked up this book at the library on a whim, as there seem to be a lot of books from this author and I hoped this might be a good starting point. After reading it, I did feel at times like I was picking up a sequel series due to the deep history this world seems to have, but it didn't overly detract from the story.
Dru (I know he hates it) is a pretty great protagonist to me because his main strengths are being smart and being curious. The story starts with him as a young child and even then he's sharper than most kids his age. There are several time skips that made me start feeling a bit disconnected and worried that important growth was being glossed over, but the timeline slows down to focus on when he's a young adult. In hindsight, that works as you get a good glimpse into his backstory without taking too long on it. The remaining time skips are mainly to speed up travel by sea or land, so those feel beneficial to keep the story moving.
There are so many interesting elements to this story that I don't know where to focus. Dru's companions he picks up are all so diverse and personality-rich that the story would have suffered tremendously without them. The world with it's mysterious origins, magics, and races keeps me wondering at what is really going on. The places they visit and the unexpected turns they take kept me interested and wanting to hear more. I really enjoyed the interactions with the "monsters" they encountered and how their negative perceptions were often turned on their head by reality. A good message wrapped in an often humorous exchange.
I have a few minor gripes with the book that I'm still reflecting on. The biggest is a very minor spoiler, but it's more or less that the book continues building this sense of an epic reveal only to have it squashed at the end with a mundane explanation. I believe it to be a ruse and there really is an epic reveal in the next book, but it didn't feel satisfying. I was also a bit skeptical at just how quickly some things were figured out. It felt at times that characters "Sherlock Holmes-d" their way to an answer based on some very small details. This is a clever group and I do enjoy a good deduction, but it was a stretch to believe it sometimes.
Overall an enjoyable read and I can't imagine not reading the next to find out more of their story!
Dru (I know he hates it) is a pretty great protagonist to me because his main strengths are being smart and being curious. The story starts with him as a young child and even then he's sharper than most kids his age. There are several time skips that made me start feeling a bit disconnected and worried that important growth was being glossed over, but the timeline slows down to focus on when he's a young adult. In hindsight, that works as you get a good glimpse into his backstory without taking too long on it. The remaining time skips are mainly to speed up travel by sea or land, so those feel beneficial to keep the story moving.
There are so many interesting elements to this story that I don't know where to focus. Dru's companions he picks up are all so diverse and personality-rich that the story would have suffered tremendously without them. The world with it's mysterious origins, magics, and races keeps me wondering at what is really going on. The places they visit and the unexpected turns they take kept me interested and wanting to hear more. I really enjoyed the interactions with the "monsters" they encountered and how their negative perceptions were often turned on their head by reality. A good message wrapped in an often humorous exchange.
I have a few minor gripes with the book that I'm still reflecting on. The biggest is a very minor spoiler, but it's more or less that the book continues building this sense of an epic reveal only to have it squashed at the end with a mundane explanation. I believe it to be a ruse and there really is an epic reveal in the next book, but it didn't feel satisfying. I was also a bit skeptical at just how quickly some things were figured out. It felt at times that characters "Sherlock Holmes-d" their way to an answer based on some very small details. This is a clever group and I do enjoy a good deduction, but it was a stretch to believe it sometimes.
Overall an enjoyable read and I can't imagine not reading the next to find out more of their story!
May 14, 2023
I have read the author’s Caine Riordan series with delight. I had picked up the first book in this new fantasy series awhile back, but only dove in recently when I needed something long. It took a little bit to get into, but once in the groove, the story opens up as we follow Druadaen on his quest to answer questions of paradox.
The world is well put together and rich with backstory. As Druadaen is an Outrider & Courier, he’s traveled throughout the world. Add in his many years in the primary archive of his country, he knows a lot. But it also causes him to ask questions that are uncomfortable to many in power.
At the center, that is really the theme: Is it wrong to ask questions of unexplainable things, to dive into the science in order to understand?
The story becomes really fun once Druadaen meets up with a group of adventurers. A motley group of souls who all poke fun at each other, for better or for worse. If it was just Druadaen we were following around, it would have been a bit dull after awhile. But with the group, the dynamic is just jazz.
The book sets up the continuation, as Druadaen experiences the consequences of talking to dragons and challenging notions of how the world really works. As it just came out for me, I’ve already started.
