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Erekos
Her sister swore that she would never let her die; now the entire world may pay the price.
In a land where gods walk beside men and witches defy death, war changes everything. Scholar and warrior, witch and king, priestess and corpse—all must come together to save their world from the ravages of the coming tempest.
In a land where gods walk beside men and witches defy death, war changes everything. Scholar and warrior, witch and king, priestess and corpse—all must come together to save their world from the ravages of the coming tempest.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 16, 2011
Tuomala has some of the most lush, evocative prose I've had the pleasure to read in awhile. It's a little strangely formal in some places, but the story moves with a dreamlike rhythm through a densely imagined world. Most of the characters manage to sidestep many of the tired tropes that plague high fantasy, somehow feeling like archetypes without being stereotypes.
There are some places where the baroque language verges on twee, such as the quarter chapter from the perspective of a snake. I think the author stays on the safe side, and rather liked the contrasts in viewpoints, but some may find it mildly irritating.
I very much appreciated the fact that all the characters are drawn in gray instead of black and white--the witch who is too lovingly stubborn to realize the sin she has committed, the scholar who knows full well that his painstaking research would be used against the people he is studying, the king who does not enjoy war but cannot see a way around it and would consider atrocities if it would only save his people, the queen who never wished to be married at all, the royal brother whose dissolution may be his only defense against a duty he cannot agree with. I also quite liked the gods, who are well away from our hackneyed visions of recycled Greek and Roman myths (but may be closer to the original myths' intent).
I do have a couple problems. That gorgeous, flowing language is occasionally rather hard to follow. I found the map at the beginning to be more confusing than helpful, and then took far too long to manage to grasp the geography and politics of the warring countries. For too long, I couldn't figure out what ethnicity Achane the witch belonged to, or where physically Erlen the scholar was living.
Also, given that this story begins from Achane's viewpoint and is heavily biased towards her and her sister's plights for the first half, I really thought that she was the protagonist. She's not. Erlen is. Erlen's actions resolve the plot, while Achane's plotline turns out to be rather incidental. If she had not been there...the overall plot would have been exactly the same. Her quest is far more compelling, but ultimately not central to the book as a whole, and so I found the resolution to be less satisfying than I might have wished.
Even so, I very much enjoyed the act of reading this book. And once I'd reoriented to focus on Erlen, I thought the resolution was quite interesting and not at all what I'd expected, in a good way. But it's not the plot you're reading for, really--it's the jungle-lush, wandering sentances that gradually reveal a gorgeous world.
There are some places where the baroque language verges on twee, such as the quarter chapter from the perspective of a snake. I think the author stays on the safe side, and rather liked the contrasts in viewpoints, but some may find it mildly irritating.
I very much appreciated the fact that all the characters are drawn in gray instead of black and white--the witch who is too lovingly stubborn to realize the sin she has committed, the scholar who knows full well that his painstaking research would be used against the people he is studying, the king who does not enjoy war but cannot see a way around it and would consider atrocities if it would only save his people, the queen who never wished to be married at all, the royal brother whose dissolution may be his only defense against a duty he cannot agree with. I also quite liked the gods, who are well away from our hackneyed visions of recycled Greek and Roman myths (but may be closer to the original myths' intent).
I do have a couple problems. That gorgeous, flowing language is occasionally rather hard to follow. I found the map at the beginning to be more confusing than helpful, and then took far too long to manage to grasp the geography and politics of the warring countries. For too long, I couldn't figure out what ethnicity Achane the witch belonged to, or where physically Erlen the scholar was living.
Also, given that this story begins from Achane's viewpoint and is heavily biased towards her and her sister's plights for the first half, I really thought that she was the protagonist. She's not. Erlen is. Erlen's actions resolve the plot, while Achane's plotline turns out to be rather incidental. If she had not been there...the overall plot would have been exactly the same. Her quest is far more compelling, but ultimately not central to the book as a whole, and so I found the resolution to be less satisfying than I might have wished.
Even so, I very much enjoyed the act of reading this book. And once I'd reoriented to focus on Erlen, I thought the resolution was quite interesting and not at all what I'd expected, in a good way. But it's not the plot you're reading for, really--it's the jungle-lush, wandering sentances that gradually reveal a gorgeous world.
June 20, 2021
One of the best books I've read. Beautiful prose. A profound story, about healing and peace after a long thunderstorm.
It starts with a sister grieving over her sister's death and raising her as a zombi.
Then a king spots the sister and steals her,
and we meet the war as the worldbuilding unfolds (while never losing sight of the day to day lives of those who live in these lands)
and the plot swells and bursts with thunderbolts
and ends well, with the world spinning on. I feel blessed to have read this. I don't know how to explain it, but I do. It's rich and every character has a place and it's a book where you have to really pay attention, so I'm fortunate it's only 250~ pages.
Brilliant. I love it, and the attention to language, and the inclusion of queer characters, and the diversity of those involved.
It starts with a sister grieving over her sister's death and raising her as a zombi.
Then a king spots the sister and steals her,
and we meet the war as the worldbuilding unfolds (while never losing sight of the day to day lives of those who live in these lands)
and the plot swells and bursts with thunderbolts
and ends well, with the world spinning on. I feel blessed to have read this. I don't know how to explain it, but I do. It's rich and every character has a place and it's a book where you have to really pay attention, so I'm fortunate it's only 250~ pages.
Brilliant. I love it, and the attention to language, and the inclusion of queer characters, and the diversity of those involved.
October 11, 2010
Erudite Erekos
*I received this e-book for free from Candlemark & Gleam Publishing.
This book gets a solid 3 gnomes and a gnome hat out of 5 gnomes for great descriptive language, intriguing characters and well though out world building.
The cover draws you right in and makes you want to investigate this book, it has a mysterious yet creepy vibe.
I personally could have gone without all the pronunciation stuff in the beginning I prefer stuff like that to be at the end of the book or be a lot shorter.
This story caught my attention with the way that it's told. It has a lot of points of view so you get to experience just about every character's story. There are gods, men, women, magic and even a zombi.
