Antiphon

Psalms of Isaak #3

by Ken Scholes

Nothing is as it seems to be.

The ancient past is not dead. The hand of the Wizard Kings still reaches out to challenge the Androfrancine Order, to control the magick and technology that they sought to understand and claim for their own.

Nebios, the boy who watched the destruction of the city of Windwir, now runs the vast deserts of the world, far from his beloved Marsh Queen. He is being hunted by strange women warriors, while his dreams are invaded by warnings from his dead father.

Jin Li Tam, queen of the Ninefold Forest, guards her son as best she can against both murderous threats, and the usurper queen and her evangelists. They bring a Jakob is the child of promise of their Gospel, and the Crimson Empress is on her way.

And in hidden places, the remnants of the Androfrancine order formulate their response to the song pouring out of a silver crescent that was found in the wastes.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Steampunk, Ebooks, Post Apocalyptic

384 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2010

About the author

Ken Scholes is the award-winning, critically-acclaimed author of five novels and over fifty short stories. His work has appeared in print for over sixteen years. His series, The Psalms of Isaak, is published by Tor Books and his short fiction has been released in three volumes by Fairwood Press.

Ken's eclectic background includes time spent as a label gun repairman, a sailor who never sailed, a soldier who commanded a desk, a preacher (he got better), a nonprofit executive, a musician and a government procurement analyst. He has a degree in History from Western Washington University.

Ken is a native of the Pacific Northwest and makes his home in Saint Helens, Oregon, where he lives with his twin daughters. You can learn more about Ken by visiting www.kenscholes.com.

Reviews

[Blaise · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...

Welcome back to The Named Lands where all the nations and its people are thrown into chaos. The right hand of the long lost Wizard Kings are making their play to overthrow the Androfrancine Order and its servants. The Ninefold Forest and its allies are now under threat of attack from this new Crimson Queen waiting in the shadows but the real threat may exist closer than expected. The Canticle has been played and in its wake the tones of the Antiphon are being heard. The Antiphon requires a response and I’m not sure you are ready for what is to come. This will be a spoiler free review but I will be touching upon events from the previous books.

Rudolpo and his wife Jin Li Tam welcomed their new son Jakob into the world, also know as the child of promise. Jakob was born deathly ill due to the magik powders Jin used throughout her life and the family was searching for a cure. The prayers were answered when the usurper Marsh Queen Ria, Winters once thought dead sister, cures Jakob with blood magick and the Ninefold Forest has a debt to pay for this. Rudolpho and Jin decide to join the Ria in her Marsh lands to learn about this religion and more about this Crimson Queen but what they find will not be a pleasant discovery. Petronus having been killed and resurrected by Ria using the same blood magick that cured Jakob, is now banished to the wastelands. The blood magick has affected Petronus much the same way as Neb in that both now can see into each others dreams. The loud tones and echoes of the Canticle are being felt throughout the waste’s and Petronus needs to find it’s source.

Neb has been living in the wastes for six months trying to decipher the code of the Canticle. Once he does, Neb realizes that he is being hunted by blood magicked women with the goal of preventing him from reaching the Antiphon by any and all means necessary. The Antiphon requires a response and it may not be what any of us expect. Finally we have Charles, the creator of the metal servants and he has taken to Isaak as a father figure. Charles eventually sees the truth in that Isaak can do things outside of his written code and that he can dream just like Neb, Winters, and Petronus. A dark path lies ahead for Isaak and Charles might not be able to bare it.

Let me start off by saying that Antiphon is a much slower read than Canticle and with that I don’t believe it is quiet as good. With that being said, the revelations and shocking moments mean so much more with the slow buildup and the story as a whole needed that. Heavily influenced by Christainity for the religious aspect, mixed in a bit of magic, a Ray Bradbury type of Sci-fi, and more than a fair share of grimdark moments is what this series is to me. If you found yourself a bit sick with the reading of the torture scenes in Canticle than I am sorry to tell you that this book gets darker still. I wasn’t expecting this series to go down this path but there is no turning back at this point. Scenes and plot choices introduced in Lamentation will come back full circle. Secrets will be revealed with plenty more left to be answered with the final two volumes.

This series is on a path to be one of my all time keepers. The originality, plot, depth of character growth, and tragic choices and scenes make this series a one of a kind tale. This is sure to be a series I will finish before the year is out so stay tuned for those updates. Requiem is on the horizon along with many other aspects of this world.

Cheers!

[Peterwilliam · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is interesting that what didn't work well for me in the first book, and through parts of the second, has grown upon me in this third addition to the Psalms of Isaak. I can't quite put my finger on it, but am desperately searching for any news on Requiem. I take it that the author has been occupied with personal matters which has delayed Requiem. The rocketing pace of the final 100 - 150 pp of Antiphon have me eagerly awaiting the next. When out, Requiem will be one of those books where everything else on the desk gets removed so that I can start reading it.

[Jessica Strider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pros: fascinating characters, lots of intrigue, several secrets are revealed

Cons: very slow moving

Antiphon begins six months after Canticle ends. When an attack rocks the confidence of Rudolfo to keep his lands safe, he and Jin Li Tam make a difficult decision. Winteria’s still stunned by the revelations of the last book and wonders if there’s any hope of returning her people to their former faith in their home-seeking. Neb discovers blood magicked runners in the wastes who don’t die after three days and tries to find out who they are. Meanwhile, the Antiphon requires and answer, and the metal men search for it in many places.

This is a fascinating series, with a lot of intrigue. Each book uncovers more layers underpinning the desolation of Windwir. There are plots upon plots and secrets within secrets. And just when you think you’ve gotten to the bottom of one mystery you discover there’s an entirely new side to it that reframes what you know.

The characters are all great. Winters grows a lot in this book, coming more into her own as she questions how to best help her people. It’s sad - but understandable - what happens with Rudolfo. It was great seeing Vlad Li Tam with an intrigue not worked through his children.

