The Third Sign

by Gregory A. Wilson

Gregory A. Wilson

351 pages, Hardcover

First published June 17, 2009

About the author

Gregory A. Wilson is the author of The Gray Assassin Trilogy, the fantasy novel The Third Sign, the award-winning graphic novel Icarus, called “fluent, fresh, and beautiful” by critics, and the 5E adventure and supplement Tales and Tomes from the Forbidden Library, along with a variety of short stories, academic articles, and books. He is also Professor of English at St. John’s University, where he teaches courses in speculative fiction, creative writing, and Renaissance drama. He is the co-host of the critically acclaimed podcast Speculate!, and under the moniker Arvan Eleron he runs a highly successful TwitchTV channel focused on story and narrative. He lives with his family in a two-hundred-year-old home near the sea in Connecticut; his virtual home is gregoryawilson.com.

Reviews

[Jessica Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book was my professor at St. John's and actually used this as one of our to read books for the class. I enjoyed it. He is extremely talented, and because of him I found the Ender's Game series. The book was vivid and imaginative, and I could not put it down. Great job Professor Wilson. Keep writing.

[Brandon Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure, Greg was my professor at STJ and I read this book as part of a class. It’s been some years since, but I greatly enjoyed the book, quality narrative, inciting incident, mystery, good vs evil, heroes quest, etc.

This gives you many great themes to explore. I did feel the names of characters left something to be desired and lastly the sequels never came out. I hate ending my experience on a cliffhanger, unforgivable. Thus one point came off.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure - my friend wrote this book so I may be a bit biased.

Though there are elements of this story that echo more famous epic fantasies, particularly Tolkien (the main threat comes from the east, "let's ride out to meet it despite our diminished strength", a last minute troop surge gathered from the south) it stands on its own as a unique, gripping tale that deserves a place alongside its genre counterparts.

The author has clearly spent a lot of time dreaming up this world - the races have clear motivations and histories, the geography helps to enhance the story rather than sit alongside it, etc. This makes reading the story a much richer experience. I particularly dig the arlics myself, though I thought further information about the spellcasters backgrounds (where are the others, where do they come from, are there likely to be more of them found in Klune, do they operate under some centralized order or independently) might have helped strengthen the pivotal scene involving one of them. (Sorry to be vague but don't want to spoil).

Of course I am pleased that the requisite chick power was present, through beautifully named Senavene (and I was pleased she did not echo Eowyn in being responsible for the death of a main threat - just helping out a bit).

I also think the book does great at being a stand alone story, but one that leaves you wondering what happens next--

Who is Calen, really?
Where is Vourne?
What else does our devious merchant have planned?
What else can you tell me about Arvan?
(and because I have been, am, and will always be a shipper...)
Will Calen and Senavene get together eventually?

[Liviu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book based on the excerpt, but sadly it was quite disappointing; the only positive thing I can say is that it has narrative pull, energy if you want, so it was a tolerable fast browse after it was clear to me it is far away from my tastes.

It is basically a by the numbers fantasy with very annoying names both for some characters and for the world stuff and there is nothing particular to distinguish it from the tons of similar stuff out there.

Since I had the pleasure to exchange emails with the author, I truly hope the book will find its intended audience and I regret profoundly that I am not part of it, which I thought I would be based on the excerpt I originally read

[Cortez Darling]

From the cover alone this book looks great

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Tolkien wannabe that reads OK but nothing special