The story opens with Achane using magic to bring her sister Shabane back to life and it works. Sadly though she doesn't come all the way back and is stuck as a zombi with a soul. Achane's goal is to get her sister brought fully back to life so her and Shabane head out to Terichone's temple. While there she is spotted by King Milaus who is a little too interested in her and her zombi raising abilities so he basically kidnaps her and leaves Shabane flailing in a mud puddle.
The story them picks up through the very interesting eyes of Shabane's character and Gamela the priestess who escorts her in the attempt to go after her sister. I wish there would have been more chapters or parts that included Shabane and Gamela.
The story also shows the views of Jeiger and Erlen. Jeiger's a hunter and Erlen's a scholar, they have quite the relationship. They have an unspoken bond that makes you want to know what happened to them before this story started and what the future has in store for them.
War has been going on for awhile and the King thinks that Achane is his answer to winning and lessening lives lost. While Jeiger and Erlen and a lot of their friends are on the other side of the war. Understanding is hard to come by when men, gods and other forces are all fighting.
There are a lot of characters in this book and I don't think the reader needs to hear from all of them but that is more than made up for by the stronger characters. Even the gods are given snippets every now and then in the book which provides the readier with a view of how they see human events.
The big fight between the two separate forces could have gone on longer than it did because it did involve my favorite character Erlen and many of the other characters. Even so the ending of the book is satisfying and wraps things up nicely. I certainly hope that more is written about the world of Erekos.
Erekos does get off to a slow start but slowly but surely draws you in so you want to know what happens to these characters. Events and people come together to put the whole story into focus. If you like your fantasy books with a little zombie twist and a lot of character viewpoints, Erekos may be the book for you.
*I received this e-book for free from Candlemark & Gleam Publishing.
This book gets a solid 3 gnomes and a gnome hat out of 5 gnomes for great descriptive language, intriguing characters and well though out world building.
The cover draws you right in and makes you want to investigate this book, it has a mysterious yet creepy vibe.
I personally could have gone without all the pronunciation stuff in the beginning I prefer stuff like that to be at the end of the book or be a lot shorter.
This story caught my attention with the way that it's told. It has a lot of points of view so you get to experience just about every character's story. There are gods, men, women, magic and even a zombi.
The story opens with Achane using magic to bring her sister Shabane back to life and it works. Sadly though she doesn't come all the way back and is stuck as a zombi with a soul. Achane's goal is to get her sister brought fully back to life so her and Shabane head out to Terichone's temple. While there she is spotted by King Milaus who is a little too interested in her and her zombi raising abilities so he basically kidnaps her and leaves Shabane flailing in a mud puddle.
The story them picks up through the very interesting eyes of Shabane's character and Gamela the priestess who escorts her in the attempt to go after her sister. I wish there would have been more chapters or parts that included Shabane and Gamela.
The story also shows the views of Jeiger and Erlen. Jeiger's a hunter and Erlen's a scholar, they have quite the relationship. They have an unspoken bond that makes you want to know what happened to them before this story started and what the future has in store for them.
War has been going on for awhile and the King thinks that Achane is his answer to winning and lessening lives lost. While Jeiger and Erlen and a lot of their friends are on the other side of the war. Understanding is hard to come by when men, gods and other forces are all fighting.
There are a lot of characters in this book and I don't think the reader needs to hear from all of them but that is more than made up for by the stronger characters. Even the gods are given snippets every now and then in the book which provides the readier with a view of how they see human events.
The big fight between the two separate forces could have gone on longer than it did because it did involve my favorite character Erlen and many of the other characters. Even so the ending of the book is satisfying and wraps things up nicely. I certainly hope that more is written about the world of Erekos.
Erekos does get off to a slow start but slowly but surely draws you in so you want to know what happens to these characters. Events and people come together to put the whole story into focus. If you like your fantasy books with a little zombie twist and a lot of character viewpoints, Erekos may be the book for you.
October 12, 2010
A.M. Tuomala’s epic fantasy is beautifully conceived and written, and it is a strong debut both for the author as well as its new indie e-publisher , Candlemark and Gleam.
This is one of the most original fantasies I’ve read in quite a while. The world seems to be influenced in equal parts by more traditional medieval European fantasy, Greek mythology, and African religion and folklore, and that makes for a fascinating, fresh take on the epic fantasy genre. I’m a fan of the more traditional medieval-style fantasy, but it’s definitely refreshing to read something that brings in other cultural influences. I also love the heavily earth-based spirituality and magic of Erekos; Tuomala brings it to life with very evocative imagery. It’s easy to get sucked into dark, flooded swamps where life is sustained by the blessings of the alligator palm goddess.
The plot is a bit slow-paced… perhaps deliberate would be a more accurate way to describe it. Tuomala takes her time setting up the war between Erekos and Weigenland and carefully blends in each of a large cast of characters and their seemingly unrelated storylines into a compelling read. The widely varying points of view, which change with each chapter, give the reader a nice variety of motivations–who do you sympathize with the most, the swamp witch, her zombi sister, the desperate king, the transplanted scholar? The narration is occasionally stiff and formal, which sometimes doesn’t fit with the point of view in certain chapters, but that’s a fairly minor complaint.
Erekos is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre, and if Candlemark and Gleam keeps publishing works of this caliber, they are definitely an e-publisher to watch.
This is one of the most original fantasies I’ve read in quite a while. The world seems to be influenced in equal parts by more traditional medieval European fantasy, Greek mythology, and African religion and folklore, and that makes for a fascinating, fresh take on the epic fantasy genre. I’m a fan of the more traditional medieval-style fantasy, but it’s definitely refreshing to read something that brings in other cultural influences. I also love the heavily earth-based spirituality and magic of Erekos; Tuomala brings it to life with very evocative imagery. It’s easy to get sucked into dark, flooded swamps where life is sustained by the blessings of the alligator palm goddess.
The plot is a bit slow-paced… perhaps deliberate would be a more accurate way to describe it. Tuomala takes her time setting up the war between Erekos and Weigenland and carefully blends in each of a large cast of characters and their seemingly unrelated storylines into a compelling read. The widely varying points of view, which change with each chapter, give the reader a nice variety of motivations–who do you sympathize with the most, the swamp witch, her zombi sister, the desperate king, the transplanted scholar? The narration is occasionally stiff and formal, which sometimes doesn’t fit with the point of view in certain chapters, but that’s a fairly minor complaint.