It was nice getting some answers to questions, even if there may still be hidden nuances and twists to those story threads. I’d love to learn more of the history that’s been hinted at with Whym and the wizards. I happened upon a short story Scholes wrote about the love affair between Francisco and a mysterious woman (A Weeping Czar Beholds the Fallen Moon), which factors into this novel nicely (you can read it on Tor.com’s website here http://www.tor.com/2009/02/17/a-weepi...).

The book is very slow moving with characters mostly getting from point A to point B, both in terms of location as well as with understanding of the underlying purposes of what’s been happening these past two years since Windwir fell.

I am very interested in seeing where things go from here. The book left several characters in fascinating places.

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antiphon by Ken Scholes- This is the third book in The Psalms of Isaak series. The first book is Lamentation, the second book is Canticle, the fourth book, Requiem, and the fifth book, Hymn, are yet to be released with no set release date at the time of this review. Ken Scholes has written only one other novel called Last Flight of the Goddess. He has written a number of short stories and even has a book of his collected short fiction called Long Walks, Last Flights and Other Journeys. Antiphon is published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC under Tor and was first released in hardcover in September 2010.

The Named Lands are in chaos. The Machtvolk are bringing back powerful blood magick, which is crippling the nations of the Named Lands. However, as the nations recover from the sudden reappearance of House Y'Zir, a lull in action occurs. During this time, the Ninefold Forest is welcoming the marriage of their king, Rudolfo, to Jin Li Tam and their birth of their son Jakob. However, the word of House Y'Zir is being preached in the Ninefold Forest, stating that young Jakob is the Child of Promise and Jin Li Tam is the Great Mother, ushering in a new time. They will do anything to keep them safe. Anything. Outside the Named Lands, in the Wastes, young Nebios is searching for the Hidden Library and trying to understand the meaning behind the song. Little does he know that he is being chased by blood magicked women, bent on stopping him from finding his destiny.

Criticisms:
1) Nebios. Neb was the only character that didn't really seem to grow naturally. Instead, he has things happen to him that help him along in his development as a character. Sure, the other characters had the same thing happen to them, but with Neb those times seemed to be contrived and poorly planned. He doesn't really seem to learn anything from his experiences and he's unhealthy obsession with the song does become a little bothersome at times. Also what happens to him at the end really bothered me. Honestly, it was really cool, but while I was thinking that, I couldn't help but also think, “That's it? Really?” It almost comes out of no where, and it just felt forced and unnatural. It's not that he isn't an interesting character, he is. It's just that what happens to him in the story just seems thrown together. With Neb being this story's focus, I'd thought that his growth as a character could have been developed better.

Praises:
1) Main Characters. The main characters, for the most part, were wonderful. Each character had a unique story with them and really did seem to grow throughout it. Even the side characters and bit players were unique and played their roles well. Rudolfo's story has him coping with having his wife and new-born son leaving for safety and learning that his Ninefold Forest isn't as safe as he once thought. His downward spiral into depression was both sad and interesting. On the flip side of that, Jin Li Tam didn't really seem to grow very much. However, seeing as she was the last book's main focus, it was nice to see her grow into motherhood and understanding what it means to be a queen. Petronus is dealing with his new-found life and the consequences of it. You see him starting to question what he did believe in, along with trying to understand what is happening to him. Speaking of questioning their beliefs, the new main character, Charles, was fantastic. As the creator of the mechoservitors and Isaak, he starts to see them as his children and himself as a father. There were scenes that were very touching and heartfelt between Isaak and him. After leaving the Marshfolk and her rulership, Winters is questioning why her people are suddenly turning to the ways of the Machtvolk and their dark rituals. We see her trying to understand why while trying to live a new life in the Ninefold Forests. Finally we come to Vlad Li Tam. After his experience in the previous book, he becomes obsessed with searching for the song he heard underwater. We can see his mind slowly going, but we can also see the old Vlad along with that. All in all, each character's trails and tribulations really do stand out while reading.
2) Themes. The themes in the story were really interesting and we have quite a few of them. The biggest theme I see is belief vs understanding. This is found almost every where in the story. The best example is the House Y'Zir beliefs vs the Androfrancine Orders views. It was interesting to see how each side goes about their own personal beliefs. House Y'Zir's dark belief system is disturbing, while the Androfrancine views stress understanding over mysticism. Then the second biggest theme is once again, family. We see how Rudolfo deals with Jin Li Tam and Jakob leaving, Charles coming to understand fatherhood and what it means, Neb's relationship with his father, and Winters dealing with her older sister Ria playing a big part of the story. There are other themes present as well; mysticism vs machinery, good vs evil, and finding one's path. It's also interesting to see how it seems that magic, religion, technology, and mysticism works together. The themes were just plain interesting.
3) Pacing. The pacing for Antiphon is much improved over the previous books slow pacing. There still were slower times, but I was very hard pressed to put this book down for too long. Things happened faster and it wasn't bogged down in useless information. It also helps that I just came from reading Canticle, so I didn't need a lot of background to understand what was going on.

Side Notes:
1) Tears. Why is it that everyone, at the drop of a hat, tears up and cries? Honestly, it seemed that everyone's eyes started to water every other page. That did get annoying.
2) House Y'Zir. Is it just me, or does anyone else absolutely hate House Y'Zir? I know it's the point we should not trust them, but I surprised myself by hating them as much as I do.
3) Cover Art. The cover art is disgusting looking. The browns are very unappealing and make the cover look gross. Although, Neb does have an awesome pose and the art does reflect something that actually happens.

