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Empire of the East #2
The Black Mountains
The Demon Lord Zapranoth will devour you, if the Beast Lord Draffut cannot save you - but either way the Bitch Goddess Charmian will have your soul...
185 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
8 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Fred Saberhagen
335 books494 followersFred Saberhagen was an American science fiction and fantasy author most famous for his ''Beserker'' and Dracula stories.
Saberhagen also wrote a series of a series of post-apocalyptic mytho-magical novels beginning with his popular ''Empire of the East'' and continuing through a long series of ''Swords'' and ''Lost Swords'' novels. Saberhagen died of cancer, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Saberhagen was born in and grew up in the area of Chicago, Illinois. Saberhagen served in the [[U.S. Air Force]] during the Korean War while he was in his early twenties. Back in civilian life, Saberhagen worked as an It was while he was working for Motorola (after his military service) that Saberhagen started writing fiction seriously at the age of about 30. "Fortress Ship", his first "Berserker" short shory, was published in 1963. Then, in 1964, Saberhagen saw the publication of his first novel, ''The Golden People''.
From 1967 to 1973, he worked as an editor for the Chemistry articles in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' as well as writing its article on science fiction. He then quit and took up writing full-time. In 1975, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He married fellow writer Joan Spicci in 1968. They had two sons and a daughter.
Saberhagen also wrote a series of a series of post-apocalyptic mytho-magical novels beginning with his popular ''Empire of the East'' and continuing through a long series of ''Swords'' and ''Lost Swords'' novels. Saberhagen died of cancer, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Saberhagen was born in and grew up in the area of Chicago, Illinois. Saberhagen served in the [[U.S. Air Force]] during the Korean War while he was in his early twenties. Back in civilian life, Saberhagen worked as an It was while he was working for Motorola (after his military service) that Saberhagen started writing fiction seriously at the age of about 30. "Fortress Ship", his first "Berserker" short shory, was published in 1963. Then, in 1964, Saberhagen saw the publication of his first novel, ''The Golden People''.
From 1967 to 1973, he worked as an editor for the Chemistry articles in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' as well as writing its article on science fiction. He then quit and took up writing full-time. In 1975, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He married fellow writer Joan Spicci in 1968. They had two sons and a daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 16, 2013
I'm finding an allergy to Saberhagen's writing, which seems to consist of long sections without remarkable qualities, punctuated by intensely written scenes and set pieces. In particular, the battle between Zapranoth and Lord Draffut are properly cosmic and nearly hallucinogenic as befits reality-warping entities. Anything with a demon in it, come to think of it.
Like The Broken Lands, anything having to do with the Empire is more readable and interesting than the Free Folk. Fortunately the author seems to agree, and centers most of the action appropriately. The mysterious Empire of the East itself continues to intrigue, as details about its workings dribble out. As one moves eastward into the body of the Empire, its lords and leaders become less and less recognizably human, as they make essential trades and pledges in exchange for power.
Like The Broken Lands, anything having to do with the Empire is more readable and interesting than the Free Folk. Fortunately the author seems to agree, and centers most of the action appropriately. The mysterious Empire of the East itself continues to intrigue, as details about its workings dribble out. As one moves eastward into the body of the Empire, its lords and leaders become less and less recognizably human, as they make essential trades and pledges in exchange for power.
September 21, 2014
Stuff I Read - The Black Mountains by Fred Saberhagen Review
So this is the second book in the Empire of the East series, and I will admit now that when I read this I had not read the first book in the series. The good news is that I didn't really feel lost at all having not read the first book. Yes, characters recur and all that, but the book did a good enough job catching me up that I didn't mind. These books also come before the Sword books that Saberhagen wrote, as evidenced by Draffut being there and Ardneh behind a thing and all that.