Erekos is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre, and if Candlemark and Gleam keeps publishing works of this caliber, they are definitely an e-publisher to watch.
March 10, 2012
I absolutely loved this book. On the surface, it's the story of Achane, a swamp witch who brings her sister back to life as a zombi, but it's so much more than that as well. The plot encompasses a bitter war between two nations, and the emergence of a third people on the borderlands. The march of history is clearly at work here. It also has to do with a family of gods, who meddle with humans throughout the story.
Perhaps the thing I loved best was the wide sweep of the world, and the lush descriptions. This book is a feast for the literary-hungry soul. We simply don't get enough high-quality literary fantasy, and this book is a welcome change. A.M. Tuomala's deft mastery of language vividly sets the scene and captures the essence of the well-drawn, complex characters.
It also feels like a very American fantasy. There are so many American themes here: colonization, conquest, assimilation, and becoming something new. The setting felt American, too: steamboats on a wide river, wooded mountains full of coal mines, borderlands and an ancient indigenous culture below the surface, all but lost now.
Erekos breaks a lot of rules: the story starts slowly and challenges the reader to follow along. I actually think this is a strength of the work in the end, however, as the payoff becomes that much more satisfying. This is a book that I know will be rattling around in my head for a long time to come. If you try this book, promise me you'll stay with it. I did, and it was absolutely worth it.
Perhaps the thing I loved best was the wide sweep of the world, and the lush descriptions. This book is a feast for the literary-hungry soul. We simply don't get enough high-quality literary fantasy, and this book is a welcome change. A.M. Tuomala's deft mastery of language vividly sets the scene and captures the essence of the well-drawn, complex characters.
It also feels like a very American fantasy. There are so many American themes here: colonization, conquest, assimilation, and becoming something new. The setting felt American, too: steamboats on a wide river, wooded mountains full of coal mines, borderlands and an ancient indigenous culture below the surface, all but lost now.
Erekos breaks a lot of rules: the story starts slowly and challenges the reader to follow along. I actually think this is a strength of the work in the end, however, as the payoff becomes that much more satisfying. This is a book that I know will be rattling around in my head for a long time to come. If you try this book, promise me you'll stay with it. I did, and it was absolutely worth it.
August 24, 2025
Teríchone, goddess of the alligator palm, you who give to your people in their tribulations, I ask only the strength to love as you love and to give as you give. When my will bends as does the palm in the hurricane, let it conquer the tempest and stand straight again.
★★★★★
What a lush and provocative story of grief and resistance and resurrecting the dead.
Erekos sets the tone of the book right at its opening - on a stormy night the swamp witch Achane twists the necromantic rituals of her religious order to return the soul of her beloved sister back into her rotting corpse. The blood spell is successful, and Shabane is brought back as a "zombi." However, Achane's forbidden actions do not go unnoticed. War is coming, and the king of Erekos is looking to defend his homeland from an impending invasion by raising an army of the dead...
There's a lot going on in this standalone fantasy novel. The premise is incredible, and it's hard to believe that this is the author's debut work. Tuomala is a master storyteller, and although the pacing was a bit slow in parts, the characters were so multifaceted and interesting, the world so lush and wide-sweeping, and the emotions so palpable that I couldn't help but love every second of it. The bond and devotion between Achane and her sister were definitely the heart and soul of Erekos. I may have shed a few tears at the ending.
Your body is a vessel for your soul, and one day you will realize how much stronger is your soul.
The narrative voice of this story is also so interesting. It's hard to describe but just the way in which Erekos is told feels mythic. It's as though you're listening to an old legend being recounted on a starry night, torchlight flickering in the distance.
One of the other highlights of the book is of course the poetic language. However, I did think that the author had a little too much fun in parts with the prose, but some of the ways in which actions and feelings were described were just too beautiful I can't really complain. The only truly negative thing I can think of is the cover, which I don't believe reflects the feeling of the story at all. Would love to see it redesigned/updated.
Despite being published over a decade ago (which really is mindblowing considering the majority of the cast I'd say is POC, there's a queer relationship, and the worldbuilding feels distinctly non-European), Erekos was such a breath of fresh air - a lyrical mythic fantasy that absolutely deserves to be rediscovered.
— ♩♫♩ ~ Harvest
November 14, 2010
via Between the Covers blog: http://www.betweenthecoversblog.net/2...
Where to begin? I think I can safely say that Erekos is not like anything I have read before. There are familiar elements, of course - mythology, people at war, a marriage of necessity, and even a zombi - but Tuomala blends them all together in a truly unique way.
The story has the feel of a medieval legend from a distant land. From the setting of the swamp of the alligator palms, to the encampments in the mountains, to the isolated fortress, it is easy to be swept away by the story. Unlike other books involving war, the plot is driven not as much by suspense as by character interaction. Tuomala introduces a vast group of characters that, by the end of the novel, have interacted and influenced the events in various ways.
While there is not much dialogue among the characters (in fact, I would venture to say there is a surprising lack of dialogue), the reader nevertheless learns the inner thoughts of the characters. In particular, I loved the backstory of the Erekoi queen as well as the relationship and interaction between Erlen and Jeiger.
The lack of dialogue requires a great deal of narrative; and the prose in this book was beautiful. Having read a lot of "easier" books recently, I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent quality of writing. Tuomala has a unique style that makes it seem as if the story is being told to a listener rather than just having been put on paper to be read. The ending was wonderfully handled and quite appropriate to the nature of the story.
I will be very interested to see what Tuomala writes next!
Rating: 3.5 stars
Where to begin? I think I can safely say that Erekos is not like anything I have read before. There are familiar elements, of course - mythology, people at war, a marriage of necessity, and even a zombi - but Tuomala blends them all together in a truly unique way.