Overall: 5/5
Final Thoughts:
Antiphon is a great book that improves on everything the previous books had against them. While Neb didn't really seem to develop every well in my eyes, he was still a great character in a book full of great characters. Each character had a unique story and seemed to really develop as the book went on. Even the side characters and bit players were wonderful. It seemed like everyone had a purpose in Antiphon. Also the themes were wonderful and more distinctive. The biggest problem with the previous books was the slow pacing they have. However, Antiphon never felt slow, and when it did, it picked the pace back up quickly. There were times when I didn't want to put the book down for too long. However, I would suggest that you have the events and story of Lamentation and Canticle fresh in your mind before diving into Antiphon. As for a recommendation, yes! This is definitely a book you will enjoy and is worth every penny!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this one mainly due to the fact I still cannot connect with any of the characters and the ongoing "cutting" of people which I find very disturbing as I do not like violence in any format. The thing I found frustrating is the worldbuilding. There is so much history of the world, but very little is explained outside of hints via mythology or prophesy. I hope this will be resolved in the next book in the series.

[S. James Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really, really wanted this book to shine. Unfortunately, it took me almost a year to read it, which says a lot about it. I enjoyed books 1 and 2, but not until about the last 60-100 pages did I really feel like this one engaged me.

Through most of the book, I felt like nothing was going on, or that I just had no idea what was going on because maybe I didn’t get the clues that must have been dropped along the way. Plus, too many PoV characters. I get one chapter with someone, then am on to the next. Maybe I just don’t like this style of book, anymore.

Also, what I would have thought would be the centerpiece--the action, the spectacles--I didn’t feel like I got a good image of it. Key action--especially at the end--seemed to take place off-screen. I didn’t get to SEE what I wanted to see. I just got a detail or two as other characters thought about other stuff. Really disappointing.

Not until the end did I feel like the book was working toward something. Throughout most of it I had no idea what the point of the book was. I think that, if I had known at the start that they were working for X and Y, and that the bad guys were specifically trying to stop X and Y, I would have enjoyed it more. But so much is shrouded in secrecy and mystery that I was just left wondering what was going on and why I didn’t have a clue about anything. I suppose it’s fine for the characters to feel like that, but not me, the reader. I don't know that keeping me in the dark is worth it, in the end.

I may or may not read the next book. Probably will. There’s so much to love in the series. I hope the plot doesn’t meander, and that the cool stuff isn’t glossed over.

[Julia Dvorin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this installment quite a bit as well, although I am getting a bit frustrated at all the mystery and intrigue that keeps growing and growing (not that it isn't well done--I just want it resolved!) I felt like it took me a good while to get into the book and to even understand half of the different intrigues and mysteries that were going on, and that when I finally did start to put the pieces together, the book ended without getting satisfaction as to what was going to happen to all parties! But that's ok, I know there are two more books to come, and I am confident that Ken will reveal all in good time. I like how the stakes keep getting higher and higher--both for the individual characters as well as to the World As We Know It. I also really am enjoying the character development and nuancing of all the principal POV characters, though of them all I think Petronus got somewhat short shrift. Things are still a bit bloody for my taste, though it's well written and germane to the story enough to make me keep reading despite the "yuck" factor. I'm ready for the next one NOW...I'm afraid I will have forgotten a lot of the detail of the intrigues and mysteries from this one by the time the next one is out. But I suppose that's my own problem. :)

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always with this series, I was supremely confused until about halfway through when everything started to make sense and I remembered why I was so desperate to hold the next book in my hands the year before. The story of this world is really exciting, and nothing like any fantasy I've ever read before. Maybe that's one of the reasons I find it so confusing. Other reasons: that's just Scholes's style, no exposition. BUT I feel like he could work on his description a little. I need it to be vivid so that I don't have to read through two hundred pages of story before I can understand an image that occurred on page ten.

I'd imagine the whole series will read better the second time through, because as is, the whole experience of reading it is more like decoding a difficult puzzle than following a narrative: worth it if you have the patience to figure it out, completely meaningless if you don't.

[Michael Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

When this series began, there were complaints from some reviewers that the destruction of Windwir seemed too inconsistent. Why did Neb survive, but not others? What was the nature of the destruction that it could raze the city, but leave random individuals untouched? At the time, I attributed this to the randomness of destructive nature - if you've ever looked at what did and didn't survive a tornado as it decimates a community, you know what I mean.

Antiphon takes a stab at starting to give the rationale in the context of the Nine Lands, and yeah, I didn't see that coming :)

Antiphon is a worthy continuation of the Psalms of Isaak, in what can only be described now as a science fiction epic, shrouded in fantasy, with the drapery of steampunk and the trappings of...fantasy. Bah. Post-apocalyptic apocalyptic fiction?

Whatever classification system you use, I call it a good fun read. Probably not the best place to dive into the story, still a great read. Enjoyed it!

[Bukminster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great return to form after a realtively disappointing book two. Much wider in scope than the last book, with a compelling narrative. A fun read.

[Adam Whitehead · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Named Lands continue to suffer tumults in the aftermath of the rise of the Machtvolk and the birth of Rudolfo and Jin's son, who it is prophesied will save the world. Vlad's quest to unearth the true nature of the threat to the Named Lands leads him deep into the equatorial oceans and a startling discovery, whilst deep in the Churned Wastes Nebios discovers the path to his true destiny, and a fateful encounter with the enigmatic antiphon.

Antiphon is the third and middle volume of Ken Scholes' five-volume Psalms of Isaak series and suffers acutely from 'middle volume syndrome'. There's an enormous number of scenes where people sit around and talk about the plot or, rather more oddly, stand around and have lengthy internal monologues about the plot rather than getting on with business. There's also a continuation and indeed expansion of the number of scenes where people 'in the know' about what's going on stand around and make smug, enigmatic pronouncements about events and the clueless protagonists refuse to ask what is going on. If Scholes had become a screenwriter, he'd have made an excellent addition to the Lost writer's room.

On the plus side, several of the characters continue to be engaging (not Rudolfo or Jin this time around, as they are both pretty inert for most of the narrative, one startling moment for Rudolfo aside), most notably Winters whose character arc is the only one in the book which has sense of momentum and vigour to it. Isaak, somewhat under-used in the previous volume despite giving the series its name, also has more to do this time around, which is welcome. There are also several moments where Scholes' writing comes alive and gives us brief bursts of awed wonder of the kind that SF and fantasy can do so well (most notably one sequence involving a ladder).