The book itself is a bit of a fantasy standard, though it's more sci-fantasy, where there is both technology and magic. It's a little strange, but it works well, with demons and machines coexisting with wizards and undead kings. Basically there are two main characters, Rolf and Chup. They start on opposite sides of the conflict, Rolf being on the side of the "good guys" in the west and Chup being a former lord of the East. Chup, defeated at the end of the first book, is given a task to complete to redeem himself, at the same time Rolf is working with the western forces to take the great fortress of the Black Mountains.
For all that Rolf is the more traditional hero, fighting to find his sister and to overthrow the East, I found his story the less interesting of the two. There are interesting moments, but Rolf is the traditional fantasy hero, letting himself drift to where circumstance would have him, acting heroically and saving the day a number of times. But it's really just that, and while it works for what it is, while it's entertaining to a point, it's just less unique.
Chup's story, though, is the more compelling, at least in part because of his very odd relationship with Charmian, his wife. Though the two are kind of estranged, Chup still cares for her, and she, though she is untrue almost as much as she possibly can be, still seems to care for him. It's a really interesting dynamic that the two have, because she is "evil" to a point, willing to use anything to get power, but at the same time there is a feeling that she isn't such a bad person, just using what she has to because otherwise she would be the constant victim.
The story does take some really nice turns, and there are a few twists that I smiled to read, but I guess to me it's just a decent fantasy story with enough going on hold my interest but not really all that much to say. It wasn't boring, but it didn't challenge me at all, and while I enjoyed it I was left wanting a bit more from the characters and the story. That said, I'm giving it a 6.5/10.
So this is the second book in the Empire of the East series, and I will admit now that when I read this I had not read the first book in the series. The good news is that I didn't really feel lost at all having not read the first book. Yes, characters recur and all that, but the book did a good enough job catching me up that I didn't mind. These books also come before the Sword books that Saberhagen wrote, as evidenced by Draffut being there and Ardneh behind a thing and all that.
The book itself is a bit of a fantasy standard, though it's more sci-fantasy, where there is both technology and magic. It's a little strange, but it works well, with demons and machines coexisting with wizards and undead kings. Basically there are two main characters, Rolf and Chup. They start on opposite sides of the conflict, Rolf being on the side of the "good guys" in the west and Chup being a former lord of the East. Chup, defeated at the end of the first book, is given a task to complete to redeem himself, at the same time Rolf is working with the western forces to take the great fortress of the Black Mountains.
For all that Rolf is the more traditional hero, fighting to find his sister and to overthrow the East, I found his story the less interesting of the two. There are interesting moments, but Rolf is the traditional fantasy hero, letting himself drift to where circumstance would have him, acting heroically and saving the day a number of times. But it's really just that, and while it works for what it is, while it's entertaining to a point, it's just less unique.
Chup's story, though, is the more compelling, at least in part because of his very odd relationship with Charmian, his wife. Though the two are kind of estranged, Chup still cares for her, and she, though she is untrue almost as much as she possibly can be, still seems to care for him. It's a really interesting dynamic that the two have, because she is "evil" to a point, willing to use anything to get power, but at the same time there is a feeling that she isn't such a bad person, just using what she has to because otherwise she would be the constant victim.
The story does take some really nice turns, and there are a few twists that I smiled to read, but I guess to me it's just a decent fantasy story with enough going on hold my interest but not really all that much to say. It wasn't boring, but it didn't challenge me at all, and while I enjoyed it I was left wanting a bit more from the characters and the story. That said, I'm giving it a 6.5/10.
June 26, 2016
Demons! OMG I had forgotten how much I enjoy the nature of demons in this series. I've never read anything before or since with such a unique spin on demons. There's a creepiness about them that seems like it evolved from reading Lovecraft.