The story has the feel of a medieval legend from a distant land. From the setting of the swamp of the alligator palms, to the encampments in the mountains, to the isolated fortress, it is easy to be swept away by the story. Unlike other books involving war, the plot is driven not as much by suspense as by character interaction. Tuomala introduces a vast group of characters that, by the end of the novel, have interacted and influenced the events in various ways.
While there is not much dialogue among the characters (in fact, I would venture to say there is a surprising lack of dialogue), the reader nevertheless learns the inner thoughts of the characters. In particular, I loved the backstory of the Erekoi queen as well as the relationship and interaction between Erlen and Jeiger.
The lack of dialogue requires a great deal of narrative; and the prose in this book was beautiful. Having read a lot of "easier" books recently, I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent quality of writing. Tuomala has a unique style that makes it seem as if the story is being told to a listener rather than just having been put on paper to be read. The ending was wonderfully handled and quite appropriate to the nature of the story.
I will be very interested to see what Tuomala writes next!
Rating: 3.5 stars
October 28, 2011
I'm simply at a loss of words over this masterpiece of fantasy that A.M. Tuomala has created. The creation and time put into the world that this revolves around instantly pulled me in and caused me to turn the pages reading each as if it might be the last and leave me longing. I enjoyed that in the beginning of the story the time was taken to break down the linguistics of this story and the correct pronouncement of terms and words. I loved the pull from so many cultures that were influence into this story. To say I was impressed is the only words that I can find to express myself.
It's not often fantasy gets a rush of new blood and breath blown into it and I myself at times will say that I fall prey to sticking to the norm and being a little timid at times to step outside of a certain box but I was so glad that with this book I was not. I almost want to repeatedly thank Candlemark and Gleam for accepting Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community to their reviewers and allowing us this chance to read the wonderful work that has been before me.
I do wish there was more about Shabane and Gamela but, I know there is only so much one can cover. The views of each characters being shown and how things unfold. Of course I'm also a fan of Zombies so I can say I was a little bias there be them the flesh eating I'm going to take your brains kind or the ones that just want to be whole again I have a little space in my heart for them all. There isn't much more I can say than to grab the readers by the shoulders and shake a little as I thrust the ebook into their view and tell them to give it a good read, try it and you may not just like it but fall completely in love.
It's not often fantasy gets a rush of new blood and breath blown into it and I myself at times will say that I fall prey to sticking to the norm and being a little timid at times to step outside of a certain box but I was so glad that with this book I was not. I almost want to repeatedly thank Candlemark and Gleam for accepting Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community to their reviewers and allowing us this chance to read the wonderful work that has been before me.
I do wish there was more about Shabane and Gamela but, I know there is only so much one can cover. The views of each characters being shown and how things unfold. Of course I'm also a fan of Zombies so I can say I was a little bias there be them the flesh eating I'm going to take your brains kind or the ones that just want to be whole again I have a little space in my heart for them all. There isn't much more I can say than to grab the readers by the shoulders and shake a little as I thrust the ebook into their view and tell them to give it a good read, try it and you may not just like it but fall completely in love.
November 3, 2010
Rounding up - 3.5 stars
Where to begin? I think I can safely say that Erekos is not like anything I have read before. There are familiar elements, of course - mythology, people at war, a marriage of necessity, and even a zombi - but Tuomala blends them all together in a truly unique way.
The story has the feel of a medieval legend from a distant land. From the setting of the swamp of the alligator palms, to the encampments in the mountains, to the isolated fortress, it is easy to be swept away by the story. Unlike other books involving war, the plot is driven not as much by suspense as by character interaction. Tuomala introduces a vast group of characters that, by the end of the novel, have interacted and influenced the events in various ways.
While there is not much dialogue among the characters (in fact, I would venture to say there is a surprising lack of dialogue), the reader nevertheless learns the inner thoughts of the characters. In particular, I loved the backstory of the Erekoi queen as well as the relationship and interaction between Erlen and Jeiger.
The lack of dialogue requires a great deal of narrative; and the prose in this book was beautiful. Having read a lot of "easier" books recently, I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent quality of writing. Tuomala has a unique style that makes it seem as if the story is being told to a listener rather than just having been put on paper to be read. The ending was wonderfully handled and quite appropriate to the nature of the story.
I will be very interested to see what Tuomala writes next!
Where to begin? I think I can safely say that Erekos is not like anything I have read before. There are familiar elements, of course - mythology, people at war, a marriage of necessity, and even a zombi - but Tuomala blends them all together in a truly unique way.
The story has the feel of a medieval legend from a distant land. From the setting of the swamp of the alligator palms, to the encampments in the mountains, to the isolated fortress, it is easy to be swept away by the story. Unlike other books involving war, the plot is driven not as much by suspense as by character interaction. Tuomala introduces a vast group of characters that, by the end of the novel, have interacted and influenced the events in various ways.
While there is not much dialogue among the characters (in fact, I would venture to say there is a surprising lack of dialogue), the reader nevertheless learns the inner thoughts of the characters. In particular, I loved the backstory of the Erekoi queen as well as the relationship and interaction between Erlen and Jeiger.
The lack of dialogue requires a great deal of narrative; and the prose in this book was beautiful. Having read a lot of "easier" books recently, I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent quality of writing. Tuomala has a unique style that makes it seem as if the story is being told to a listener rather than just having been put on paper to be read. The ending was wonderfully handled and quite appropriate to the nature of the story.
I will be very interested to see what Tuomala writes next!
March 1, 2011
I can happily say I have never read a book quite like this. It unfolds as each page is turned, pulling you further in with every new paragraph. You aren’t introduced to people and places, you are immersed in them.
This is a fantasy for those who like their books with a more literary feel. This is not the classic epic story style, and part of the book’s elegance comes from this deviation. What first appears as meandering between people and places weaves together a fascinating, horrifying world peopled with flawed, wonderful individuals. Gods walk amidst mortals, swamp witches raise the dead, and a war is pulling at the seams of civilization.
Achane has always taken care of her sister, and even after her sister’s death, is determined to make things right. She raises her sister from the dead, but the results were not as anticipated. And her actions catch the eye of a worn king who thinks he may have discovered the way to turn the tide of war in his favor…
This is an author who has a definite way with weaving lush, beautiful pictures with deceptively unhurried prose. I am looking forward to reading more in the future! If you are looking for something wonderfully different to read, give Erekos a try.