Unfortunately, these moments are few and far between. Scholes is aiming for something different and more interesting than the traditional fantasy series here, and his ideas are excellent. The problem is that the execution and writing is frequently lacklustre and occasionally even skirts the edge of being bland. Considering the solid pace of the previous two volumes, all the character naval-gazing that goes in this book (still only 370 pages long) also bogs down the narrative at the moment it should be gearing up to deliver us down the home straight of the final two books to the conclusion.

Antiphon (***) remains engaging enough for fans of the previous two books to enjoy, but the series feels like it's running out of steam. I hope this is just a teething issue and Scholes will return strongly in Requiem. The book will be published in the United States on 14 September 2010.

[Mridupawan Podder · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this.

I read the second book 5 years ago. Book 3 was a blur. It was hard to connect and make sense of especially when reviews of this epic series are so less. Why internet, why? After a lot of searching and I really mean a lot, I went back to this and for the third time, Ken Scholes blew me away.

Book 1 and Book 2 were fun. This was a revelation of sorts. The bigger picture is still unknown but what was once myths and legends slowly turned into practicality and logic. The use of magiks and technology is a deadly combo especially when you have a nomadic army, invisible scouts, metal men, blood sacrifices and treasure troves of legends in the deserts.

The desolation of Windwir began the series. By book 3, we are getting to know why exactly someone annihilated an entire city and a race of people. Meanwhile, the canticle is still singing. or ringing is it? Music people can hear. The music they hear in dreams. Music metal servitors hear. I must be mad but I stopped wondering what that it could be. I just know it sings and it requires an answer.

Halfway down book 3, I've fairly grasped the ongoings of the book. The Named Lands are in danger. Grave, grave danger. Neb, the boy who witnessed the fall of Windwir finds himself in the Churning Wastes, a vast desert hunted by strange women under abnormal magiks. Isaak is in the Named Lands, dreaming about a song. It's a compelling book, making you fall in love with the characters over and over again. We see a hint of a bigger plot with more and more impossibilities coming to a fruition. The Watcher and the Crimson Princess? Who are they and what do they have to with a race of people that came out of nowhere.

The Named Lands face a threat never envisioned before. And within the Named Lands, there is treachery in plenty. Rudolfo and Jin Li Tam face the threat for their baby while the world slowly moves towards its impending destruction.

[Brian Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antiphon is the third book in the Psalms of Isaak series. You’re going to want to read the first two books before reading this one. They’re both excellent books anyway so you really don’t have much of an excuse. If you haven’t heard of Ken Scholes yet you’re in for a treat. His books will be your new addiction. He leaves you wanting more, and more, and more.

From the publisher:

Nothing is as it seems to be.

The ancient past is not dead. The hand of the Wizard Kings still reaches out to challenge the Androfrancine Order, to control the magick and technology that they sought to understand and claim for their own.

Nebios, the boy who watched the destruction of the city of Windwir, now runs the vast deserts of the world, far from his beloved Marsh Queen. He is being hunted by strange women warriors, while his dreams are invaded by warnings from his dead father.

Jin Li Tam, queen of the Ninefold Forest, guards her son as best she can against both murderous threats, and the usurper queen and her evangelists. They bring a message: Jakob is the child of promise of their Gospel, and the Crimson Empress is on her way.

And in hidden places, the remnants of the Androfrancine order formulate their response to the song pouring out of a silver crescent that was found in the wastes.

It all started with a song...


What can I say about Antiphon that I haven’t said about the previous two books in this series? This book will probably take you places you didn’t think you’d be visiting. I will say we finally get some answers to a few of the question we’ve been pondering since the first book in the series. They may not be the answers we expect, but they are answers none-the-less. That’s one of the things I really like about this series, the fact that things aren’t always what we think.

It’s clear to see Mr. Scholes is getting all the pieces in play for an eventual final showdown. This is the first book where I can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel, or series. There really are so many well thought out elements to this series that I’m amazed it all comes from one guy. I’m starting to think Ken is really a mechroservitor in disguise.

What really shines is the approachability of Ken’s writing style. I never feel in over my head with flowery prose or long winded explanations. He keeps things simple, yet elegant.

This is the first book of the series where I felt the pacing dragged some. To be honest, I think the previous two books were so expertly crafted that any dip in quality becomes a little too obvious. Right or wrong, we expect everything Ken writes to be as good as Lamentation and Canticle. We become so invested in these characters that we have strong opinions on how they should evolve. I think that’s a testament to a master story teller. It also becomes a double edged sword. If Ken takes his stories to places his fans don’t agree with, they’ll probably rise up with pitchforks and torches demanding he change things. I can only hope we all trust Ken enough to let him guide us toward the epic finale that’s sure to come.

I don’t know if any of you know this, but Ken’s literary agent has been dubbed Jin Li Tam’s 32nd daughter. I think that’s awesome.

I only have one question: Who is the Crimson Empress? Seriously, I love how one of the main antagonists is still shrouded in mystery three books into the series. Ken shows great restraint and makes plenty of intelligent choices when he writes. As long as he brings these same sensibilities to all his future projects, I’ll be along for each ride, money in hand.

What I liked:

•The rich history. Ken has done an exceptional job creating a fully realized society of people. He covers everything from religion all the way to government hierarchy, immersing readers in a living, and real, society. Ken creates such depth with all of the lore he incorporates into his books.

•The characters. Dude, I think I like every character, even the minor ones. I’m a huge fan of Grymlis, Winters, and Neb. Even Vlad Li Tam has grown on me. I can’t wait to see what happens to them next. Each character develops in their own way as the story unfolds adding conflict in places and evolving other plot threads. If each character were a ball Ken was juggling, he’d have like fifteen balls in the air. Yep, he’s really a mechroservitor.