The world is well put together and rich with backstory. As Druadaen is an Outrider & Courier, he’s traveled throughout the world. Add in his many years in the primary archive of his country, he knows a lot. But it also causes him to ask questions that are uncomfortable to many in power.
At the center, that is really the theme: Is it wrong to ask questions of unexplainable things, to dive into the science in order to understand?
The story becomes really fun once Druadaen meets up with a group of adventurers. A motley group of souls who all poke fun at each other, for better or for worse. If it was just Druadaen we were following around, it would have been a bit dull after awhile. But with the group, the dynamic is just jazz.
The book sets up the continuation, as Druadaen experiences the consequences of talking to dragons and challenging notions of how the world really works. As it just came out for me, I’ve already started.
November 2, 2021
This book has it all.
Engaging characters, and in particular, a very strong main character, pivotal to the story not because he is the Child of destiny predicted to slay the arch-devil, nope, but because he uses his brains to really think and ponder and wonder at the peculiarities of his world.
Strong world-building: not only a humans in this broken world. Yes, you have an old human civilization reminding of a Rome having chosen isolation over empire, but you also have elves, goblins, other humans than the "romans" oh well, I could continue...
Mystery, ok, mysteries... (no spoilers, but look under impossibilities to have an inkling of mystery).
Impossibilities (or at least 2 mutually exclusive narratives about the history of the world)...
This a very strong book, as we are used to get from Charles E. Gannon, but set in another sandbox than his previous books. (unless we consider this is virtua, in which case... and if you don't know what Virtua is, I suggest catching up on your Caine Riordan books. :))
I enjoyed the book so much that, after having read the eARC, I went and bought the Hardcover edition.
Next one please!
Engaging characters, and in particular, a very strong main character, pivotal to the story not because he is the Child of destiny predicted to slay the arch-devil, nope, but because he uses his brains to really think and ponder and wonder at the peculiarities of his world.
Strong world-building: not only a humans in this broken world. Yes, you have an old human civilization reminding of a Rome having chosen isolation over empire, but you also have elves, goblins, other humans than the "romans" oh well, I could continue...
Mystery, ok, mysteries... (no spoilers, but look under impossibilities to have an inkling of mystery).
Impossibilities (or at least 2 mutually exclusive narratives about the history of the world)...
This a very strong book, as we are used to get from Charles E. Gannon, but set in another sandbox than his previous books. (unless we consider this is virtua, in which case... and if you don't know what Virtua is, I suggest catching up on your Caine Riordan books. :))
I enjoyed the book so much that, after having read the eARC, I went and bought the Hardcover edition.
Next one please!
January 9, 2022
Druadaen was orphaned at 9 and raised in an archive. Working as an outrider in the Concentium of Dunarra, he starts finding that parts of This Broken World (hard from Baen) don’t make sense. Charles E. Gannon has a fun tale of Druadaen’s quests he tales along with a few soldier-of-fortune types including a magician. The Bent come out in hordes from their deep caverns every decade despite lack of enough food. Then there are the giants who are too big to even move, The dragons who fly with relatively small wings, and even a continent that appeared suddenly withing the historic record. I really enjoyed this tale of exploration and can’t wait for the sequel that may provide the answers to the questions.Review printed by Philadelphia Free Press
November 12, 2021
This is like the best D&D session you've ever dreamed up, but better.
This book has the level of creativity I associate with Conan the Barbarian stories, where the races and monsters are entirely unfamiliar and yet internally consistent.
If you like sword & sorcery, this is at the top of that pile.
This book has the level of creativity I associate with Conan the Barbarian stories, where the races and monsters are entirely unfamiliar and yet internally consistent.
If you like sword & sorcery, this is at the top of that pile.
December 20, 2021
A refreshing take on age old tropes of fantasy included. An orphan, a fellowship, quests and adventure. But the underlying reason behind the adventures made the book super interesting for me. The MC is curious and just wanted to learn what didn't make logical sense. And I was interested all the way to follow the MC who just wanted to know about his broken world 😊
June 5, 2022
A fun read and I love the authors take on Dragons!
June 9, 2022
A great deal of world building and character building (particularly enjoyed our time with the giant and the dragon) going on. All that blends well for the direction of the story.
December 26, 2022
I enjoyed it, although it was plodding at times, and raised more mysteries than it solved. I expect a bit more payoff on those in the sequel
May 31, 2024
Ok I think this is a good book but it isn’t great. If I could rate it out of 10 on this app I would give it a 7.