This is a fantasy for those who like their books with a more literary feel. This is not the classic epic story style, and part of the book’s elegance comes from this deviation. What first appears as meandering between people and places weaves together a fascinating, horrifying world peopled with flawed, wonderful individuals. Gods walk amidst mortals, swamp witches raise the dead, and a war is pulling at the seams of civilization.
Achane has always taken care of her sister, and even after her sister’s death, is determined to make things right. She raises her sister from the dead, but the results were not as anticipated. And her actions catch the eye of a worn king who thinks he may have discovered the way to turn the tide of war in his favor…
This is an author who has a definite way with weaving lush, beautiful pictures with deceptively unhurried prose. I am looking forward to reading more in the future! If you are looking for something wonderfully different to read, give Erekos a try.
September 6, 2017
2.5/5 stars.
I'm not even sure where to start with this review...
Things I liked:
-1/3 of the time, the prose are amazing. Just really well put, powerful, meaningful. There were several quotes I wanted to save.
-The beginning and the general concept of the story.
-The world building.
Things I didn't like:
-2/3 of the time, the author droned on and on in a "look at my prose" attempt that fell flat, or honestly made no sense.
-The execution of the story. Nothing happens but prose and people's thoughts for most of the this book.
Overall, it took me months to get through it because the middle 150 pages or so were boring and slow, with pages of pointless detail that did nothing for the story. I'm giving this 3 stars instead of 2 because the parts that were good were *really* good. This had so much potential.
I'm not even sure where to start with this review...
Things I liked:
-1/3 of the time, the prose are amazing. Just really well put, powerful, meaningful. There were several quotes I wanted to save.
-The beginning and the general concept of the story.
-The world building.
Things I didn't like:
-2/3 of the time, the author droned on and on in a "look at my prose" attempt that fell flat, or honestly made no sense.
-The execution of the story. Nothing happens but prose and people's thoughts for most of the this book.
Overall, it took me months to get through it because the middle 150 pages or so were boring and slow, with pages of pointless detail that did nothing for the story. I'm giving this 3 stars instead of 2 because the parts that were good were *really* good. This had so much potential.
November 7, 2011
I've had the honour of reading the advanced manuscript, and Erekos quite easily fits among my fantasy favourites. Intelligent, insightful, even wise like the best fantasy novels - I don't hesitate to mention it in the same breath as "The Last Unicorn", so if you enjoyed that, and possible Michael Ende's "Neverending Story", "Erekos" is for you. Easily five stars. If there were six, I'd give it six.
ETA: Publisher's Weekly has good taste: Erekos was voted among the top 100 books of 2011:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/be...
And here:
http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blo...
ETA: Publisher's Weekly has good taste: Erekos was voted among the top 100 books of 2011:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/be...
And here:
http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blo...
July 10, 2012
This was a tricky one for me to review. Much like Amberlight by Sylvia Kelso, Erekos is a detailed, imaginatively drawn world where gods and man intermingle closely. This book's voices are authentically crafted; whether a rogue of a Lord balanced precariously between two warring countries or a swamp magic woman thinking of growing things and ordinary hearth-work.
The book opens with the swamp witch Achane raising her beloved sister from the dead. But all doesn't go as planned, and while her sister's spirit dwells in the body, it is a zombi-like half-life. Achane travels to the goddess, Terichone's shrine for help. Along the way King Milaus kidnaps her and takes her to a mountain fortress to raise him an army of Zombis.
But it isn't that simple. This is also the story of Achane's sister and the priestess that travels with her to find Achane.
And there is Erlen, originally from the country King Milaus is fighting, he has become a borderlander, fighting both sides to keep their own semi-nomadic, goat herding culture in the midst of encroachment on both sides for their ore-rich land.
And finally, there are the gods themselves, who do not hesitate to walk among the people and influence events.
The language is rich, sumptuous, and unhurried. Descriptions of the swamp almost smell of blossoms and water-logged rot. We dwell with each character long enough to know them well.
And yet...for me sometimes the novelist's intentions were too bare, too deliberate for me to sit back and fully enjoy.
Pearls of wisdom about the human need to name things and categorize are sprinkled throughout the story, and sometimes the narrative breaks the third wall to address the reader directly..and this didn't always flow well for me. Sometimes it felt overly forced.
Finally, with all the build up of Achane and her sister trying to find eachother, I felt the climax dwelled more on the wishes of the gods then the culmination of Erlen's and Achane's journeys..which left me a tad unsatisfied.
If you don't mind a slow journey through a fascinating world where the focus is on the richness of location and myth to the cost of some character arc development, this is a great book for you.
This Book's Snack Rating: Like eating Loaded Baked Potato Pringles because you get the complex flavors of bacon and green onion of the Erekos mythology along with the creamy sour cream of the richly drawn world, but the crunch of the thin Pringle is a teensy bit disappointing.
The book opens with the swamp witch Achane raising her beloved sister from the dead. But all doesn't go as planned, and while her sister's spirit dwells in the body, it is a zombi-like half-life. Achane travels to the goddess, Terichone's shrine for help. Along the way King Milaus kidnaps her and takes her to a mountain fortress to raise him an army of Zombis.
But it isn't that simple. This is also the story of Achane's sister and the priestess that travels with her to find Achane.
And there is Erlen, originally from the country King Milaus is fighting, he has become a borderlander, fighting both sides to keep their own semi-nomadic, goat herding culture in the midst of encroachment on both sides for their ore-rich land.
And finally, there are the gods themselves, who do not hesitate to walk among the people and influence events.
The language is rich, sumptuous, and unhurried. Descriptions of the swamp almost smell of blossoms and water-logged rot. We dwell with each character long enough to know them well.
And yet...for me sometimes the novelist's intentions were too bare, too deliberate for me to sit back and fully enjoy.
Pearls of wisdom about the human need to name things and categorize are sprinkled throughout the story, and sometimes the narrative breaks the third wall to address the reader directly..and this didn't always flow well for me. Sometimes it felt overly forced.