(nb, I read these when I was in college, and I'm pleased to see how well they hold up. The books. Not the demons. Although I can't say enough good things about demons. )
(nb, I read these when I was in college, and I'm pleased to see how well they hold up. The books. Not the demons. Although I can't say enough good things about demons. )
October 19, 2020
The Black Mountains (As montanhas negras), de Fred Saberhagen, é o segundo volume da série The Empire of the East, numa pegada de mundo de fantasia pós apocalíptico com alguns elementos tecnológicos. O terceiro volume dessa saga The Changeling Earth é mencionado no Apêndice N, que recomenda também toda obra do autor.
No primeiro livro, The Broken Lands, um grupo de rebeldes consegue uma grande vitória contra os invasores do oriente, capturando um castelo onde vários líderes se reuniam para o casamento de Charmian, filha do sátrapa Ekuman. Além de tropas diversas, eles contam também com corujas gigantes, pedras mágicas, elementais e, é claro, um tanque atômico. Os sobreviventes fogem para as Montanhas Negras, principal reduto de poder do Império do Leste nas terras ocidentais.
A cidadela nas Montanhas Negras merece uma descrição a parte. No seu centro reside o Lorde Demônio Zapranoth, a quem todos os satrápas devem se comprometer, sacrificando parte de sua essência em troca de uma dádiva das trevas. Som the Dead (Som o Morto) atua como vice-rei do Leste, sua sala de audiência é repleta de perfumes para disfarçar seu cheiro apodrecido, e quem se aproximar demais consegue vislumbrar no canto dos olhos, uma caveira no lugar do rosto. Diz-se que ele é imune a veneno ou doença, e que qualquer ferimento de arma que lhe for infringido é imediatamente refletido de volta ao agressor. Ele comanda uma guarda pessoal de 500 homens, portadores de um artefato ligado a valquírias mecânicas que resgatam seus corpos quando mortos nos arredores da montanha, e os leva para serem curados nas águas da vida do Lorde das Feras Draffut, outra criatura ancestral que habita a região. É essa fortaleza que os Povos Livres planejam conquistar...
A trama acompanha o jovem Rolf, que continua procurando sua irmã desaparecida e ajudando os rebeldes com sua afinidade pela ciência dos antigos. Quando o mago Gray conjura um Djinn da Tecnologia, é Rolf que consegue fazer com que a criatura cumpra suas obrigações para construir os dispositivos necessários para invadir a fortaleza inimiga. Diversos personagens apresentados no primeiro livro são esquecidos ou relegados a segundo plano, tornando essa história quase independente do primeiro livro. Por exemplo, o Povo Silencioso, raça de corujas inteligentes, migra para o sul no outono, um conceito bem interessante para ser levado às mesas de jogo.
Assim como no primeiro volume, porém, a parte do vilões é muito mais interessante. Aqui vemos a volta de Lorde Chup, que, apesar de estar do lado “errado”, tinha um código de honra próprio, e era o único dos sátrapas que não tinha prestado juramento para o Lorde Demônio nas Montanhas Negras. Então quando finalmente consegue escapar dos Povos Livres, ele apresenta aos leitores esse novo e complexo local, a medida que vai sendo envolvido pelas intrigas da sua consorte Charmian em busca de poder.
A história vai num crescendo até um clímax de tirar o fôlego. Aqui vai um spoiler que não é tão grave já que, assim como o tanque atômico do primeiro livro, aparece na arte de capa. Lembra da cena inicial do filme do Senhor dos Anéis (que não está no livro) onde Sauron aparece em pessoa para liderar os exércitos? Aqui acontece algo parecido. Zapranoth assume a forma de um gigantesco guerreiro de armadura, sendo contido pelos magos dos Povos Livres e depois enfrentando um outro ser de igual poder, enquanto o grosso das tropas de ambos os lados combate aos seus pés.
Consigo encontrar poucas influências diretas ao RPG, os elementais e djinns certamente chegaram ao Monster Manual, mas talvez o livro tenha influenciado em parte na criação de um dos monstros mais clássicos: o lich. Sei que o lich em si foi criado por Gardner Fox na série Kothar, e não cheguei nessa leitura ainda, mas as semelhanças são muitas. Som the Dead é bem parecido com esse morto-vivo, além disso, os demônios nesse mundo podem transferir sua essência para algum objeto ou criatura, tornando-se assim incapazes de serem verdadeiramente destruídos enquanto esta estiver preservada, um conceito que parece bastante com o filactério dos lichs.