•The chapter structure. I call it machine gun pacing, where readers get several pages of each POV character which make up each chapter. It makes our reading time seem to breeze by.

•Plot twists. You never know what’s part of something bigger and who may not be what they seem. It keeps readers on their toes. I love it.

•Familiarity. Readers can pick up Antiphon and slip right back into the Named Lands without feeling like they missed a beat. It’s like visiting an old friend.

•It finally feels like we’re a land torn apart by war. I can finally see the toll war has taken on the Named Lands. Assassinations, espionage, and political intrigue become commonplace and it takes its toll on some of our beloved characters.

•Action! There is plenty of action in this book capped off by an epic fist fight and a mad scramble to get aboard a ship that unfortunately everyone doesn’t make. Antiphon really honed in on smart and memorable action scenes.

What I didn't like:

•This is the first book where it felt like the pacing dragged some. Not a whole lot, but noticeable enough as compared to the previous two books.

•I didn’t particularly agree with the direction of a certain green turban wearing character’s direction in this book. It’s not that I couldn’t see what happens to him as really happening, I just didn’t think it seemed all too logical for his character. I realize this is only a personal preference, so I…hang on a sec, someone’s at the door. *opens door* “What can I do for you?” *mob shakes pitchforks and torches* *slams door* :)

Overview: I’m giving Antiphon four and a half stars out of five. This book is a great read and a worthy continuation of the Psalms of Isaak series. While Antiphon isn’t the best book in the series, it gives readers more of what they’ve come to expect and love from a Ken Scholes book. If you like Lamentation and Canticle, you’ll definitely like Antiphon too. If you’ve made it this far into the Psalms of Isaak series, you’ll probably be getting the next two books in the series too. I know I am. FYI, Requiem is out now. I can’t believe more people aren’t talking about these books. If you value our friendship, you’ll go out and give them a try. You can thank me later.

[Filipe Passos-Coelho · Rating 4 out of 5]

i feel... a change... in the air
Lord Whym, this is a S/L/O/W burn. but 3 books in, we are starting to see the outline of plans and figures. Antiphon feels like a transition between states of ignorance and confusion (by the reader and characters) to a state of knowing enough to go on, oftentimes even to start running towards that calling goalpost. language and writing is rich, poetic, emotions are vivid, and we are getting to the point where are the things I need to enjoy a novel (engaging characters, compelling plot, stakes that matter, a prose that's more than just utilitarian, and an understanding of what the hell is happening ) are coming together. the mythological tapestry is just growing and growing more and more complex, making the setting of the Named Lands more unique. I'm all for it but I sure hope, by the end of Hymn, Ken Scholes nails the landing. For now, Requiem (The Psalms of Isaak) by Scholes, Ken(June 18, 2013) Hardcover
7.5/10

PS: minor criticism, but i dont enjoy this cover. moreso when we compare it to the STELLAR beauties used for Lamentation and Canticle

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started off slow and it took me awhile to get into it. This is the first time this has happened to me in this series as they were both previously captivating starts. But this does not diminish this book because it quickly picks up and we get the story of the Antiphon and how the Light is building it and the Crimson Empress is trying to stop it from happening.

As usual with the previous books this fantasy series is just like one big mystery unfolding while we are trying to figure out what's going on. I'll admit in this book I figured out a few things before they were going to happen but that didn't disappoint in the revelation. A lot is going on but it focuses on the Churning Wastes, The Ninefold Forest, The Swamp, and the Ocean where Vlad Li Tam is exploring places previously unseen by anyone in the Named Lands.

Things are picking up fast and we get a lot of good juicy bits of story that was very interesting. At least I was captivated. Also in this book we get the groundwork of what needs to be done to save the people of the Named Lands, and what's coming and going to happen in the Named Lands. So I guess we'll just wait it out and see if things happen according to what's been laid out, but I have a feeling we still have a lot to learn in the last two books.

I liked this book as well as the first two and as usual with these books I can't wait till the next one comes out. It's been a great series so far!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have listened to the first two books of this series on audible, but my lending library didn't have book three.

Bummer.

The story, and its conclusion has been nagging my subconscious. I sought out a used paperback copy to read online. As is my wont, it has gathered dust since then. My poor attention wavers so easily. I eventually broke down and purchased the audiobook.

The same dynamic performance, with the very same voice talents as the first two books. Simply awesome.

Voice talents? Plural? You read that correctly. Much like Martin's Song of Ice and Fire this epic is told from differing perspective each performed by a different reader. Unlike SOIF this series is complete. Initially I was under the impression that there were only three books, but there are in fact five.

I whole-heartedly recommend this series, but you must read them in order as the story builds and develops with each new novel.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps I'm getting more used to the world of Rudolfo, his queen Jin, her father Vlad Li Tam, the mechservitor Issak, Neb the Homeseeker, the ex-Pope Petronus or this book just didn't have as much whiplash to it. Either way, this was a great ride.

The world of the Nine Fold Forest is ours many thousands of years into the future. In fact, so many that our time is not even a memory or legend. The world has undergone what appear to have been many nuclear catastrophes, the moon has been terraformed.

The whole group is caught up in intrigues, plots, religious revivals that threaten all they know and the light.

Scholes has created a very real world with real politics and dangers, a religion that is so cruel as to defy description.

This is a powerful story. And fast moving. I want to move on to Requiem.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this, the middle volume of the Psalms of Isaak, Ken Scholes is putting some serious challenges to the reader. It's a less taxing book than its predecessor (by body count), yet it reveals both answers and more questions. The mysteries run deep. The characters rise to the occasion, and there is triumph and sorrow.

There are some terrible and beautiful moments in this book, and I eagerly look forward to the next volume.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is the antiphon? Who created the "Watcher?" Can Winters save her people from Ria? How far has the resurgence spread? Who can be trusted? LOVED this continuation of the "Psalms of Isaak." More, please!