Finally, with all the build up of Achane and her sister trying to find eachother, I felt the climax dwelled more on the wishes of the gods then the culmination of Erlen's and Achane's journeys..which left me a tad unsatisfied.
If you don't mind a slow journey through a fascinating world where the focus is on the richness of location and myth to the cost of some character arc development, this is a great book for you.
This Book's Snack Rating: Like eating Loaded Baked Potato Pringles because you get the complex flavors of bacon and green onion of the Erekos mythology along with the creamy sour cream of the richly drawn world, but the crunch of the thin Pringle is a teensy bit disappointing.
Read
April 3, 2011One cannot love every book; in fact, one cannot like every book. Yet, one can learn from every book one reads. My learning from Erekos is that I need to be more selective of the fantasy/speculative fiction novels I choose to read. It taught me that while I enjoy novels that posit a very different future, I do like them to be somewhat realistic. If it is fantastic, the fantasy must be extremely well-written and explained. Unfortunately, Erekos did not mean any of those requirements, and as such, I struggled profusely to finish it.
The story itself never made sense. I could not tell who was fighting whom or the reasons behind the war. The fact that there were gods and goddesses walking about added another layer of complexity to an already-confusing plot. A reader never discovers what makes these cultures clash so much or where they are in the grand scheme of things. Are they on Earth? Are they on a different planet/land? Why do they hate each other so much? For those who are allies, what is their relationship and how do they fit into this new-to-the-reader culture? There are so many unanswered questions that the reader is left drifting through the pages in a valiant attempt to tie it all together and yet failing.
However, as much as I was left clueless about what was occurring and why, the writing does much to overcome its faults. The bond between Achane and her sister is overpowering and yet slightly horrifying. Erlen's search for resolution to the ongoing conflict is understandable and admirable. Love for family and love for country are two things that never change, no matter what the backdrop of a story, and Tuomala captures that perfectly.
I cannot condemn Erekos or the author for its failure to capture my attention completely. For the right audience, I suspect that Erekos would leave someone stunned in its grandeur. I personally felt it was trying too hard to appeal to a larger audience without taking the time to explain the most basic of details about this unfamiliar world. Yet, without having read it, I would have never discovered my limitations on fantasy or speculative novels. As much as I may have disliked the novel, I still was able to get some good out of it.
The story itself never made sense. I could not tell who was fighting whom or the reasons behind the war. The fact that there were gods and goddesses walking about added another layer of complexity to an already-confusing plot. A reader never discovers what makes these cultures clash so much or where they are in the grand scheme of things. Are they on Earth? Are they on a different planet/land? Why do they hate each other so much? For those who are allies, what is their relationship and how do they fit into this new-to-the-reader culture? There are so many unanswered questions that the reader is left drifting through the pages in a valiant attempt to tie it all together and yet failing.
However, as much as I was left clueless about what was occurring and why, the writing does much to overcome its faults. The bond between Achane and her sister is overpowering and yet slightly horrifying. Erlen's search for resolution to the ongoing conflict is understandable and admirable. Love for family and love for country are two things that never change, no matter what the backdrop of a story, and Tuomala captures that perfectly.
I cannot condemn Erekos or the author for its failure to capture my attention completely. For the right audience, I suspect that Erekos would leave someone stunned in its grandeur. I personally felt it was trying too hard to appeal to a larger audience without taking the time to explain the most basic of details about this unfamiliar world. Yet, without having read it, I would have never discovered my limitations on fantasy or speculative novels. As much as I may have disliked the novel, I still was able to get some good out of it.
May 11, 2011
Unfortunately, not every book available is a good fit for every reader. I enjoy many genres of books, fantasy included. I enjoy trying out new novels, authors, and styles, but every once in a long while, I come across a style that just does not suit me.
Erekos is a fantasy novel written in language that could be described as a literary prose. This sounded quite appealing, however, I discovered that this style of writing is not for me. The descriptions were often long, flowing, and felt too drawn out. I kept getting lost in the character descriptions (which were not very thorough) and the story line was unclear for a large part of the book. I couldn’t tell where the story was going, because I could hardly understand where the story stood. The story jumped to various points of view with irregularity. Throughout the book, I was confused and pretty much bored, and found myself skipping full paragraphs, and skimming through pages at a time.
I was tempted to put the book down many times, but I kept with it and finished the book. Basically the book is about a fantasy people, their fantasy gods, and the end of a war that will forever change the way the people will live. The story had potential, however, I felt that the story was poorly executed. The plight of the sisters was just very odd to me. Achane did not want to let her dead sister go, and she wound up creating and falling into trouble and battle. The entire scenario was just sad, and i didn’t see any redeeming qualities to this tragedy.
I will say that there was some beautiful language in the book. Some of the settings were very unique, and I can appreciate the creativity of the world created. I am very sorry to say it, and even sorrier to write it, but I just did not like this book. While I enjoy fantasy, this form of lyrical prose writing was not for me. I know that there are plenty of readers out there who appreciate the prose and beautiful language. I find that I enjoy more direct and clearly stated storyline. I will remember this in the future.
*you can find this review and more on my blog: http://booksavvybabe.blogspot.com *
Erekos is a fantasy novel written in language that could be described as a literary prose. This sounded quite appealing, however, I discovered that this style of writing is not for me. The descriptions were often long, flowing, and felt too drawn out. I kept getting lost in the character descriptions (which were not very thorough) and the story line was unclear for a large part of the book. I couldn’t tell where the story was going, because I could hardly understand where the story stood. The story jumped to various points of view with irregularity. Throughout the book, I was confused and pretty much bored, and found myself skipping full paragraphs, and skimming through pages at a time.
I was tempted to put the book down many times, but I kept with it and finished the book. Basically the book is about a fantasy people, their fantasy gods, and the end of a war that will forever change the way the people will live. The story had potential, however, I felt that the story was poorly executed. The plight of the sisters was just very odd to me. Achane did not want to let her dead sister go, and she wound up creating and falling into trouble and battle. The entire scenario was just sad, and i didn’t see any redeeming qualities to this tragedy.