Independentemente disso, todo o livro parece bastante uma grande aventura de RPG, com inúmeros, locais, itens e personagens que podem ser facilmente “roubados” para qualquer campanha. Existe, por exemplo, uma cena onde Lorde Chup precisa invadir a sala do tesouro, enfrentando diferentes desafios que é quase um módulo pronto, e bem no espírito “old school” onde tentar matar todos os inimigos é o caminho certo para a morte.
Concluindo, não tem como errar com The Black Mountains, é uma melhora significativa do primeiro The Broken Lands, e tudo indica que o próximo volume, The Channeling Earth, será ainda melhor. Estou ansioso para descobrir por que Gygax escolheu incluir somente a conclusão da história no Apêndice N, aguarde (literalmente) o próximo capítulo...
March 1, 2023
Now this is more like it! Having now read The Black Mountains, I realize that part of what made The Broken Lands a bit ho-hum for me were the protagonists. Rolf is that archetypal "young kid thrust into war" character with a pure heart, some naivete, and a sincere desire to do good. But I prefer my white knights to have a little dirt of them.
Enter Chup, introduced to readers in the first book as a satrap of the Empire of the East betrothed to Ekuman's daughter, Charmian. Chup is, ostensibly, Rolf's adversary for this first book, and is the most interesting of the book's villains.
But at the start of the second book, things have changed for Chup. Paralyzed at the end of the previous one, Chup has been sitting at the gates of castle now controlled by Thomas's Free Folk, unable to move his legs. Considered to be no danger, he has been sitting there for six months, waiting patiently for death. But then Chup is visited by a demon who cures his paralysis on Charmian's behalf, and so Chup deceives Rolf into giving him a ride out into the desert. Once there he engages in a sword fight with Rolf and nearly kills the boy, but when soldiers of the East who were sent to retrieve Chup ride into view, Chup urges Rolf to hide.
Chup is brought to Som the Dead's castle, where he is betrayed by the vengeful Charmian (more than once). But his worth is cunningly gauged by Som, who bids Chup to pledge his allegiance in a dramatic fashion, by linking himself to the demons harnessed by the Empire of the East. Chup, sensing that something is not quite right with this turn of events, nonetheless agrees. But this agreement is cut short when he begins to realize the truth about how things work in the East.
So Chup is a more modern type of hero; not an antihero, per se (for he is quite heroic), but tainted by brutality, arrogance, and acute self-regard, among other foibles. Nonetheless, he is a compelling character, and far more interesting to follow than the squeaky-clean Rolf.
This second book also had the benefit of taking place in the far more interesting land of the East, where the ruler is a lich and demons are everywhere. The setting and the situations it engendered made for a far more enjoyable novel. This is The Empire Strikes Back of the trilogy, for sure.
Enter Chup, introduced to readers in the first book as a satrap of the Empire of the East betrothed to Ekuman's daughter, Charmian. Chup is, ostensibly, Rolf's adversary for this first book, and is the most interesting of the book's villains.
But at the start of the second book, things have changed for Chup. Paralyzed at the end of the previous one, Chup has been sitting at the gates of castle now controlled by Thomas's Free Folk, unable to move his legs. Considered to be no danger, he has been sitting there for six months, waiting patiently for death. But then Chup is visited by a demon who cures his paralysis on Charmian's behalf, and so Chup deceives Rolf into giving him a ride out into the desert. Once there he engages in a sword fight with Rolf and nearly kills the boy, but when soldiers of the East who were sent to retrieve Chup ride into view, Chup urges Rolf to hide.