September 5, 2022
Wow! What an impressive fantasy debut novel! This is not the author's first novel (he had been writing hard sf space opera novels). But this is his first fantasy.
I did not read it when it first came out because I was mad at him for not writing the next hard sf space opera novel in his Caine Riordan/Terran Republic series.
I had somehow decided that his fantasy novel was probably about some dopey princess spending her years locked up in her tower waiting for some equally dopey Prince Charming to finally show up and save the day.
Well, I am SO happy to have been proven wrong.
Instead of what I was imagining as a bog-standard fantasy, Charles E. Gannon has his own take on what a fantasy novel should look like. Our protagonist Druadaen is keeping a journal so, of course, we largely see events from his point of view.
Druadaen has a curious mind. Most children grow out of asking "Why" every other breath. But Druadaen finds inconsistencies in his world, and he must seek answers. So, yes, he is on a quest but his is a quest for knowledge.
He picks up companions along the way and soon he has his own fellow travelers who, although mercenaries at heart, choose to keep company with Druadaen even when the monetary pickings get thin. Druadaen even periodically tries to tell his companions that now his path has become too dangerous for him in good conscience to want to expose anyone other than himself to the perils which lie ahead. Nevertheless, his companions refuse to abandon him, and the company goes on.
So, the book I got was not at all the book I expected but if you are willing to read this book with an open mind (and not expect too many standard fantasy tropes) I think you might enjoy this book as much as I did. At this point, I am very much looking forward to the next book in this Vortex of Worlds series (even if it only turns out to be a trilogy).
I did not read it when it first came out because I was mad at him for not writing the next hard sf space opera novel in his Caine Riordan/Terran Republic series.
I had somehow decided that his fantasy novel was probably about some dopey princess spending her years locked up in her tower waiting for some equally dopey Prince Charming to finally show up and save the day.
Well, I am SO happy to have been proven wrong.
Instead of what I was imagining as a bog-standard fantasy, Charles E. Gannon has his own take on what a fantasy novel should look like. Our protagonist Druadaen is keeping a journal so, of course, we largely see events from his point of view.
Druadaen has a curious mind. Most children grow out of asking "Why" every other breath. But Druadaen finds inconsistencies in his world, and he must seek answers. So, yes, he is on a quest but his is a quest for knowledge.
He picks up companions along the way and soon he has his own fellow travelers who, although mercenaries at heart, choose to keep company with Druadaen even when the monetary pickings get thin. Druadaen even periodically tries to tell his companions that now his path has become too dangerous for him in good conscience to want to expose anyone other than himself to the perils which lie ahead. Nevertheless, his companions refuse to abandon him, and the company goes on.
So, the book I got was not at all the book I expected but if you are willing to read this book with an open mind (and not expect too many standard fantasy tropes) I think you might enjoy this book as much as I did. At this point, I am very much looking forward to the next book in this Vortex of Worlds series (even if it only turns out to be a trilogy).
July 12, 2024
Imagine a DnD gamemaster proposing a campaign. In it you are going to find the reasons for all those inconsistencies you find in a DnD game. How do "Orcs" reproduce so fast and with limited resources to threaten civilization time and again? How do giants even walk? Or dragons fly? And any of a number of similar questions that would be hand waved away. Now imagine that the GM is going to let you find the answers to all those questions.
That is what this novel reads as, but in a good way. The characters are engaging, intelligent, and above all interesting. and it takes all those DnD tropes and turns them on its ear. Seriously the interactions with the dragon was worth the price.
Seriously if you want a novel that takes all those usual tropes and makes them interesting and engaging, then this is the novel for you!
That is what this novel reads as, but in a good way. The characters are engaging, intelligent, and above all interesting. and it takes all those DnD tropes and turns them on its ear. Seriously the interactions with the dragon was worth the price.
Seriously if you want a novel that takes all those usual tropes and makes them interesting and engaging, then this is the novel for you!
November 28, 2021
Charles Gannon's Best Yet
A great fantasy adventure with elements of the familiar as well as the innovative in high fantasy overlaying a mystery within the world itself. Good characters and a lively pace make every page a joy to read.
A great fantasy adventure with elements of the familiar as well as the innovative in high fantasy overlaying a mystery within the world itself. Good characters and a lively pace make every page a joy to read.
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