I will say that there was some beautiful language in the book. Some of the settings were very unique, and I can appreciate the creativity of the world created. I am very sorry to say it, and even sorrier to write it, but I just did not like this book. While I enjoy fantasy, this form of lyrical prose writing was not for me. I know that there are plenty of readers out there who appreciate the prose and beautiful language. I find that I enjoy more direct and clearly stated storyline. I will remember this in the future.
*you can find this review and more on my blog: http://booksavvybabe.blogspot.com *
July 12, 2016
Unfortunately, not every book available is a good fit for every reader. I enjoy many genres of books, fantasy included. I enjoy trying out new novels, authors, and styles, but every once in a long while, I come across a style that just does not suit me.
Erekos is a fantasy novel written in language that could be described as a literary prose. This sounded quite appealing, however, I discovered that this style of writing is not for me. The descriptions were often long, flowing, and felt too drawn out. I kept getting lost in the character descriptions (which were not very thorough) and the story line was unclear for a large part of the book. I couldn’t tell where the story was going, because I could hardly understand where the story stood. The story jumped to various points of view with irregularity. Throughout the book, I was confused and pretty much bored, and found myself skipping full paragraphs, and skimming through pages at a time.
I was tempted to put the book down many times, but I kept with it and finished the book. Basically the book is about a fantasy people, their fantasy gods, and the end of a war that will forever change the way the people will live. The story had potential, however, I felt that the story was poorly executed. The plight of the sisters was just very odd to me. Achane did not want to let her dead sister go, and she wound up creating and falling into trouble and battle. The entire scenario was just sad, and i didn’t see any redeeming qualities to this tragedy.
I will say that there was some beautiful language in the book. Some of the settings were very unique, and I can appreciate the creativity of the world created. I am very sorry to say it, and even sorrier to write it, but I just did not like this book. While I enjoy fantasy, this form of lyrical prose writing was not for me. I know that there are plenty of readers out there who appreciate the prose and beautiful language. I find that I enjoy more direct and clearly stated storyline. I will remember this in the future.
Erekos is a fantasy novel written in language that could be described as a literary prose. This sounded quite appealing, however, I discovered that this style of writing is not for me. The descriptions were often long, flowing, and felt too drawn out. I kept getting lost in the character descriptions (which were not very thorough) and the story line was unclear for a large part of the book. I couldn’t tell where the story was going, because I could hardly understand where the story stood. The story jumped to various points of view with irregularity. Throughout the book, I was confused and pretty much bored, and found myself skipping full paragraphs, and skimming through pages at a time.
I was tempted to put the book down many times, but I kept with it and finished the book. Basically the book is about a fantasy people, their fantasy gods, and the end of a war that will forever change the way the people will live. The story had potential, however, I felt that the story was poorly executed. The plight of the sisters was just very odd to me. Achane did not want to let her dead sister go, and she wound up creating and falling into trouble and battle. The entire scenario was just sad, and i didn’t see any redeeming qualities to this tragedy.
I will say that there was some beautiful language in the book. Some of the settings were very unique, and I can appreciate the creativity of the world created. I am very sorry to say it, and even sorrier to write it, but I just did not like this book. While I enjoy fantasy, this form of lyrical prose writing was not for me. I know that there are plenty of readers out there who appreciate the prose and beautiful language. I find that I enjoy more direct and clearly stated storyline. I will remember this in the future.
January 7, 2011
At first, I wasn't quite sure what I thought of this book. It was slow moving, and focused much more on world-building than moving forward the action of the story. The metaphors were a little over the top at times for my tastes, and I spent a lot of time wondering if anything was ever going to happen. There seemed to be a lot of wandering through swamplands and not much else. I ended up putting the book down for a few months.
But the slow build up worked well for Erekos. It was as if the story were given time to breathe. The world is lush, and it needed that space to present itself. What started out as several tangentially connected narrative threads met nicely somewhere in the middle.
One thing I really liked about this was that it wasn't your typical story of Good vs. Bad. Just as in real life, there were no right or easy answers. No one person was flagged as The Bad Guy. There were just people, sorting through their own messes best as they knew how.
I would have liked Erekos to be longer to make up for the long period of build up at the beginning. Stories like Lord of the Rings can (barely) survive long wandering narrative because of their length, but shorter novels like Erekos require patience for a reader to get through over half the book before any serious action takes place. I was glad I stuck with it, and I certainly didn't dis-enjoy the set up, but I would have liked either more action early on, or more bulk overall.
(I think it's worth noting that the comparison to the Lord of the Rings in terms of pacing is an apt one, IMO. I tend to find it tedious but all readers are different.)
I have read that the author would like to write more stories set in this universe, and I very much look forward to reading them.
But the slow build up worked well for Erekos. It was as if the story were given time to breathe. The world is lush, and it needed that space to present itself. What started out as several tangentially connected narrative threads met nicely somewhere in the middle.
One thing I really liked about this was that it wasn't your typical story of Good vs. Bad. Just as in real life, there were no right or easy answers. No one person was flagged as The Bad Guy. There were just people, sorting through their own messes best as they knew how.
I would have liked Erekos to be longer to make up for the long period of build up at the beginning. Stories like Lord of the Rings can (barely) survive long wandering narrative because of their length, but shorter novels like Erekos require patience for a reader to get through over half the book before any serious action takes place. I was glad I stuck with it, and I certainly didn't dis-enjoy the set up, but I would have liked either more action early on, or more bulk overall.
(I think it's worth noting that the comparison to the Lord of the Rings in terms of pacing is an apt one, IMO. I tend to find it tedious but all readers are different.)
I have read that the author would like to write more stories set in this universe, and I very much look forward to reading them.
April 3, 2012
Opening with the creation of a zombie and the eventual kidnapping of the main character, Achane, readers will easily be drawn into this unique story. Tuomala paints very vivid pictures for her readers and the journey across Erekos is a beautiful one, honing in on many scenic descriptions that will cause the reader to feel as if they’re physically within the pages of the story. This is a very descriptive novel, and Tuomala’s ability to capture life so beautifully is a testament to her writing abilities, but due to the vast descriptions, readers must be patient as the story unfolds. It’s not a fast paced action novel, though Erekos does tell a story of love and war, and how good intentions can have dire repercussions.