Chup is brought to Som the Dead's castle, where he is betrayed by the vengeful Charmian (more than once). But his worth is cunningly gauged by Som, who bids Chup to pledge his allegiance in a dramatic fashion, by linking himself to the demons harnessed by the Empire of the East. Chup, sensing that something is not quite right with this turn of events, nonetheless agrees. But this agreement is cut short when he begins to realize the truth about how things work in the East.
So Chup is a more modern type of hero; not an antihero, per se (for he is quite heroic), but tainted by brutality, arrogance, and acute self-regard, among other foibles. Nonetheless, he is a compelling character, and far more interesting to follow than the squeaky-clean Rolf.
This second book also had the benefit of taking place in the far more interesting land of the East, where the ruler is a lich and demons are everywhere. The setting and the situations it engendered made for a far more enjoyable novel. This is The Empire Strikes Back of the trilogy, for sure.
April 3, 2023
I liked this second book in the series more than the first one, and that's despite the rather rudimentary plotting around the heroes from the first book. They do have a plotline, but it's far outshone by what turns out to be the main plotline: the one surrounding Lord Chup, Lady Charmian, and their dealings with the living corpse-emperor Som the Dead, with his magic-tech Valkyrie drones that carry the bodies of dead soldiers with special collars to the Lake of Life to be resurrected. Wild stuff!
The best part of the heroes' plotline is when the wizard Gray summons a particular djinn who specialises in lost and forgotten Old World technology, to build an airship for them. But he's the sort of djinn that does everything he can to interpret his orders the worst possible way.
The overall plot surrounds Rolf's missing sister, but not in the way I expected at all. And much like the One Ring, a magic charm from the first book turns out to be a lot more powerful and sinister than anyone thought.
Chup was a villain in the first book, but he has a "save the cat" moment in this book, and pretty much becomes an anti-hero, stepping up to face a greater evil.
I have no idea what the 3rd book will be about, because almost everything seemed to be pretty well wrapped up in this one. The only clue seems to be the final line of dialogue, but I don't know where it'll go from there. I look forward to finding out, though, because the 3rd book is the one cited by name in Gygax's Appendix N.
The best part of the heroes' plotline is when the wizard Gray summons a particular djinn who specialises in lost and forgotten Old World technology, to build an airship for them. But he's the sort of djinn that does everything he can to interpret his orders the worst possible way.
The overall plot surrounds Rolf's missing sister, but not in the way I expected at all. And much like the One Ring, a magic charm from the first book turns out to be a lot more powerful and sinister than anyone thought.
Chup was a villain in the first book, but he has a "save the cat" moment in this book, and pretty much becomes an anti-hero, stepping up to face a greater evil.
I have no idea what the 3rd book will be about, because almost everything seemed to be pretty well wrapped up in this one. The only clue seems to be the final line of dialogue, but I don't know where it'll go from there. I look forward to finding out, though, because the 3rd book is the one cited by name in Gygax's Appendix N.
January 26, 2024
An enjoyable early fantasy novel by Saberhagen. The dying of the world of science, even now in bits and pieces, understood only by a few; the birthing of the world of magic, demons, and more.
After book 3, Ardneh's World, I'll be moving on to the Books of Swords, set very far into the magic-laden future, science nearly gone, entirely.
This one has a little bit of everything. Helio-Drones, which the superstitious call "Valkyries", intrigue, spies, murder, war (including using 'scientific' balloons to carry an advanced force), demons, a living-dead ruler, magic, betrayal and love. Plus, it's all in Saberhagen's (to me) comfortable reading style.
After book 3, Ardneh's World, I'll be moving on to the Books of Swords, set very far into the magic-laden future, science nearly gone, entirely.
This one has a little bit of everything. Helio-Drones, which the superstitious call "Valkyries", intrigue, spies, murder, war (including using 'scientific' balloons to carry an advanced force), demons, a living-dead ruler, magic, betrayal and love. Plus, it's all in Saberhagen's (to me) comfortable reading style.
May 27, 2020
Another tightly-written, engaging tale in the Empire of the East series. I wasn't sure how they would top having a tank in the first book, but the epic battle at the end managed it. The book also goes in an unexpected direction with one of the villains of the first book, adding complexity.
July 21, 2020
Good and interesting sci-fantasy. This installment is a little less formulaic, a little more psychedelic, and a little more convoluted than the first book. Easy to see the influence these stories have had on other fiction.
January 18, 2024
Significantly better than the first. The Broken Lands was fairly simple and cliched but The Black Mountains has some really interesting ideas, twists and character progression. A much better utilisation of the whole ‘ancient super technology’ thing. Fun and entertaining!
March 25, 2021
I enjoyed this - possibly not quite as much as The Broken Lands, but it might just be that as I came back to the trilogy after so many years, that the first one was more enjoyable for me.
Now looking forward to the third in the series!!
Now looking forward to the third in the series!!
November 7, 2021
I love the Empire of the East trilogy. Truly what a science-fantasy story should be.
December 8, 2024
liked the demons. loved the decapitated head scene.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2017
This was vastly more readable and engaging than The Broken Lands. The West are attacking the Black Mountains, something that was unthinkable. Rolf is still looking for his lost sister, and Lord Chup is shown to be less villainous than his Empire of the East counterparts. Wrapping up with the final struggle for the Black Mountains. Perhaps, book three will be better than books 1 & 2? We'll see.
February 8, 2021
Second installment in a classic Appendix N adventure!
I first read the Saberhagen "Changeling Earth"/" Empire of the East" trilogy because it is specifically mentioned in the Appendix N by Gary Gygax - the list of authors and books that helped inspire the creation of D&D. This series mixed post-apocalyptic sci-fi with fantasy (not as unusual in its time as it is now), a combo I do not often care much for, but Saberhagen does it so *well*, it's cool. This book focused mostly on Chup, a villain from the first book who was wounded in battle and crippled from a spinal injury at the end, but turned in this book into an increasingly sympathetic character and protagonist, so that he is one of the "good guys" by the beginning of book 3. I look forward to seeing the forthcoming (shipping as I write this!) adaptation of "Empire of the East" to the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG.
I first read the Saberhagen "Changeling Earth"/" Empire of the East" trilogy because it is specifically mentioned in the Appendix N by Gary Gygax - the list of authors and books that helped inspire the creation of D&D. This series mixed post-apocalyptic sci-fi with fantasy (not as unusual in its time as it is now), a combo I do not often care much for, but Saberhagen does it so *well*, it's cool. This book focused mostly on Chup, a villain from the first book who was wounded in battle and crippled from a spinal injury at the end, but turned in this book into an increasingly sympathetic character and protagonist, so that he is one of the "good guys" by the beginning of book 3. I look forward to seeing the forthcoming (shipping as I write this!) adaptation of "Empire of the East" to the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG.
February 13, 2015
So this is the sequel to 'the Broken Lands', which I liked very much. Sadly, instead of furthering the interesting world building and building the characters from the first book. This one focuses on the defeated evil Satrap, Chup, and him soft of, but not really, rebelling against 'the east' . The main action for the rebels was them discovering a 'djinn' and trying to get him to make them hot air balloons... you know, instead of fixing the nuclear tank.
Then there's a new bad guy who brings troops back from the dead, which they spend alot of time on, but then doesn't really effect the action at all. Definitely should have quit while he was ahead.
Then there's a new bad guy who brings troops back from the dead, which they spend alot of time on, but then doesn't really effect the action at all. Definitely should have quit while he was ahead.
August 2, 2009
This is the middle book of the Empire of the East trilogy. I already reviewed that collection of the three, but I read this one separately, years before and so am marking it separately. It's pretty good but not outstanding, I thought.
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June 7, 2010science fiction
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