[James Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The surprises continue

Another volume full of action and intrigue. I love this series and highly recommend it. Sigh f
ive more words

[Paschalis]

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[Melissa Hayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

REREAD THOUGHTS:
How did I forget some of these amazing things since I read this 15 years ago? And how has it been that long ago???

Wow. I'm blown away by this book once again. Definitely still a 5 star read. We see how deep the beliefs go, the prophecies and gospel. We dive deeper into everyone's lives as they travel through their part of events to accomplish goals. Goals they aren't even sure of yet.

This is a middle child book, book 3 of 5. We get answers and learn more as things get serious and close. I'm invested for the results. Who will pull through? Who are they? I'm looking forward to see how things come together.
~~~~~
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Oh, where do I start with this one. Ken has to have a metal mans memory for the wondrous things he does here. To remember all the little threads he starts, then we get to the new things created here. This book takes Fantasy to a whole new level with the old fantasy feel and mechanicals mixed in, then there are magicks in the mix and hints of gods and different worlds. This series is truly one of the most in depth mesmerizing epic fantasy reads I have been captivated by. The author is really talented.


So much is happening and every word is important to the story. The words could have so many different meanings to them when you start putting them together.

The story continues on in the lives of the characters as we go through the changes in the world. The chapters are broken in to separate Point of Views as in the previous two books, which helps greatly in getting all the information to you. And very well broken apart to understand each character.

Rafe - The captain of the ship was porting Gypsies to the Sanctorum Lux until he is visited by the Moon Sparrow used by the Francines in the past, to stop by an island. And is hijacked by metal men.

Rudolfo - Once certain of what his place was and what to do, now is unsure what he is to do with the world that is crumbling around him. He still works hard to help the refugees showing up at his lands and save the light, but at what cost to the Ninefold Forest. How much help can Rudolfo spare in this drastically changing world.

Jin Li Tam - is still having the dark horrible dreams, but not as often now with Jakob better. She finds a small silver mecroservitor sparrow trapped while she is walking in the woods. The mechanical sparrow is looking for Isaak.

Petronus - now living with the scars on his neck and over his heart is having dreams wanting to be heard and understood, but he just can't grasp them. Instead he wakes in cold sweats.

Winters - now living in a city for refugees by the library the mechoservitors are creating. She does paperwork but it seems as she has lost her faith, the old faith of her people. Waiting in this new life she is making, in the Ninefold forest, for Neb to return to her.

Vlad Li Tam - He and his few sons and daughters who where fortunate enough to be rescued have returned to they dreaded island, for six months now, to seek what they can of the Machtvolk who tortured them and have lived here. Vlad Li Tam still watches for the light he had seen in the water that day six months ago.

Neb - He is deep in the Churning Wastes with Renard, his guide. He has learned to survive and thrive here. But now he sees new visitors, to fast to be scouts of the Gypsies or even users of the black roots. But he still tries to decipher the response needed to the canticle of the silver crescent. Neb and Renard separate to carry out different deeds with the new visitors only to find trouble lays in front of him.

All these characters are shaken up and a little lost with how to respond to the whole situation and happenings of the last six months. And things are not getting better.

I did find myself getting lost in some of the story depth. It is amazing the depth of the manipulation of the characters. To try and piece it all together at times is hard to do, but I love trying to get there before Mr. Scholes.

There is a mixture of wizards and magics with science and technology in these books. Even the hints of Gods and different worlds. I would definitely suggest this captivating series to any fantasy reader who likes to get lost in the tangled webs of manipulation.

[Bryan Thomas Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://torforge.wordpress.com/2010/07...

When I discovered Ken Scholes' "Lamentation," it was on a TOR add inside the front cover of an issue of The Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy last fall. Being a man of faith, the title immediately caught my eye. But it was when I saw Orson Scott Card's recommendation that I knew I had to read it. Card called wrote: "This is the golden age of fantasy, with a dozen masters doing their best work. Then along comes Ken Scholes, with his amazing clarity, power, and invention, and shows us all how it's done." That was enough for me. I love Card's books, loved Scholes' title, so I ordered the book.

What a delight awaited me. I devoured "Lamentation" in just over a week, reading it as fast as my eyes and mind could handle. Scholes' books are rich, full of emotion, detail, mystery, and questions which often await answers even when the book is done. It's a lot to process, so sometimes it may take the reader's mind a while to wrap around it and move along. Sometimes this can make the pace feel slow or the page count seem slight, but as you perservere, you'll find yourself more and more compelled, reading faster and faster until a lightning burst at the end.

After "Lamentation," I quickly ordered "Canticle" and read it almost as quickly. The second in a series of five books which comprise "The Psalms Of Isaak," "Canticle" expanded on both the characters and themes of "Lamentation," taking the plot and suspense to new heights.

The gist of the story is that of survivors of a holocaust, the destruction of a city. Their society already survived a cataclysm in what is now the Charred Wastes on the edge of their current home, the Named Lands, but now they face yet another in their midst.

With the destruction of the city, a library containing the treasure of all their known knowledge was destroyed. So now, having discovered metal men who helped store the libraries knowledge and carry it in their memories, the king of a northern territory known as the Ninefold Forests is assembling a new library as the data in the metal men's memories is transcribed bit by bit into new books.

In the meanwhile, the ancient political machinations of others have set in motion new conflicts--conflicts between the surviving territories and their leaders, conflicts in philosophy, and conflicts in how to solve the issues they all now face.

"Antiphon," which releases from TOR on September 14th, continues the saga of those people. Unlike many authors, Scholes doesn't overwhelm us with details of his world. He gives us just enough to paint a picture, then lets the rest unfold naturally through dialogue and the characters' thoughts. Full of action, multiple storylines which intersect and separate again, and full of surprising new twists and turns with every chapter, each of these books builds on the others, taking us deeper and deeper into understanding, while at the same time leading us deeper and deeper toward a sense of impending doom and major confrontation.

This is epic fantasy at its finest and truly a must read for every fantasy fan. From the drama of relationships and romances to the clash of religious views and philosophies, Scholes has built a complex, diverse world populated with real people who have something to teach as well as learn.

If you haven't read these books, you're missing out, and I highly recommend adding them to your reading list. With each release, I wait with more and more anticipation for the next book. Why can't Ken Scholes just write faster? I ask myself, and you will too once you've discovered the amazing story and world that is The Palms of Isaak.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antiphon is book three of The Psalms of Isaac, a five book epic fantasy series. Wait, don’t leave if you haven’t read the first two books. It’s not entirely necessary to have read them to enjoy this volume, although I recommend doing so. The author takes care to refresh our memories of events that happened in the first two books and provide explanations for those who pick up the series with Antiphon, but the level of understanding and satisfaction will be enhanced with the detail in the first two volumes.

I read books one and two, Lamentation and Canticle, shortly before I read Antiphon. I only recently became acquainted with this series by having the opportunity to review an ARC of Antiphon and so decided to read them all at once. I was not disappointed. Each book gets better. Ken Scholes has created an original world, an ambitious plot and a richly layered epic tale.

The series begins with the destruction of the city of Windwir, the murder of it’s people and the hint of a coming war between the Kingdoms of the Named Lands. At times I felt it was a bit slow while I got to know the characters and their world but that was to be expected with a story this vast and by the end of Lamentation I was hooked on the series.

Antiphon is an even better book than the first two, which I enjoyed. Now that the characters are developed we proceed at a faster pace. More of the plot is revealed, many of the story lines that built up in the first two novels come together, and questions are answered. There are some great plot twists, surprises, and new mysteries arise. “Nothing is as it seems”, as it says on the back cover. The second half of Antiphon flew by and concluded with a climactic ending, an element which I did not feel was present in the first two books.

The writing style is from the point of view of each of the main characters within each chapter. I liked this and felt it allowed the reader to get to know each character. We were able to experience their thoughts and feelings as the point of view would shift. The story flowed nicely and was easy to follow.

This is not your typical wizards and swords story although many elements are present such as dreams to foretell events and the use of magic potions and powders. There is a lot of political maneuvering and alliances among the leaders of the Named Lands and the different religious beliefs in each of the lands contribute to the conflicts. The setting is medieval where characters ride horseback, use knives as weapons and send messages by bird, but there are also mechanical men, powered by steam, who hold a library of knowledge from a bygone era. There is good and evil, love and betrayal and at times the story becomes dark and painful with war, assassinations, and torture. There is a science fiction element present which becomes more evident as the series progresses.

Ken Scholes previously wrote a short story which takes place in the same world that this series inhabits. It occurs many years before Lamentation and explains some of the essential back story to The Psalms of Isaac. It can be read online on the publisher’s web site and is called A Weeping Czar Beholds the Fallen Moon. Readers who enjoy this story will definitely like Antiphon. I recommend Antiphon and the entire Psalms of Isaak series, especially to fans of the fantasy and science fiction genre.

~Leslie @ Under My Apple Tree

[Algernon · Rating 3 out of 5]

[7/10] I'm still interested in finding out how the Psalms of Isaac epic ends, but I struggled with this third volume. I'm impressed by the scale of conflict and the skill of the author in keeping track of plot twist after plot twist, but some of the thrill from following the fate of Neb and Winters, Rudolfo and Jin Li Tan is gone. I'm trying to identify what elements of the story are responsible for pulling me out of the mood and why I've become emotionally uninvolved in the fate of the main characters. Somewhere along the way the plot crossed a treshhold from intriguing to contrived.

I'm beginning to feel Ken Scholes has subscribed to the Steven Erikson rulebook of letting the plot meander from one mystery to another for 4/5ths of the book and cram all the relevant actions and disclosures into a frantic final 100 pages. And, similar to Malazan, the mystery is sustained by withholding information from the reader, delaying explanations about events and worldbuilding until the final page of the final book in he series. I liked the final chapters of Antiphon, but I feel little has been revealed in the grander story compared to the number of pages here.

The second gripe is with another author trick of the trade - this time the rule that you must put the heroes through the most adverse situations possible in order to reveal their true strengths of character. The series started with a cataclysmic event in the very first chapter of Lamentation, and the story got relentlessly darker from there. So many deaths, so many tortured characters page after page have desensitized me to the point where I'm wondering why should I cry at the next predictable exit of a major player.

Some of the original ideas of the series, like invisibility, are used so often and indiscriminately it is making me wish the author would change the tune and introduce something else.

After all these negative comments, I feel I'm giving too little space to the positive aspects of the story, strong enough to make me look forward to Requiem and to other books in the future by Ken Scholes: Good prose, complex plot, interesting concepts and characters.

[Pavlo Tverdokhlib · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, 6 months have passed since the end of "Canticle". The old Y'Zirite faith is growing in the Named Lands, bringing with it dark blood magic. Rodolfo and Jin Li Tam struggle to find the way into the future for their country and their son against the prophecies of the Crimson Empress. And in the Churning Wastes and elsewhere, the mechoservitors who've been exposed to the Dream in the song are formulating their own response...

"Antiphon" is a weaker book than "Canticle". The ending does offer some payoff, there's a few revelations and good plot twists, and I certainly want to see where the story goes. But...

Stylistically, this book is weak. Scholes falls back on expressions, and entire sentences he's used before-especially she it comes to the "amber glow of red eyes" as well as descriptions of every main character's experience with scout magic powders and especially that no noble in the Named Lands is supposed to be using them due to impropriety-I really don't feel there's a need to repeat that book after book after book- "Psalms of Isaak" is clearly a series meant to be read from Book 1, and jumping in at Book 3 the new reader should be confused by some things.

More importantly, I found large parts of the plot repeating the structure of Book 2. Once again, a major character is caught by the Y'Zirites and undergoes ritual torture for half the book; Once again a person of great stature in the Named Lands finds their world falling apart around them as changes destroy the familiar; Once again a character delves into the unknown and uncovers mysteries of the past age that offer bare hints as to what comes next; the actors have swapped roles, but they play parts similar to those in "Canticle", and this becomes somewhat annoying the second time around.

All criticisms aside, the pacing is solid: the book is a page-turner and chapters are just the right side, jumping between PoVs crisply, and this makes you want to keep reading. I can only hope that the next volume improves.

[Beth Cato · Rating 3 out of 5]

A load of things happened in the first two books, but to try and summarize: Two years ago, the city of Windwir was annihilated by the use of the Seven Cacophonic Deaths. The time since then has been full of strife and civil war, from the forests of Rudolph and his magicked gypsies, to the homeless Marshlanders and their now-replaced Queen Winteria. Worse, it seems the fall of Windwir was generations in the making by a force beyond the Named Lands. The son of Rudolph and Jin Li Tam has been declared the Chosen One by an invasion of mystics who declare the age of the Crimson Empress is nigh, and everywhere the rare mechanical men speak of dreams and songs.[return][return]This is a difficult book to review as it suffers from Middle Book Syndrome. Scholes's writing is as eloquent as ever, and the book is never truly dull. However, it felt like nothing happened through much of the book. The large cast of characters shifted every which way, many in search of overlapping goals. Many of the themes repeated heavily--such as the dream and the antiphon--yet the identity of those things remained a complete mystery to the very end. I don't mind being teased in a book, as that's part of the hook that encourages me to read onward, but here I started to get frustrated at how everyone seemed to be on a treadmill until the grand finale.[return][return]The mystical elements challenged me as well. There comes a point where some characters (good and bad) felt so powerful with their dream-hopping and blood magicks that I lost a sense of believable physics within the book. If there are no limits to what they can do, what's really at stake?[return][return]Will I read onward in the series? I don't know. The first book was excellent, and the second was very good. I'm still curious about what happens, but I'll need to reassess my thoughts whenever the fourth book is released.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things take a dramatic turn in Antiphon, the third book in Ken Scholes' Psalms of Isaak series. Rudolfo's Gypsy Scouts are raising an army to defend the Ninefold Forest, his wife and child go with Winters into the very heart of the Machtvolk nation and witness their bloody religion firsthand, Neb comes face to face with his destiny, as does Vlad Li Tam, and Isaak and his fellow mechoservitors race towards their final goal, the dream and the Antiphon.

It seemed that this book marked a change in the focus of the series. Instead of continuing to develop the very unique characters from the first two books, Scholes focuses on higher-concept elements involving prophecy, religion, philosophy and what passes for gods in this strange world. It definitely moved the story to a different plane, but those of us who fell in love with the characters can't help but miss them a little, even though they're still here. They seem like rough drafts, or placeholders who are being moved around the board to put all of the larger elements into play.

There's still a lot of well-scripted action and intrigue, plus the world building that Scholes does so well, but Antiphon is a hard book to love. The widening scope was probably necessary to fulfill the author's vision, but it would have been nice to see less emphasis on sci-fi concepts and more on the actual characters. Still, even an average Scholes novel is better than most of what the fantasy genre has to offer.

PS - It is very helpful to read the short story A Weeping Czar Beholds the Fallen Moon before reading Antiphon. The events in that story are central to this series, though we don't find that out until now.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing: 4.5
Story/Plot: 4
Depth/Detail: 4.5
Enjoyment: 4


Antiphon picks up where Canticle left off, right in the middle of the massive conflict that is coming to a head - the opposing forces of the Y'Zir, the children of Whym, the Crimson Emperess approaching. The mechoservitors are spread out and on opposing sides, and Rudolfo is breaking down emotionally. Antiphon jumps from one drama to the next, one tough decision to the next, one tragedy to the next.

The writing is as high quality as the previous books - places are described in enough detail to give a clear image, while leaving some to the imagination. Prose isn't earth shattering, but is pleasant to read and easy to get lost in. The characters are still enthralling, and I've found myself attached to many of them, actually worried about their safety. Basically, Antiphon is a great book.

My only caveat is that it's getting a bit heavy on the prophecies. Everything at this point is prophecised (is that a word?), and all the actions seem to be pushed one way or another by these prophecies. That said, I understand why this is a thing and love the drama between each faction having their own prophecies that do not agree with the others. However, it's a bit tedious at point that everywhere the characters go, they are being berate with prophecy this and prophecy that.

I had very few issues to speak of, and really did love this book. I didn't love it as much as Lamentation or Canticle, but I still loved it and I cannot wait to start reading Requiem, and find out what happens to all my favorite characters.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't tell if it's a virtue that this was such a slow burn. By the end of this book, the entire premise is barely reconcilable with where we started. But I've been bored in so many places along the way that I think a book could have come out somewhere here.

For what it's worth, not super clear where things are at now, but the second half of this book went completely bonkers and I need to continue and see where we go from here.

I think that this series really strains credulity in three places:
1. Multiple people have set up wheels-within-wheels-within-wheels chessmaster gambits over decades that somehow went off exactly as planned despite the intercession of numerous literally unpredictable events/forces.
2. There are like 10 different nonverbal languages here of fairly intense nuance and subtlety, and they are used often enough that everyone involved should really realize that these are happening.
3. The Machtvolk go from underground, suppressed faith to having built schools and shrines (yes some were already there) and many new structures, etc. in what would seem to be what, a few months? A little more time could have passed here, honestly.

There are others. Scholes loves repeating words and phrases (lamps, stars, moonlight--you name it, it gutters), and hitting story beats over and over. (Vlad's story is important and also interminable. Petronus was interesting just about until he understood his dreams.)

All that said I can't put it down. What is even going on? Is this series actually delivering on nothing being as it seems?