Told in segments that jump from situation to situation, whisking the reader across Erekos and back again, Tuomala weaves a world in which witchcraft, gods, scholars, warriors, and priestess’ all have a role, and though I wouldn’t say this is a jovial read by any means, it really makes the reader think, and ends on a contented note. It’s hard to say who would most enjoy this novel, but I’d recommend this for readers who like amazing descriptions and a slower paced read, with seemingly disconnected events that are all brought together in the end.
To see my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
Told in segments that jump from situation to situation, whisking the reader across Erekos and back again, Tuomala weaves a world in which witchcraft, gods, scholars, warriors, and priestess’ all have a role, and though I wouldn’t say this is a jovial read by any means, it really makes the reader think, and ends on a contented note. It’s hard to say who would most enjoy this novel, but I’d recommend this for readers who like amazing descriptions and a slower paced read, with seemingly disconnected events that are all brought together in the end.
To see my full review:
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
October 2, 2010
Erekos took a very long time for me to finish solely because it was not my type of fantasy. A healer/witch who cannot deal with the death of her sister raises said sister as a zombi. But she wasn't your mindless, shambling dead. Her soul was trapped in her rotting body. There were monarchs, there was war and there was a beautiful intricate world with a Middle Ages feel.
The zombi aspect attracted me to the book, but ultimately it wasn't a zombie book the way most of us think of it. This was much closer to high fantasy than the darker stuff I usually like and I found myself unable to connect with the story or characters.
Unfortunately, Erekos was just not my style. Those who love fantasy that feature earthy magics will adore this. Actually, earthy is a good word to describe the entire theme. Everything felt very nature based. I hate to give a book so well written such a low rating, but I feel that those who like their fantasy darker will want to skip this.
The zombi aspect attracted me to the book, but ultimately it wasn't a zombie book the way most of us think of it. This was much closer to high fantasy than the darker stuff I usually like and I found myself unable to connect with the story or characters.
Unfortunately, Erekos was just not my style. Those who love fantasy that feature earthy magics will adore this. Actually, earthy is a good word to describe the entire theme. Everything felt very nature based. I hate to give a book so well written such a low rating, but I feel that those who like their fantasy darker will want to skip this.
July 8, 2012
I wanted to like this book more than I did, because it was written by my high school best friend (A.M. Tuomala is a pseudonym). However, she is not one to waste words. A story that would take most authors 700 pages to write was summed up in a neat 300 pages here. At times, I really felt like this caused the story to suffer, because we didn't get explanations of why or where things were happening. For one thing, I didn't feel like I got a good explanation for why the priestess and the zombi chose to return to the zombi's home, rather than continuing after the king; it seemed to be explained later, but I still was not satisfied with the explanation. Additionally, peripheral characters were given at least as in-depth of stories as most of the main characters, which made it difficult to track to whom we should be paying attention. However, I did thoroughly enjoy the manner in which the final battle was resolved: very clever on the part of the author.
September 29, 2012
I have to admit that I'm still getting used to reading e-books. I don't have a reader yet, and so read on my laptop. Some books, like Candlemark & Gleam's own Broken, are an easy laptop read.
Erekos, though, was a struggle, and it was difficult to keep returning to my laptop screen to continue reading. However, I recently won a hard copy paperback of the book and found myself immediately immersed in A.M. Tuomala's world. The language used is dense and beautiful. Tuomala knows how to write a sentence that makes me happy to read it. The story told is compelling and reveals itself at a luxurious pace. I like authors who can take their time and still keep me interested. The characters are intriguing and all sympathetic in their way.
My only criticism is that I found the ending a little unsatisfying. To be honest, I was hoping for more "zombis." Beyond that, though, I found it to be a fine fantasy read to curl up with away from any electronics. Can't wait for Tuomala's next one.
Erekos, though, was a struggle, and it was difficult to keep returning to my laptop screen to continue reading. However, I recently won a hard copy paperback of the book and found myself immediately immersed in A.M. Tuomala's world. The language used is dense and beautiful. Tuomala knows how to write a sentence that makes me happy to read it. The story told is compelling and reveals itself at a luxurious pace. I like authors who can take their time and still keep me interested. The characters are intriguing and all sympathetic in their way.
My only criticism is that I found the ending a little unsatisfying. To be honest, I was hoping for more "zombis." Beyond that, though, I found it to be a fine fantasy read to curl up with away from any electronics. Can't wait for Tuomala's next one.
November 1, 2011
"Erekos" by A.M. Tuomala is a dark is a fantasy novel.It started dreadfully slow. I kept putting it down wondering if I was going to read the whole thing. Something kept bringing me back to reading it though.I had to find out what was going to happen.I kept getting lost in the character descriptions as the names are to similar. As the story progressed I found myself engrossed in the story. Funny thing I kinda enjoyed the journey to the very end. All in all a good read. I won this book through the Goodreads First-reads giveaway program,Thank You!
November 4, 2012
For a reasonably short book, this one took a long time to read and I think that's because I never really got into it. The story and characters didn't grab me and so it was all to easy too find other things I'd rather be doing than reading it.
I liked the idea behind the book, but, for me, it just didn't quite come together. The characters fell flat and the story just seemed to drag, bogged down by overly wordy prose.
I could, therefore, only give this book two stars. The story was therefore, but it fell short in execution.
I received this book as a free e-book ARC via NetGalley.
I liked the idea behind the book, but, for me, it just didn't quite come together. The characters fell flat and the story just seemed to drag, bogged down by overly wordy prose.
I could, therefore, only give this book two stars. The story was therefore, but it fell short in execution.
I received this book as a free e-book ARC via NetGalley.
Read
February 6, 2013DISCLAIMER: I received Erekos as a publisher ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This review can also be found at The Title Page
Rating: Stars
review to come
This review can also be found at The Title Page
Rating: Stars
review to come
August 11, 2012
Beautifully written, full of fascinating characters, mythic storytelling, and high quality world building.
Want to read
December 5, 2011Seems very sad and serious. I think maybe I'll read this in the summer, for contrast.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews